Tag: Sukhbir Singh Badal

All Eyes on Badal’s ‘Punishment’ as He Is Declared Guilty of Religious Misconduct by Akal Takht

While Badal has apologised, his detractors have sharpened their attack on him by seeking his resignation.

Chandigarh: Sukhbir Singh Badal’s stature as president of Punjab’s Sikh panthic party, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), faced a massive setback after the Akal Takht, the supreme Sikh seat of authority, declared Badal “tankhaiya” – guilty of violating the Sikh religious code.

The declaration, announced on Friday (August 30), was on account of decisions he took as deputy chief minister and SAD chief from 2007 to 2017 that according to the Akal Takht “deeply harmed the image of the panth and caused damage to Sikh interests apart from the SAD’s own downfall”.

While the Akal Takht did not give the details of Badal’s controversial decisions, a letter by SAD rebels in July blamed Badal for trying to have the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim pardoned by the Akal Takht in an old case involving his alleged blasphemous bid to imitate the tenth Sikh Guru.

In that letter, Badal was also blamed for his lack of proper action in handling incidents related to the sacrilege of holy the Sikh text, the Guru Granth Sahib, in 2015 despite holding the home department portfolio. Two Sikh protesters were then killed in police firing, leading to major resentment within the community.

Several SAD and Congress Sikh leaders in the past were declared tankhaiya and later atoned by offering karah prashad, reciting Gurbani or hymns, and performing services like washing utensils and cleaning shoes as part of their “punishment”.

But the situation in Badal’s case is different, as his detractors point out. Given that the charges against him are grave, all eyes are on the quantum of ‘punishment’ against him.

Explaining the issue, Sikh author and senior journalist Jagtar Singh told The Wire that declaring someone tankhaiya is a centuries-old Sikh practice of religious indictment. The next step is that their tankha, or punishment, must be quantified.

In Badal’s case, he said that the credibility of the Akal Takht is at stake. If Sikhs reject the decision taken by the Akal Takht jathedar just like in the Gurmeet Ram Rahim pardon row in 2015, then the supreme Sikh institution may face another setback.

In 2015, the decision by the Akal Takht in pardoning the Dera chief for his alleged blasphemous act sparked a major row. The decision was later revoked.

Jagtar emphasised that the bottom line here is that the Akal Takht’s decision in Badal’s case must have acceptability among Sikhs at large. Otherwise, the issue will remain alive.

Rumbling in SAD, rebels aggressive

Badal has kept a low profile ever since the Akal Takht’s decision.

Much of the party’s work is being handled by Balwinder Singh Bhunder, a close Badal aide who was elevated to post of the SAD’s working president a day before the Akal Takht pronounced its decision on Badal.

Badal, sources said, is in wait-and-watch mode, hoping for an amicable solution to the biggest challenge of his political life so far.

He has already appeared in person before the Akal Takht and submitted a written apology. He is said to be the first serving president of the grand old party of Sikhs to be declared tankhaiya.

On the contrary, anti-Badal sentiments have been sharpened by SAD rebels, who have been up in arms against him ever since the party’s dismal performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.

One of the rebel leaders, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, told the media that Badal should resign from the post of SAD president immediately if he really respected the Akal Takht.

He said that as tankhaiya, Badal cannot hold any position, participate in social functions, offer ardas in a gurdwara or pay obeisance till he is accepted after undergoing punishment.

“The SAD constitution also bars any tankhaiya from holding the president’s post. He has ruined the Akali Dal due to his lust for power,” he added.

Akal Takht Declares SAD Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal ‘Tankhaiya’. What Happens to His Party?

The Akal Takht’s decision is over Sukhbir Badal’s time as deputy chief minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017 during which he took some controversial decisions.

Jalandhar: The Akal Takht on August 30 declared Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal a ‘tankhaiya’.

In term, given by the supreme body of the Sikh religion, implies that a person is guilty of religious misconduct.

The decision to declare Sukhbir Badal ‘tankhiaya’ was taken by the five Sikh high priests of Akal Takht, over his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab from 2007 to 2017 during which the decisions that he took were seen to have harmed the image of the panth  – the path established by Sikh Gurus. The Akal Takht held that it caused huge damage to Sikh interests and led to the decimation of the SAD.

Sri Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, while addressing the gathering on the premises of Golden Temple in Amritsar asked Sukhbir Singh Badal to appear before the Akal Takht within 15 days. He also asked all Sikh cabinet ministers in the previous SAD-Bharatiya Janata Party government to appear before the Akal Takht and offer explanations.

Akal Takht was founded by sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind Singh on June 15, 1606, on the principle of miri and piri. Miri signifies temporal authority and piri means spiritual authority. The Akal Takht issues all hukamnamas or edicts related to the Sikh community. Any person found violating the moral code of conduct is declared tankhaiya by Akal Takth and must complete penance as decided by the Sikh clergy.

Notably, the SAD rebel group led by former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SAD leaders Gurpartap Singh Wadala and Surjit Singh Rakhra on July 1 appeared before the Akal Takht Jathedar and apologised for “mistakes” committed when the SAD-BJP government was in power from 2007 to 2017. The leaders called their group Shiromani Akali Sudhar Lehar.

The rebel group leaders had been demanding the resignation of Sukhbir Badal as SAD president and holding rallies across Punjab on this issue.

Sukhbir Badal, too, in response to the rebel group’s demands had admitted to his mistakes without making a direct mention to them, and sought atonement from Akal Takht in a letter shared on social media.

He wrote on X: “Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh. ‘Dass’ bows his head and accepts the order issued by Sri Akal Takth Sahib, the highest shrine of Miri Piri. As per order, I will soon appear before in front of Sri Akal Takth Sahib and seek forgiveness.”

