Social media frown at caste vote politics on Vaisakhi and Bihu
Dr. Lalit Kishore | 16 Apr 2015
On the day of Vaisakhi and Rongali Bihu festivals, which coincided with Ambedkar Jayanti this year, dirty caste vote bank politics took over the scene marring the celebration of the cultural festivals which otherwise had been celebrated cutting across religion, caste and creed divide. People have reacted adversely on the social media to political wrangling on the festival days.
Inderjeet Singh wrote on his facebook page, "One can see that how vote bank politics matters. Today is Vaisakhi which is being more politically celebrated as Dr Ambedkar Jayanti. Khalsa Sirjna (Khalsa birthday) hardly got captured by political circle as vote matters."
"Dr Ambedkar is to be regarded at highest level but think how this day in India got celebrated. Sikhism, an anti-caste faith and community and Dr Ambedkar victim of same casteism, have lot common things to share. But, PM's Europe visit, AAP sprinter group meeting, BJP's election kick-start in Bihar took the driving seat in Indian media. The revolution against casteism is still incomplete. Fanatics still speak loud from Haridwar, Mumbai and Hyderabad. We have to reconsider whether are we on the path of progress? We have not moved an inch from where Sikhism and Dr Ambedkar started the revolution of equality?" he added.
Surinder Pal Singh opined that none of the religion was communal and all religions were anti-casteism but this vote bank politics has created communalism and perpetuated caste system. Unless politics is spiritualized this cannot be resolved, he added.
Similarly, Rongali Bihu of Assam unites the people regardless of their religions or backgrounds and promotes the celebration of diversity. But due caste politics, the festival is loosing its sheen and some communities are distancing themselves from its celebration. Once upon a time, both Vaisakhi and Bihu were considered to be the most important non-religious festivals of the country, but things are changing now, I feel.
The main Vaisakhi celebrations took place at Talwandi Sabo, Anandpur Sahib and Amritsar. Several lakh devotees thronged the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the day of Vaisakhi.
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