Vinayak Dutt
It is of utmost importance for a Punjabi Hindu to preserve his own identity and culture that closely connects with Sikhs and even Punjabi Muslims rather than Hindus in Trans Yamuna plains. In an era of strong nation-states, the distinct identity of a Punjabi Hindu is fast decaying.This book is an attempt to re-establish that identity.The problem with Punjabi Hindu has been that the community failed to present its perspective on numerous issues including history, sociology and economy while it preferred to lease out the task to clergymen and bigots who went unchecked for decades and built a false narrative based on myths and reminiscences to sketch a skewed picture completely different from the reality.Punjabi Hindu has always been secular, progressive and open-minded has been a torchbearer of the culture of cis Yamuna plains enriched by Sufism of Muslim saints and Sikh gurus.Unlike the Hindi belt; Punjab had seen very few communal clashes rupturing the social fabric. BJP got only a handful of votes from the community despite the fact that the Modi wave swept the country not once but twice in the Lok Sabha elections held in 2014 and 2019 respectively.The Author, a Punjabi Saraswat Brahmin, has witnessed that sectarian abyss and trust deficit among the communities, especially in recent years when hardliners from all sides, who were fringe at one stage have come to the mainstream.So, it is high time for the community to shed political correctness and reclaim the Punjabiyat that it has been obliterating as Hindus have contributed as much to the development and progress of the region as much as the other communities.