On August 31, Sukhbir Badal appeared before the Akal Takht. Badal’s former Cabinet ministers Daljit Singh Cheema, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and Mahesh Inder Grewal  – the latter was advisor to the CM – also gave their explanations.

Many leading Sikh leaders like Master Tara Singh, Sant Fateh Singh, former Punjab CM Surjit Singh Barnala, former President Giani Zail Singh and former Union Minister Buta Singh had also earlier been declared tankhaiya by the Akal Takht.

Allegations against Sukhbir Badal:

As deputy CM of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, Sukhbir Badal’s role had been under the scanner. Some of his controversial moves were granting pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, allegedly getting the Akal Takht to appoint Sumedh Singh Saini as Punjab Director General of Police in 2012, the sacrilege cases of 2015, the killing of Sikh youths in Bargari and the alleged failure to provide justice to the victims.

Though Saini was removed from the post of DGP Punjab, the allegations damaged SAD’s image among core Sikh voters. Since 2017, SAD’s image as a ‘pro-farmer’ party also took a major hit despite it breaking away from the BJP over the now repealed farm laws in 2020.

SAD rebel group leader speaks

Former SGPC president and member of SAD’s rebel group leader Bibi Jagir Kaur welcomed the Akal Takth’s decision.

Bibi said, “Since Sukhbir Badal committed mistakes, he has been declared tankhiaya by the Akal Takht. If anybody violates the sanctity of the path, he will have to face punishment. Sukhbir Badal has already said that whatever punishment he will be given by the Akal Takht, he will accept it.”

Will Akal Takth’s decision revive SAD’s fortune?

Talking to The Wire, the former head of the sociology department at Panjab University, Manjit Singh said that this is not the first time that a sitting party president has been declared tankhaiya by the Akal Takht.

“In the past, the Akal Takht had declared Surjit Singh Barnala, Jagdev Singh Talwandi and dozen other Sikh religious leaders as tankhaiya. At the same time, those who had committed serious violations were expelled from the panth as well. However, after two years or so they were mostly taken back in the panth by the Akal Takht”, he said.

In the past two decades, two premier institutions of Sikhs – the SAD and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC), the ‘mini parliament’ of Sikhs, has been weakened because of their connections with the BJP, the professor said. He said that it is an open secret that both SAD and the SGPC share an umbilical cord as well.

Manjit Singh said that this, however, is the first time that SAD and its rebel factions have wholly accepted the Akal Takht’s decision – a move that he feels could signal its revival.

“Though it is an in-house issue of the SAD, the way the Akal Takht jathedars conducted the meeting and declared Sukhbir Singh Badal tankhiaya…it was an assertion of spiritual power. This will give a push to panthic politics,” he said.

The rebels could also lose ground, as a result, he added.

“In connivance with the BJP, the rebels perceived that Sukhbir Badal would succumb to pressure. However, approaching the Akal Takht became their biggest misadventure. The rebels were under the impression that Sukhbir Badal would not back out but instead he appointed SAD leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar as the party’s acting president. Since Sukhbir Badal stated that as SAD president, he takes all the blame on himself, it left no room for rebels to attack him further,” the professor added.

Professor Manjit claimed that as there was no glue to keep the rebels together now.

‘Mounting pressure’

Another prominent Sikh affairs expert Malvinder Singh Mali, who worked with former CMs Parkash Singh Badal and Captain Amarinder Singh, and also served as liaison officer of former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra, said that though it is not exactly clear that on which grounds the Akal Takht acted against Sukhbir Badal, it is clear that he will have to resign from the position of SAD president.

He asserted that this would pave the way for the unity of breakaway Akali factions, who were disenchanted by SAD’s politics but said, “There was no chance of a revival of SAD under Badal’s control.”

Mali emphasised that it was not leadership but a shakeup of Akali politics which was the need of the hour.

“The SAD will have to stick to its core principles of Anandpur Sahib resolution, Amritsar declaration, 1994 and the idea of federal and confederal politics. Instead of wavering between panthic and moderate Sikh politics and blindly following the Central government, the Akalis will have to fight for the rights of Punjab by staying within the parameters of the Indian constitution,” he added.

Another Sikh historian Dr Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon termed this a major development in Sikh and Akali political history.

“Sikh history is replete with examples of how even some close to the Sikh Gurus were declared tankhaiya by the Akal Takht. From Sri Guru Hargobind whose grandson was expelled from the panth to Sri Guru Har Rai whose son was excommunicated from the panth to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, whosoever violated the religious order were declared tankhaiya. Sukhbir Badal will also have to accept Akal Takth’s punishment as a humble Sikh,” he said.

SAD’s future

Facing one electoral defeat after the other, SAD has been reduced to a party led by the Badal family alone. Recently, a close aide of Sukhbir Singh Badal, Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon quit SAD and joined AAP to contest the upcoming by-election from Gidderbaha assembly constituency in Muktsar district.

Dhillon had been with the party for 38 years but quit after rumours swirled that Sukhbir might field his estranged cousin Manpreet Badal, who is now with the BJP from Gidderbaha seat.

Similarly, a fortnight ago, sitting SAD MLA Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi from Banga reserve assembly constituency in Nawanshahr district also quit Akali Dal and joined AAP.

After Dr Sukhi’s exit, SAD’s strength was reduced to two MLAs only in the 117-seat Punjab assembly – Ganieve Kaur, the wife of Bikram Singh Majithia, who is the brother-in-law of Sukhbir Badal and Manpreet Aiyali. Even in the parliament, SAD’s lone MP is Sukhbir’s wife and four-time Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Punjab: Akali Dal on Boil Again as Badal Detractors Expelled, Party Patron Suspends Expulsion

After a string of election defeats in the past eight years, senior party leaders rebelled against Badal, blaming his ‘authoritarian’ leadership for the party’s current existential crisis.

