Faridkot
When the main fairs/festivals of Punjab like Maghi Mela Muktsar and even later on Baba Farid Agman Purb at Faridkot apart from many others were allegedly hijacked by the political parties to propagate their agenda, the visitors to the Melas got badly disturbed because of VVIP security which led to choke the spirit of the Melas,restricting the free movement of the public,stand still.
The reason:The politicians do not afford to miss a chance of meeting people though they can effectively work sitting in their offices.They think attending the Bhog ceremonies allegedly in absent minded, marriage functions and others, where there is some crowd, may lead to their popularity.
The organizers are too happy to receive them as well. It is also an obsession among the public to show dominance over others that how many politicians attended the Bhog ceremony of their dear ones .
Now there is a Kisan Mela going to be held in Faridkot palace on June 12.The Mea is going to be held in a palace due to sweating days,maybe not for the farmers, for the guests.But I leave it to be judged by the visitors. But three leaders of AAP including , Kultar Singh Sandwan, Speaker PV, are scheduled to attend the Mela as a chief guest and two others as special guests.
The Faridkot MLA Gurdit Singh Sekhon and Jaitu MLA Amolak Singh are scheduled to attend the mela as special guests.
Apart from it, the mela would be inaugurated by DC Faridkot Vineet Kumar, which could fully justify his being administrative head and Presiding of the Mela would be done by Joint director Dr Narinderpal Singh Benepal, from plant protection.
The Irony:
There was a time when the Punjab chief minister used to say that even on the inauguration stones, the names of the masons and labour would be written instead of politicians and on security issues, he allegedly said that those who are afraid of security, they should open the poultry farms.
The Mela is a Kisana Mela,for the farmers.
But now when these AAP representatives allegedly remained mute spectators when Haryana government shelled tear gases inside Punjab territory , blinded some,one was allegedly badly beaten packing in jute bag and one youth Shubhkaran Singh was killed during farmers protests and even allegedly remained silent when Kangna Ranout said after an assault by Lady constable on her that terrorism is rising in Punjab, are only want to be present in the Mela for photo session?
The press note seems to tell it only and rest would be seen on that day, June 12.
Actually fairs and festivals are for the people,of the people to serve their purpose, be it entertainment or educative valve.But who would sit to listen to the speeches of the politicians instead of scientists?
Some years back, regional station PAU Faridkot denied farmers giving the seeds unless the Kisan Mela was ended.They were charged, issued slips but they could not take away seeds as it would empty Pandal.
I still remember, many years ago, the Kisan Mela at PAU was going to be inaugurated by the president of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.The whole PAU was sealed and we kept waiting to watch the fair till late afternoon,wasting hours and hours. Finally,Kalam Sahab landed but by then, almost most of the farmers left the PAU frustrated as there were almost 100 percent restrictions on the farmers movement at the PAU campus.
About two years ago, When I attended a Kisan Mela on Faridkot campus and seeing the wastage of time, I asked the organizers why they invited local MLAs' families, he said that it was their compulsion.