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Dosanjh Criticized For Mass Drafting Of Indo-Canadians

A P Kamath in Vancouver

The feud between Mo Sihota, the economic development minister and Ujjal Dosanjh, the attorney-general of British Columbia, is not new, but this week Sihota got Dosanjh admit to excessive zeal.

Dosanjh, who is expected to announce this weekend his decision to contest for the leadership of the New Democratic Party which could make him the premier of British Columbia, has said he should not have resorted to signing up people in bulk to join the NDP.

Though his action was not unethical under party rules, his opponents questioned its integrity. Dosanjh signed up about 6,000 voters, mostly from the Sikh community, boosting the NDP membership to 24,000.

Dosanjh, who was attacked by a machete-wielding fundamentalist Sikh a few years ago, is unpopular with the radicals. A former editor of a Sikh publication in London, India-born Dosanjh worked his way to the top in British Columbia, first attending night classes and working at a lumber yard during the day.

The New Democratic Party will have its annual convention in Vancouver from February 18 to 20, 2000. The convention will deal with the election of a leader, party officers and executive and policy resolutions.

Sihota argued that Dosanjh wanted to ensure his victory and had resorted to less than honorary practice.

While Dosanjh regretted his action, he has not indicated if he would ask for the cancellation of the membership. The bulk signing cost each new member about $ 2, and the opponents of the action are urging a higher admission fee.

Joy MacPhail, former finance minister, running for the leadership of the NDP, has also criticised Dosanjh.

The other declared candidate, Agriculture Minister Corky Evans, kept out of the controversy.

Sihota turned against Dosanjh when the attorney-general announced a few months ago that premier Glen Clark was being investigated for criminal wrongdoing in a scandal involving casinos.

Clark resigned, and was followed by an interim premier.

Sihota and other Clark loyalists berated Dosanjh. They said Dosanjh, who is known for his tough anti-crime drive and is rated in opinion polls to lead the party, was driven more by his personal ambitions than by principles.

But many constitutional experts backed Dosanjh, saying he was obliged to share the information about Clark with the public. Several of Dosanjh's Indian Canadian supporters said Sihota is doing disservice to the community.

"We can make history in North America by electing an Indian American as the head of a province," said Selby Coelho. "But we are fighting among themselves -- and this leads to a bad situation."

If Dosanjh is elected the leader of his party, he would remain premier for less than a year since opinion polls bode ill well for the future of his party in power.

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