Chandigarh: The affairs in Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), India’s oldest regional party which fought for the political and religious interests of Sikhs and farmers in the border state of Punjab, has become deeply entangled after yet another challenge to party president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s authority.

After a string of election defeats in the past eight years, senior party leaders rebelled against Badal, blaming his ‘authoritarian’ leadership for the party’s current existential crisis.

They accused him of compromising the Sikh religious sentiments for political gains besides also taking peasants for granted, leading to major loss of the party’s core support base among Sikh panth (community) and farmers.

The party, which maintained a steady vote share of 25-30% even in its worst political defeats, registered its lowest-ever vote share of 13% in the 2024 general elections.”

Badal, who still holds firm grip over the party, retaliated by expelling eight main rebels from the primary membership of the party on Tuesday (July 30) through the action of a disciplinary committee on the pretext of indulging in anti-party activities.

But a day later on Wednesday (July 31) Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, the party patron and father of one of the expelled rebels, revoked their expulsion, saying that it was against the party constitution.

“I will write to Sukhbir Badal to seek a reply on this. Also, we will call a general house to elect a new party president,” he said, signalling tougher days ahead for Badal.

Even as Badal’s close aide and head of party’s disciplinary committee Balwinder Singh Bhunder claimed that Dhindsa had no authority to stay his decision to expel rebels, the fact that the party has gone haywire is an understatement.

Badal group responded on Dhindsa’s action by expelling him too on Thursday, August 1, claiming that he too was indulged in anti-party activities.

Issuing a statement, the party claimed that Sukhdev Dhindsa was not upholding the honour of his post. He was not only issuing unauthorized statements but was also working against the party.

Also read: Madhya Pradesh Police Detains Tamil Nadu Farmers En Route to Delhi Over Cauvery Water Dispute

Chandigarh based political analyst Pramod Kumar told The Wire that one should not read much into current happenings in Akali Dal except the fact that it is a power struggle within the party emitted from its string of political defeats.

The party has a history of divisions and revolts in the past too, he says adding he has his doubts if leadership change — as demanded by rebels — will revive the party since their own credentials are under a lot of questioning.

But there are those who believe the current crisis in the party is far more serious. Professor Ashutosh Kumar, who teaches political science at Panjab University, Chandigarh told The Wire that it is true that Akali Dal remained faction-ridden in the past and had even seen vertical divisions. However, there was never major erosion in its core social base, which mainly comprises Sikhs as well as farmers especially Jat Sikhs.

He said it is for the first time that the party’s credibility among its core social base has reached its nadir. “While Sikhs still appear angry with the party’s mishandling of sacrilege issue during their government in 2015, farmers too got disconnected with the party due to their inactive role in the farm bill protest against the BJP government at the centre in which SAD was alliance partner,” Ashutosh added.

Besides, other factors such as rural distress and Punjab’s consistent economic downfall also accumulated against Akali Dal, giving people reasons to find alternate political options. The rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well as recent Lok Sabha victories of radical leaders can also be understood in that context, he explained.

Ashutosh underlined that the problem in Punjab right now is constant political alienation of people from mainstream parties, adding that “the performance issue of the AAP government despite its historic mandate in 2022 is contributing to it”.

Meanwhile, a lot more drama is in store in Akali Dal. Rebels will soon start Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar in order to connect with masses, which may become a new challenge for SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

After Another Political Rout, Daggers Drawn Against Badals in Akali Dal

While the Badals called party’s disgruntled leaders as BJP ‘stooges’, there fears that the latest crisis could further weaken the party in the state it once fought for and ruled to protect its identity.

Chandigarh: As another Lok Sabha rout – much worse than previous defeats – slid Punjab’s regional party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to further deterioration, the chorus has grown to oust Badals, who have been controlling the party since the 1990s. A group of senior party leaders during their meeting held in Jalandhar on Thursday, June 25 openly called for the ousting of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal as they blamed his leadership for the party’s continuous drubbing in elections.

After ruling Punjab for 10 years in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), SAD reduced to a mere 15 seats in the 117-member state assembly during the 2017 state polls. Five years later in the 2022 state polls, it had a mere three MLAs in the state assembly.

In parliamentary polls, it won two out of 13 seats in Punjab getting a decent 27% vote share during the 2019 general elections. This time, it not only clocked its worst-ever 13% vote share, but as many as 10 of its 13 Lok Sabha candidates lost their security deposits.

Overall, SAD – which once was an important political player in the border state – slid to fourth position, even falling behind BJP, which otherwise was facing large-scale opposition in rural Punjab due to the farmers’ movement.

The mood of Punjab – as poll results showed – was very much anti-BJP. But SAD’s poll debacle despite breaking off its ties with BJP showed that Congress and AAP were seen as far more credible alternatives to the BJP than homegrown parties like Akali Dal.

The victory of two independents – jailed radical leader Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib and Sarabjeet Singh – son of former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassin Beant Singh – from Faridkot further exposed SAD’s alienation from people.

This feeling of alienation is what has now triggered a larger-scale crisis with many leaders worrying about their political future as well as the future of the grand old party of Punjab, which was India’s first regional outfit formed in 1920 to serve and protect Sikh and Punjabi identity.

In independent India, the party had a vital role in securing a Sikh majority state and fought a long battle with the centre over federal autonomy before it reached a stage where questions were now being raised on its political relevance.    

