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Attack on Sukhbir Badal is disturbing, deepens unease in Punjab
The attack on Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal in Nanded is reprehensible. The investigation will shine more light on this disturbing episode, but in Punjab, it can be said to be the latest in a recent series of developments that have deepened a sense of unease. In no particular order: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called on the Governor to seek a 10-day parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, one of the convicts in the 1995 assassination of former Chief Minister Beant Singh; Satluj, a film that streamed for only a few hours, has revived memories of Punjab’s dark decade of militancy; a march to Chandigarh by the Shiromani Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) demanded the release of its jailed leader, Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, and other prisoners of the militancy era, the Bandi Singhs.
It is striking that a state confronted by a host of pressing challenges, be it drugs, gangsters, a faltering agricultural economy or the continuing exodus of its young, should be spending so much political energy looking backwards. The renewed traction around the Bandi Singhs, particularly among the young, shows how unresolved history can travel across generations. Issues rooted in the panthic imagination can be recast for a generation that did not experience the violence but has inherited its unanswered questions. Political parties must take the blame for turning such issues into electoral instruments, but failure to resolve several longstanding questions has handed them this ammunition. Chandigarh, the sharing of river waters and the status of Sikh prisoners are unresolved legacies that have been allowed to fester for decades. It’s time to confront these issues rather than repeatedly rediscover them at election time.
Overall Analysis
The editorial begins by strongly condemning the attack on Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal in Nanded. The word “reprehensible” immediately establishes the author’s disapproval. However, rather than treating the incident as an isolated act of violence, the author places it within a larger pattern of political and social unease in Punjab.
The first paragraph uses a catalogue of recent developments — the parole issue involving Jagtar Singh Hawara, the film Satluj, the demand for the release of Amritpal Singh and other Bandi Singhs — to demonstrate that questions surrounding Punjab’s violent past are once again entering public and political discourse. The phrase “in no particular order” makes the list sound conversational while also suggesting that the developments are numerous and interconnected.
The second paragraph shifts from describing events to analysing their deeper significance. The author draws attention to an important contradiction: Punjab faces contemporary problems such as drugs, gang violence, agricultural distress and youth migration, yet considerable political attention is being devoted to unresolved issues from the past. The rhetorical construction “It is striking that…” signals the author’s surprise and criticism.
A particularly important idea is expressed through the phrase “unresolved history can travel across generations.” This is metaphorical language. The author argues that although today’s young people did not personally experience the violence of the militancy era, they have inherited the unanswered political and historical questions associated with it. The phrase “panthic imagination” refers to the collective religious and political consciousness of the Sikh community.
The editorial then moves towards assigning responsibility. It argues that political parties have converted historical and religious issues into electoral instruments, but it also acknowledges that governments have allowed important questions to remain unresolved for decades. This creates a balanced argument: politicians exploit unresolved issues, but their continued existence is partly the result of institutional and political failure.
The closing sentence — “It’s time to confront these issues rather than repeatedly rediscover them at election time” — provides the editorial’s central prescription. The author wants longstanding issues concerning Chandigarh, river-water sharing and Sikh prisoners to be addressed through serious political resolution rather than repeatedly being revived for electoral purposes.
From a language perspective, the editorial is effective because it combines formal political vocabulary, historical references, rhetorical questions/contrasts and metaphorical expressions. The writing gradually moves from the immediate incident to the broader problem of historical memory, political exploitation and unresolved grievances.
Important Vocabulary – 5
- Reprehensible – deserving strong criticism; morally unacceptable.
Example: Violence against a political leader is reprehensible. - Unease – a feeling of worry, discomfort or anxiety.
Editorial usage: A growing sense of insecurity or tension in Punjab. - Traction – increasing attention, acceptance or support for an idea or movement.
Example: The issue has gained traction among young voters. - Fester – to remain unresolved and gradually become more serious or problematic.
Example: Political grievances cannot be allowed to fester for decades. - Ammunition – literally, weapons used in fighting; figuratively, information or issues that can be used to attack or criticise an opponent.
Editorial usage: Unresolved issues provide political parties with material to use during elections.
Conclusion & Tone
The editorial’s central argument is that the attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal is not merely an isolated security incident. It reflects a deeper unease in Punjab, where unresolved questions from the militancy era continue to influence contemporary politics, particularly among younger generations.
The author argues that political parties should stop exploiting historical grievances for electoral gain, while governments must take responsibility for resolving longstanding issues. Punjab needs to confront its unresolved past while simultaneously addressing its present-day challenges.
Tone: Concerned, critical, analytical and cautionary.
