The Christian community congregated in Ludhiana to form the United Punjab Party with plans to contest the Jalandhar bypoll that is set to be held on May 10.
The development comes amid a row over religious conversions and the growing influence of Pentecostal churches in rural Punjab.
By Kamaljit Sandhu: On Sunday morning, as hundreds of Christian devotees gathered at the Holy Family Church in Ludhiana on the occasion of Easter, a handful of Christians came together to launch the United Punjab Party (UPP).
The development comes at a time when the political scene in the state is already charged with Punjab Police hard on the heels of fugitive Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh and amid a row over religious conversions and the growing influence of Pentecostal churches in rural Punjab.
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Around a week old now, the United Punjab Party plans to deep dive into politics by contesting the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypolls, which will take place on May 10. Although the party aims to field its own candidate for the bypolls, it is yet to be registered with the Election Commission of India.
Amid the Easter celebrations on Sunday, India Today spoke to Albert Dua, the new president of the United Punjab Party, who explained why the party was formed in the first place and what its aspirations are.
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“Since 1947, we have been promised a lot of things, but those are just empty promises. We have a sizable number of voters in different parts of Punjab. We must have our own candidate in local elections, Assembly as well as Lok Sabha polls,” said Albert Dua.
“They (other parties) keep making allegations of conversion, which are false. Malerkotla (district) is reserved for Muslims. The Christians in the state have been ignored,” said Albert Dua, according to whom there are 35 lakh Christians in the state.
The 2011 Census put the total Christian population in the state at only 1.5% of the total, the percentage may have risen to as high as 15%, according to some estimates. Apart from the substantial Dalit Christian vote, the rise of the UPP is also significant as it comes amid concerns of religious polarisation being stoked in the wake of the Amritpal Singh episode.
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The self-styled Sikh preacher, who is on the run, had made some uncharitable remarks about Jesus Christ. Albert Dua believes there is a threat to the Christian community in the state. “Sultan Masih, a pastor, was shot dead outside a church on the evening of July 15, 2017 in Peerubanda Mohalla area in Ludhiana. Our community is now being targeted from several quarters with false allegations of conversions,” said the party president.
Robin, a member of the Christian community, said, “Christians are not considered when it comes to politics. We will have our rights with the new party. We need to have our own councillors , MLAs and MPs.” Chancal, another member of the Christian community, said, “The church does good for everyone. So will the party.”
Although Albert Dua said that the UPP will not be exclusively comprising Christians but will be an all-inclusive party with the symbol of a farmer, other political parties have taken note of the new development, with some suspecting that the party has been formed to cut into the vote bank share.
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Speaking to India Today, Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa said, ” There are two pastors who were under ED raids and one of them has now formed this party. Traditionally, 90% of Christians have voted for Congress and the other 10 per cent for the Akali. The party has been formed to cut into the Congress’s vote share.”
However, Punjab’s finance minister and AAP leader said, “New parties emerge during election time—new, small, big parties all participate. I don’t think anyone should have an objection to it.”