Tug of war

In response to the crisis, Sukhbir Badal first chaired a meeting with district presidents and constituency (halqa) incharges of the party on Thursday and then called the party’s working committee a day later on Friday.

In both these meetings, Badal loyalists turned the heat on disgruntled leaders, alleging that they were part of a ‘dangerous conspiracy’ hatched by the BJP to disturb the peace and communal harmony of the state. 

Simultaneously, they trashed the chorus to remove Badal as SAD president and passed a resolution hailing him and reposing full faith in his leadership.

Later, Badal’s wife Harsimrat Kaur, the only party MP left in parliament, posted on X that it is unfortunate that some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stooges tried to break the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) but failed.

She said it is heartening that the entire rank and file of the party including 112 out of 117 constituency incharges and all district presidents have expressed complete faith in the leadership of S Sukhbir Singh Badal.

“Only five leaders are working against the party’s interests as per the game plan of the BJP. The BJP wants to re-enact a breakaway in the SAD as it did in Maharashtra. It will not succeed,” she added.

But the other side is equally vocal on Badal’s ousting. Leading the camp are senior leaders like Prem Singh Chandumajra, Sikander Singh Maluka, Surjit Singh Rakhra, along with old Badal family detractors like Dhindsas and Bibi Jagir Kaur.

Talking to The Wire Chandumajra, claimed that families of several Akali stalwarts like Master Tara Singh, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Surjit Singh Barnala were fully behind them to get the party free from Badals and revive it back.

Sharing the details of their Thursday meeting in Jalandhar where they officially declared for leadership change, Chandumajra said that the successive electoral defeats of the party in the past decade made it clear that people had no longer faith in Badal’s leadership.  

“Akali Dal Arsh ton Farash te aa Gaya (The Akali Dal has plummeted from the heights to the ground) all because of the Badal family,” he said.

Chandumajra then added, “We will seek forgiveness for the past mistakes and shortcomings at the Akal Takht in Amritsar on July 1. A ‘Shiromani Akali Dal Bachao’ movement will also be launched on that day to again connect with people and to regain their trust,” he said.

 “We will not let Badals remain in control of Akali Dal any longer,” he added

The revolt against Badals is not anything new. Soon after SAD’s 2017 state assembly defeat, veteran Akali leaders like Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura partied ways after questioning Sukhbir Badal’s leadership and even floated their own Akali front.

But Badals managed to sail through the crisis without losing their grip over the party and even brought their detractors back.

But the latest rift in the party is believed to be much larger in scale. The initial response of the Badals shows that they are still in the control of the party. How they overcome the latest challenge remains to be seen. 

What explains SAD’s current affairs?

Harjeshwar Singh, a political commentator based in Chandigarh, told The Wire that the party historically fought for the rights of Sikhs and farmers, which largely formed its core support base.

Multiple factors are to be blamed for the party not just losing its core base but becoming irrelevant in the state politics, he added.

First, Harjeshwar said, party leadership succumbed to Narendra Modi’s majoritarian and neo-liberal regime due to their hunger for power. By the time they partied ways in 2021, the damage had already been done.

Also read: No Alliance Between SAD and BJP In Punjab As Akalis Focus On Recovering Lost Ground Among Farmers

The perception had then built up against Badals that they were in cahoots with the Modi regime on farm bills and were forced to oppose only after farmers’ movement against these bills had fully blown out, he added.

Other than farm issues, Akali Dal’s silence on abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir too was questioned especially when it had a history of demanding more federal autonomy for states, he added.

Harjeshwar said in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, anti-BJP sentiments were clearly visible in Punjab especially after farmers from the state were badly treated in their latest movement on the minimum support price (MSP) guarantee law.

He explained that Akali Dal made some right noises by coming in full support of the latest farmers’ movement and even decided against alliance with the BJP on farmers’ and Sikh prisoners’ issues.

“But SAD’s poor show reflects that party leadership still faces a major trust deficit. The voters, especially their core base in villages, were somehow in doubt that SAD would again side with the BJP after winning the elections. Therefore, they did not vote for the party,” he added

Harjeshwar said unless the Akali Dal leadership takes a strong stand for the people of Punjab and fights for their issues on the streets, the party’s revival is extremely difficult.

“Punjab has changed politically too. Earlier it no longer has a bi-polar party system after the rise of AAP as well as an exponential growth of the BJP looking to consolidate the Hindu vote bank. Then you have radicals catching public attention. This makes Akali Dal’s revival even more difficult,” Harjeshwar added

Meanwhile, another view among academia and political observers is that past mistakes during the previous Akali regime between 2007-2017 – such as incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and firing incident on peaceful Sikh protesters apart from the issue of rampant drug trafficking – continues to hang around its neck.

With Akalis fighting each other now, there are fears that it could further weaken the party, giving another reason to its political rivals to outwit them. 

No Alliance Between SAD and BJP In Punjab As Akalis Focus On Recovering Lost Ground Among Farmers

The regional party also wanted the centre’s intervention in the release of Bandi Sikhs — a major issue among section of Sikhs in Punjab — who had completed their jail term (Bandi Sikhs is a term used for Sikh prisoners languishing in various jails in India for their involvement during militancy in Punjab).

Chandigarh: As the alliance talks initiated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will fight the Lok Sabha polls solo in Punjab. The recent farm protests and the Centre’s lack of intervention in the release of Bandi Sikhs are seen as the major reasons for the failure of the coalition discussions.

This became amply clear after BJP’s Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar announced on Tuesday, March 26 that his party will fight all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Even as top brass of BJP was confident of bringing Akalis — which once was its trusted ally — back in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold, the announcement hardly came as a surprise.

‘We do not engage in politics solely for votes. Parties from Delhi play vote politics, but for us, Punjab comes first,” SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said on the recent development.

