The gunning down of Punjab Congress leader and musician Subhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moose Wala, in Mansa district on Sunday raises disturbing questions about the law & order situation in the border state as well as the way important policy decisions such as the security cover to political leaders is arrived at in this country.
It has been pointed out that the assailants, whom the police say are part of a rival gang, took the life of Mr Sidhu a day after the recently-elected Aam Admi Party (AAP) government withdrew security cover extended to him. Punjab has long said good bye to the gun culture which the extremist elements introduced in the ’80s but the gruesome murder indicates that killer elements are still around and can strike at will.
The AAP knows the art of taking populist measures; a frontal attack on the VVIP culture will have its legitimate takers, too. It’s an easy decision that could earn too many brawny points too easily whereas a thorough review of the law & order situation and the police machinery, and fixing the gaps are a tough process which would yield dividends only later. The AAP must, however, consider it as part of the package and complete it. Punjab is the test case whether the party can live up to the challenge of governing a people.
To allow the VIP culture or not is a political decision a popular government can take but who should be extended security cover should be decided by professionals. Unfortunately, this is not how it is done, not only in Punjab but in many other states, too. Most often the security cover and the attendant paraphernalia come as perks of being part of the ruling dispensation whether the recipient is in need of it or not; it is also possible they could be dropped for deserving persons from the other side.
The Punjab episode must offer an eye opener for not just the government in Punjab but all over India for a course correction. The government must leave professional decisions to professionals.
