With the BJP weighing its alliance options for the Punjab Assembly elections due in February 2027, senior party leader Sunil Jakhar, 72, says any such alignment must be guided by the state’s interests. In an interview with The Indian Express, Jakhar, the former state BJP chief, warns that the weakening of the panthic establishment has created space for radical elements, accusing the AAP government of presiding over the criminalisation of politics. Excerpts:Nothing is done till it is done. The decision will be taken at the highest level of the party. But the fundamental consideration has to be what is in Punjab’s interest.AdvertisementPunjab is once again witnessing attempts to revive sentiments reminiscent of the dark days of terrorism. Certain political establishments are trying to divide society and shatter communal amity. Punjab’s ethos does not permit this. Any decision must be guided by the need to preserve peace and harmony.* Have you and other Punjab BJP leaders conveyed to the party’s high command that an alliance would benefit it?I have been a strong votary of this from day one, even before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Punjab’s communal amity is fundamental to it. As the Gurus taught us, Manas ki jaat sabhe eke pehchanbo.Every community must feel secure. The Sikh community, being in majority in the state, must feel that its interests, anxieties and aspirations are being addressed. Punjab needs a credible panthic establishment that can articulate Sikh concerns. It acts as a safety valve. When that establishment weakens, radical elements occupy the space.AdvertisementAlso Read | Capt Amarinder to Rahul Gandhi, why Congress returns to anti-drugs plank for Punjab polls* How do you explain the rise of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De)?The traditional institutions have lost credibility. When the SGPC president goes to submit a memorandum and the SDM does not even step out of his office, it tells you how far things have deteriorated. Earlier, such representatives would be received with dignity by the Chief Minister or Chief Secretary.When people lose faith in mainstream institutions, they turn to those who claim to represent their anxieties. Punjab is walking a very thin line. The BJP-Akali alliance in 1997-98 was not merely an electoral arrangement. It was a conscious effort to preserve Hindu-Sikh amity at a time when forces were trying to divide society. A similar broad-minded approach is required today.Don't Miss | Amit Shah accuses Rahul Gandhi of ‘rubbing salt into 1984 victims’ wounds with INDIA bloc rally* Is the BJP’s renewed focus on the 1984 anti-Sikh violence reopening old wounds?The point is not to reopen wounds but to remind people why Punjab must never return to those days. The violence of 1984 hurt the entire state. Subsequently, massacres took place in Punjab, and thousands were killed, many of them Hindus. Punjab’s basic ethos was hurt.We must look beyond political considerations and freebies. Punjab will remain long after all of us are gone. Its future cannot be sacrificed for petty political interests.What worries me is the similarity between the political circumstances then and now. The militancy years followed a tussle between two Congress leaders, one the chief minister and the other the home minister. That political rivalry cost Punjab dearly. Today, we see similar clashes of authority and political one-upmanship. Can we trust this leadership not to sacrifice Punjab to settle scores?Also Read | At Sangrur rally, Pargat Singh pitches for 2027 comeback, Channi draws loud cheers* Why do you accuse the AAP and the Congress of encouraging radicalism?There is a competition to establish who is more radical. Congress leaders are talking about only one issue, while ignoring the larger concerns of Punjab. If they are so committed to that ideology, why don’t they make that person (Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh) their CM face?I am against the ideology, not an individual. Anyone talking about secessionist movements and breaking India cannot be defended on grounds of sentiment. India first, Punjab first.The AAP government has played a large role in creating the circumstances in which these elements have risen. The Congress is following suit. Neither is doing Punjab any good.* Is the AAP government under pressure on the ground? Can it sustain its welfare guarantees?This does not even require much application of mind. The Congress has already said the freebies will continue. But where is the money? The government has acknowledged liabilities of Rs 32,000 crore towards employees. Punjab is living beyond its means. The power corporation is under severe financial stress, the state’s debt is mounting and borrowing is becoming increasingly expensive.Also Read | The stories behind 3 AAP exits in Punjab: Controversy, sidelining, dissentThese promises cannot be sustained indefinitely through loans. If the AAP government returns, the first casualty will eventually be its freebies. Neither the AAP nor the Congress has explained where the money will come from.A BJP-led government can work in tandem with the Centre, access central schemes and revive the economy. The present governments have manufactured a confrontation with Delhi for political survival. Punjab has paid a heavy price for it.* The BJP has made the drug menace its major plank. Why have successive governments failed to eradicate drugs in the state?It is a failure on several fronts: social, administrative and political. The intent to take hard decisions is missing.The AAP government has turned the drug trade into another revenue-generating source. The DGP himself has said that synthetic and pharmaceutical-based drugs account for a large proportion of the problem. I have been told during my visits to villages that pregabalin is being sold through local networks, with political functionaries involved.Punjab’s youth are frustrated. They have seen people from their villages go abroad and make a success of their lives. Here, they see little hope or opportunity. Easy availability of drugs compounds the problem.You cannot eradicate drugs through one-week or one-month drives. Rehabilitation, employment and restoring hope are essential. Amit Shah has spoken of a two-year timeframe. This requires a sustained, holistic effort.* Does the BJP still face a trust deficit in Punjab because of the now-repealed central farm laws and its Hindutva politics?Every Punjabi is a moderate. That is what Punjab is about. Radical elements rise when this moderation is undermined.As far as the Sikh community is concerned, I would say nobody has done more than Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent years. The Kartarpur Corridor was a longstanding aspiration. Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom was commemorated at the national level at the Red Fort. Work is underway to facilitate pilgrims travelling to Hemkund Sahib, and the sacrifices of the Sahibzadas have received national recognition.Also, there were some apprehensions that Hinduism will subsume Sikhism… However, Amit Shah has said very categorically that we not only accept but respect Sikhism as a separate religion. So these apprehensions have been dispelled.The perception that the BJP is against Punjab or Sikhs has been systematically cultivated. People must judge the party by what it has actually done.* You have called the criminalisation of politics as serious a threat as radicalism. Why?The criminalisation of politics by the AAP is deeply disturbing. People with criminal backgrounds are being brought into politics and projected as saviours of Punjab. Some are undergoing jail sentences. Giving them political legitimacy is a slap in the face of Punjab.I am particularly disturbed by remarks made by Manish Sisodia of using any means howsoever foul to win. The Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann) and his Cabinet colleagues were sitting there and applauding. Is this not contempt for Punjabi sentiment?I have raised the matter with the Governor. We must examine the legal possibilities of preventing people like Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia from entering Punjab.you may like* Will you contest the Assembly elections? Do you see yourself as a CM face of your party?I have no illusions that I am the remedy for Punjab. Sunil is not important. Peace in Punjab is important.Punjab needs someone who can rise above petty politics and take everybody along. I have always believed Captain Amarinder Singh had that ability.As for me, I am part of an organisation and will abide by the party’s decision. There are enough people with clarity of thought and intent who can take care of Punjab. Punjab needs handholding now. It deserves far better than what is being offered to it. Bringing the state back on track will be a long haul, but it has to begin somewhere. The time is now.