Political analyst Pramod Kumar, who also heads Chandigarh-based Institute for Development and Communication, told The Wire that SAD wanted conditional alliance with the BJP with assurance to legal guarantee of MSP, which has been core issue of Punjab’s peasant currently protesting against the Narendra Modi government at the centre.

Besides, it also wanted the centre’s intervention in the release of Bandi Sikhs — a major issue among section of Sikhs in Punjab — who had completed their jail term (Bandi Sikhs is a term used for Sikh prisoners languishing in various jails in India for their involvement during militancy in Punjab), said Pramod.

But according to him, the BJP rather wanted unconditional seat adjustments for the coming election. Therefore, the alliance did not materialise.

Before understanding the political implication of the alliance talk failure, it is vital to know as to why these issues were important to SAD. The answer is closely knitted to the party’s core politics in Punjab, which revolved majorly around Sikh panth and state’s peasantry for decades.

However, several factors like sacrilege incidents and growing rural distress made the SAD lose its core base in 2017 assembly polls after running two successive governments in alliance with the BJP.

Further, the SAD faced another setback after three farm bills by its alliance partner BJP at the centre in 2020 turned into historic protest by farmers from Punjab and other states. Even though SAD officially broke off its old ties with the BJP over farm bills, the political dynamics changed in Punjab with the rise of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.

AAP harped on voters’ disenchantment against traditional parties and won a historic mandate in the 2022 assembly polls, with SAD reducing to just three assembly constituencies and BJP limiting to just two seats. The then incumbent Congress was equally hit.

Ahead of the general elections, while Congress and AAP formed their election strategies, many expected SAD and BJP to come together to weave their old rural-urban magic back.

Talks officially began between both the parties as union home minister Amit Shah said publically in the recent past. But the return of farm protests last month in February – this time with a fresh demand for MSP guarantee law – again created uneasiness in possible ties between SAD and BJP .

In its recent core committee meeting on March 22, SAD made its mandate clear by passing a resolution which urged the Modi government to honour its categorical written commitment for the release of Bandi Singhs who had completed their terms. The regional party also mentioned that it would continue to champion the cause of the farmers and farm labourers and said that all promises made to them must be fulfilled.A

It also stated that “it will never deviate from its historic role as a champion of the interests of Khalsa Panth, all minorities as well as all Punjabis.”

The implications in Lok Sabha polls 

With SAD and BJP going solo, Punjab will witness four-cornered fight just like the 2022 assembly polls.

In such a situation, the election may likely remain a close fight as all the parties are working on different agendas.

SAD has already spelt out its focus on recovering its old core base as well as targeting the AAP government, claiming that Bhagwant Mann-led government was a complete disaster.

On the other hand, the ruling AAP is harping on its governance model including fulfilment of pre-election promises like free electricity and Mohalla clinics etc.

The BJP will have Modi to ride its election juggernaut in the state and hope to sway masses especially in urban areas on the name of Ram Mandir and promise of another stable government at the centre.

Like SAD, the Congress had relied on the anti-AAP agenda. But the grand old party now looks a bit in disarray ever since it joined hands with the AAP at the national level to prevent the NDA from coming to power for a third term.

Kumar told The Wire that the failure of alliance talks between SAD and BJP would lead to crowding of electoral space in Punjab.

He said the four-cornered contest will lead to division of votes. The AAP and the Congress may hope to be major beneficiaries of this influx while Akalis hope to secure seats on its renewed efforts to win back its old base.

“The BJP on the other hand is hopeful that it may turn out to be the accidental beneficiary of this flux,” Pramod added.

In Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Loses a Mass Leader

The Union government has announced a two-day state mourning period for the Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch, who leaves behind a mixed legacy. While he helped restore peace in Punjab, he also succumbed to nepotism.

Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, who remained a central figure of Punjab politics for nearly half a century, passed away at the age of 95 on Tuesday, April 25, after a brief illness.

He was admitted to a private hospital in Mohali on April 21 after experiencing chest pain and breathing difficulties. Since then, he was in constant observation in the intensive care unit.

As the news of his demise spreads, tributes pour in for the veteran politician. The Union government has declared a two-day mourning period on April 26 and 27 as a mark of respect.

He was just 42 years of age when he first became Punjab CM in 1970. He was 88 years when he demitted office for the last time in 2017. In total, he Was the chief minister of Punjab for a record five times. He also served as the Union minister of agriculture and irrigation in the Janata Party government in 1977.

Badal, who was president of the SAD from 1995-2008, was elected as an MLA 11 times (out of 13 times contested), a record in Punjab. He began his political career in 1947 as a sarpanch of his native village Badal.

Since then, the identity of his village became permanently etched in his name. Badal first entered the Punjab assembly in 1957 from the Malout constituency in Muktsar district on a Congress ticket.
Later, he joined the SAD and became a central figure of anti-Congress politics within the state and outside, after the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966.

While he was a moderate Akali leader who remained committed to peace in the border state, he has a mixed legacy. Some say that he was a people’s politician, while others accuse him of making the SAD a family-driven party. His son Sukhbir Singh Badal is the current president of SAD.

Badal’s mortal remains will be placed at the SAD head office in Chandigarh from 10 am to 12 noon on Wednesday. Thereafter, his body will be taken his native Badal village, where he will be cremated on Thursday.

Conferred with the Padma Vibhushan in 2015, Badal returned it in 2020 as a mark of protest against the three contentious Central farm laws which were opposed by farmers in the state.

