'Don't Divide Punjab': Manish Tewari quotes Surjit Patar, hits out at caste politics
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, June 26: Congress MP Manish Tewari has cautioned against attempts to divide Punjab along caste and community lines, saying the state’s identity is rooted in “Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat.”
In a social media post, Tewari quoted late eminent Punjabi poet Surjit Patar’s famous lines, “Pehla Waris Shah nu vandiya si, hun Shiv Kumar di wari hai…”, describing them as a powerful reminder of Punjab’s painful history of divisions.
He said the poem, written during the militancy era of the 1980s, reflects the anguish of a Punjab that has witnessed repeated divisions over the past 125 years.
Tewari asserted that Punjab should not be viewed through the lens of caste-based politics, adding that such an approach goes against the state’s inclusive ethos.
He warned that those promoting divisive narratives only serve the interests of forces seeking to weaken Punjab’s social harmony, both within the country and across the border.