Complicated legacy

Pramod Kumar, a political commentator who is the director of the Institute of Development and Communication in Chandigarh, told The Wire Badal’s demise marks the end of an era. “He belonged to that generation of politicians who handled every situation with political maturity, unlike reactionary politics today. He represented a moderate voice of Punjab politics and did not encourage divisiveness in society,” he said.

According to Pramod, the SAD patriarch was one of the main architects of restoring peace in Punjab after a decade of militancy in the state in 80s.

He referred to the SAD’s Moga Declaration in 1996 under Badal’s leadership, which projected the Akali Dal as the party of Punjabis of all faiths.

Harjeshwar Singh, a history professor, also said that Badal was a mass leader and a humble politician who contributed to the development of the state through his record five times as CM. But during his time, he reduced the SAD, the second oldest political party in India, to a family party, Singh said. His opponents in the party were either shunted out or became politically irrelevant.

After serving the Akali Dal as president for 13 years, he handed over the baton to his son Sukhbir Badal and other members of his family.

“He is also often accused of degrading Sikh institutions,” said Harjeshwar, adding that the SAD has a history of struggle to protect regional interests of Punjabis and the state. Sadly, the party under his leadership did not live up to it. “SAD, which once was a strong regional party, plunged into existential crisis during Badal’s own lifetime, ” he added.

In 2022, when the most recent assembly elections were held in Punjab, the party was reduced to just three seats in the 117-member house, a record low for the 103 year old party.

Senior journalist and writer Jagtar Singh also told The Wire that while Badal might have been longest serving chief minister of the state, his legacy is questionable, especially in Sikh panthic (religious) domain.

However despite all his weaknesses, he was considered a humble politician and had kept his ears to the ground.

He was a 24×7 politician who understood his electorate very well. His sangat darshan – weekly meetings with the public in their villages – were hugely successful.

Badal’s strategic alliance with BJP helped him form three governments after the 90s, he said. Some called it Sikh and Hindu alliance – with the SAD seen as a Sikh party and BJP as a Hindu party – which was also important after 15 years of militancy in Punjab, Jagtar said.

The SAD patriarch’s populist schemes like free power to farmers and the atta-daal scheme for dalits brought relief to farming and poor communities. But for many, it was a short sighted vision and did not help uplift the farming community in the long run. Giving free power to farmers, which Badal started in 1997, is also blamed now for depleting groundwater levels to record lows in the state.

Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal. Photo: By arrangement

Tributes pour in

Top functionaries of the country, meanwhile, have paid tribute to Badal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Badal’s passing a personal loss. In a tweet Modi said, “I have interacted closely with him for many decades and learnt so much from him. I recall our numerous conversations, in which his wisdom was always clearly seen.”

President Droupadi Murmu also stated in a tweet that Badal was one of the tallest political stalwarts in independent India. “Though his exemplary career in public service was largely confined to Punjab, he was respected across the country. His demise leaves a void,” she said.

Union home minister Amit Shah said in statement that the passing away of the veteran is deeply saddening. “His career spanning several decades was dedicated to the welfare of the poor. His demise is an irreparable loss to Indian politics,” he said.

BJP national president J.P. Nadda said Badal was a towering political figure whose contributions to the development of Punjab are immense and will always be remembered.

In his statement, Congress national president Mallikaarjun Kharge said Badal was a veteran of Indian politics. “Although we differed in our ideologies, he earned immense respect among the people of Punjab for his simplicity and loyalty to his cadre, as he served multiple terms as CM,” said Kharge.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said in a condolence message, “Received the sad news of the demise of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.May Waheguru give place to the departed soul in his feet and give strength to the family to bear the loss.”

Note: This article was originally published at 10 pm on April 25, 2023 and republished at 11:55 pm on the same day.

SAD Objects to NCERT Textbook Saying Anandpur Sahib Resolution Favoured ‘Separatism’

While no changes have been made to this particular section of the Class XII political science textbook as part of NCERT’s rationalisation project, the Akalis say the resolution only sought to promote federalism within the constitutional framework.

Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and other Sikh bodies in Punjab have taken a strong objection to NCERT’s Class XII political science textbook painting the Anandpur Sahib resolution of 1973 as a separatist document.

This is mentioned in Chapter 7 of the book, Politics in India Since Independence. While the reference to the Anandpur Sahib resolution as separatist document was mentioned in earlier editions of the book as well, SAD has rasied the issue now as NCERT’s revisions have come under severe criticism.

There have been controversies about textbooks deleting content on Mahatma Gandhi, the RSS, Gujarat riots and the Mughal Empire.

SAD senior leader Daljeet Cheema told The Wire that for the party, it does not matter that the characterisation existed in earlier editions too. “The fact remains that the Anandpur Sahib resolution was wrongly interpreted. This is unacceptable to us as it reeks of a conspiracy to defame Sikhs,” he said.

“When the matter came to our attention, we immediately highlighted it and demanded the Union education minister to revise it along the factual position,” he added.

The Anandpur Sahib Resolution is one of the most frequently invoked documents in modern Sikh history. It has religious as well as political goals for the SAD to achieve.

It was adopted by the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal at a meeting held at Anandpur Sahib, a town sacred to Guru Gobind Singh, in October 1973. It later became popurlar as Anandpur Sahib Resolution.

The textbook says that during the 1970s, as the political position of the SAD remained precarious, a section of Akalis began to demand political autonomy for the region. This was reflected in a resolution passed at their conference at Anandpur Sahib in 1973.

“The Resolution was a plea for strengthening federalism, but it could also be interpreted as a plea for a separate Sikh nation, [Emphasis supplied]” the book added. The latter half of the sentence has drawn ire from Sikh bodies.

Cheema told The Wire that the document stood for unity and integrity of the country and only sought to promote federalism within the constitutional framework, a issue which is relevant even today.

The book continues that the resolution, after its adoption in 1973, had a limited appeal among the Sikh masses. It says:

“A few years later, after the Akali government had been dismissed in 1980, the Akali Dal launched a movement on the question of the distribution of water between Punjab and its neighbouring States. A section of the religious leaders raised the question of autonomous Sikh identity. The more extreme elements started advocating secession from India and the creation of ‘Khalistan’.”

‘Political design of BJP to polarise the nation’

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal in a statement on April 14 said that the “derogatory references” to the Anandpur Sahib Resolution “deliberately painted the patriotic Sikh community as separatist”.

He added, “Anandpur Sahib Resolution was approved by Parliament as a call for federal structure, accepted by Govt of India, referred to Sarkaria Commission, its recommendations implemented.”

Earlier, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), a Sikh body responsoble for the management of historical gurudwaras, too condemned the textbook’s characterisation of the resolution.

The cover page of the textbook. Photo courtesy: NCERT

What do experts say?

The Wire spoke to experts, who were also of the view that the document adopted by the SAD did not have a separatist tone.

Sukhdev Singh Sohal, former history professor at Guru Nanak Dev University, told The Wire that the resolution was passed at a time when the Congress under Indira Gandhi was exerting a dominant position in the country, leaving little political space for opposition parties.

It is in this context, the Akali Dal passed a resolution seeking greater autonomy for the states, which, in no manner, demanded Punjab’s separation from the Union of India, said Sohal.

Sohal said that some of the ideas in the resolution may sound far-fetched but its central focus was to safeguard the fundamental rights of the religious and linguistic minorities. It also wanted to ensure decentralisation of power so that the Indian constitutional infrastructure can be given a real federal shape, he said.

This idea, Sohal added, is relevant even today, given that the political atmosphere today is similar to the one that existed in the 70s. There is a similar dominance of central authority, as seen during Mrs Gandhi’s time, he added.

Pramod Kumar, a political commentator as well as director of the Institute for Development and Communication in Chandigarh, is of the view that the problem with history writing in India is that it is not always evidence based.

As far as the Anandpur Sahib Resolution is concerned, he said there were as many as three versions that were put forth by different Sikh factions. One sought greater autonomy, which was the viewpoint of the mainstream Akali Dal. Another faction wanted India to be a confederation of states and the third version of the resolution adopted a separatist agenda.

“The book should have mentioned all these three versions of Anandpur Sahib and should have attributed each version to the respective political groups. If that is not mentioned, then it is wrongful interpretation,” he added.

Watch | ‘We Do Not Want Khalistan; Don’t Blame Sikhs for One Man’s Actions and Beliefs,’ Says Badal

The former deputy chief minister of Punjab blames the BJP-led Union government and AAP government in Punjab for the current situation in his state.

In an interview where he clearly and sharply questions the competence and even the intentions of the Punjab Police and Aam Aadmi Party government of Punjab as well as, it seems, the Government of India, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal and a former deputy chief minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, asks: “If they (the two governments and Punjab police) had to catch him (Amritpal Singh) why didn’t they catch him at his house early in the morning? Everyone knows every night he goes back to his home. But they didn’t do that. So what is their game plan? Everyone in Punjab is quite shocked at the game plan being played by the Government of India and the government of Punjab.”

In a 30-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Sukhbir Singh Badal went on to say “the people of Punjab do not know Amritpal”. He said the media has built him up and the media has created the fear that Khalistani sentiment is reviving and growing in Punjab. That, he forcefully added, is not true.

Badal said: “We Sikhs do not want Khalistan. The Shiromani Akali Dal wants a strong and peaceful nation and a strong Punjab”. Badal said 99.99% of the people of Punjab want peace. As he put it: “point point point 1% want Khalistan”. At another point in the interview, he said: “100% … I guarantee .. there is no sentiment of Khalistan (in Punjab).”

In the interview to The Wire, Badal was asked how he responds to the claim made by Amritpal Singh (in television interviews and also quoted by The Hindu 4/3) that if the BJP can lay stress on Hindu revival and Hindutva he has a right to talk about Khalistan? In response, Badal said: “Hindutva is sending the wrong message to other communities.” Please see the interview for further details of what Badal said about this.

On several occasions in the interview, Badal raised questions about Aam Aadmi Party MLAs and their alleged involvement either with Khalistan seminars and/or Amritpal Sigh. He specifically questioned the Punjab police’s failure to act on February 23, when the Ajnala incident happened, and even earlier when Gurudwaras in Jalandhar were vandalised by Amritpal Singh’s supporters. Again, please see the interview for further details of what Badal says about both issues.

Badal was also asked about the view in some quarters that Amritpal Singh is being propped up by the Union government either to undermine the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab and/or to play the role Pulwama played in 2014. This view is mentioned in an Op-ed article in today’s Business Standard (24/3). Please see the interview for Badal’s response.

As far as I know, this is the first interview given by Badal or any senior member of the Shiromani Akali Dal about Amritpal Singh, his handling by both the state and Union governments, the situation in Punjab and the belief or fear that the Khalistan movement is showing signs of revival. Badal’s is a viewpoint that is not heard frequently on television. I, therefore, encourage you to watch this interview.

At INLD Mega Rally, Opposition Leaders Once Again Make the Case for Unity

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that a “main front” of opposition parties will ensure that the BJP loses badly in the 2024 general elections.

New Delhi: A host of opposition leaders on Sunday made the case for opponents of the BJP to unite, with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar reiterating his belief that ‘one front’ that includes the Congress and Left parties must take on the saffron party.

Several leaders participated in a mega rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana’s Fatehabad to mark former deputy prime minister Devi Lal’s birth anniversary.

Addressing the rally, Nitish said that a “main front of opposition” will ensure that the BJP loses badly in the 2024 general elections.

“If all non-BJP parties unite, then they can get rid of those who are working to destroy the country,” he said. He accused the BJP of trying to create “Hindu-Muslim disturbances” in society to benefit politically.

There is no real Hindu-Muslim conflict in society, he said, adding that some mischief-makers are there everywhere. A large number of Muslims chose to remain in India after the Partition in 1947, he added.

Kumar suggested that an opposition front cannot be envisaged without the Congress and the Left parties, and urged leaders on the dais, including some with a strong anti-Congress history, to work for larger unity.

INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’s Sukhbir Singh Badal, both with a long history of fighting the Congress, were on the stage with other senior leaders such as the Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury and Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena.

However, no one from the Congress attended the rally.

Kumar asserted that the need of the hour is a “main front” of all opposition parties and not any third front, a reference to non-BJP and non-Congress parties. “Then such a front will win handsomely,” he said.

While leaving the rally venue, Kumar told reporters he was not a contender for the prime minister’s post.

“No real work is happening under the BJP government at the Centre,” he alleged, accusing it of imposing its control over different institutions, including the media, to peddle a “one-sided” narrative.

People attend a rally organised by Indian National Lok Dal on the occasion of the 109th birth anniversary of former deputy PM Devi Lal, in Fatehabad, September 25, 2022. Photo: PTI/Atul Yadav

‘Everyone must work towards ensuring change in 2024’: Pawar

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, speaking at the rally, said the time has come for everyone to work towards ensuring a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

“Farmers staged protests on the borders of the national capital, but the Union government did not heed to their demands for a very long time,” Pawar said.

Pawar said farmers and youths dying by suicide is not a solution, but the “real solution” is to bring about a change and everyone must strive for a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

He said the Union government had promised to withdraw cases filed against farmer leaders, but it has not fulfilled it as yet.

Time to come together to form new alliance: Badal at INLD rally

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday joined the call for like-minded parties to form a united front under the flag of farmers and labourers and work for their welfare.

Talking about National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Badal said the alliance was formed when the BJP was relatively a weaker force.

“The real NDA is sitting here, it was founded by Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and JD(U). We stood by the BJP when it was a relatively smaller party. But now it is time to forge an alliance for farmers and labourers,” Badal said.

Badal attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said such parties destroy the entire state machinery when they come to power.

JD(U), SAD and the Shiv Sena left NDA to save constitution: Tejashwi

RJD leader and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said the JD(U), SAD and the Shiv Sena left the BJP-led NDA to save the Constitution and democracy.

He also accused the BJP of making false claims and promises and dubbed the party as “Badka Jhuta Party” (party of big lies).

He said home minister Amit Shah spoke of an airport in Purnea in Bihar at his recent public meeting there even though there is no airport in the city.

With Nitish Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant on stage, he noted that they were all members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

They have left the ruling alliance to save the constitution and democracy, he claimed. “Where is the NDA now?” he asked.

“While the Bihar government has begun the exercise to give jobs to people, the BJP government at the Centre has been unable to fulfil its promise of giving jobs,” he alleged.

Yadav said the BJP earlier used to sing ‘mehngayi daayan maar gayi‘ (price rise is killing everyone), but now mehngai has become its bhoujayi (sister-in-law).

(With PTI inputs)

As Punjab Governor Withdraws Order Summoning Special Assembly Session, AAP Cries Foul

Banwarilal Purohit said House rules did not allow summoning a session just to pass a trust vote in favour of the government, earning praise from opposition parties.

New Delhi: Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday withdrew his earlier order calling a special session to bring a confidence motion, earning criticism from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and praise from the opposition.

The governor withdrew an earlier order calling the special session on Thursday, saying he had sought legal opinion after the Congress and the BJP approached the Raj Bhavan arguing that the House rules did not allow summoning a session just to pass a trust vote in favour of the government.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann slammed the governor for the decision, while the opposition parties hailed the move, saying Purohit prevented the state government from “sabotaging the constitutional and legislative practices”.

The AAP had sought to prove its majority through a confidence motion in the assembly, days after it alleged that the BJP was trying to bring down its government in Punjab by poaching its MLAs. The party had recently claimed that at least 10 of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of Rs 25 crore to each to topple the six-month-old government.

With 92 MLAs, the AAP has an overwhelming majority in the 117-member Punjab assembly, while Congress has 18, SAD three, BJP two, and BSP one. The assembly also has one independent member.

The opposition BJP and the Congress had slammed the AAP move, accusing it of indulging in “theatrics” to divert the attention of people from its “failures”. They asked why AAP needed to move a trust vote when nobody had claimed that it had lost its majority in the House.

“In absence of the specific rules regarding summoning of the assembly for considering the ‘confidence motion’ only called by the Punjab government on September 22, through special session of 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, I Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab, hereby withdraw my orders dated September 20, regarding summoning the 16th Vidhan Sabha of the state of Punjab to meet for its third (special) session at 11 am on Thursday, September 22, in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha hall, Vidhan Bhavan, Chandigarh,” the latest order read.

Kejriwal hit out at the governor. “How can the governor refuse a session called by the cabinet? Then democracy is over,” the Delhi chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

His Punjab counterpart Mann said, “The governor not allowing the Assembly to run raises big questions on the country’s democracy.”

The BJP termed the governor’s move an “appropriate and constitutional decision”.

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh accused the AAP of trying to use the assembly for its “selfish political purposes”, claiming that its house of lies is crumbling and its credibility is falling.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also welcomed the governor’s move for preventing the AAP government from “sabotaging the constitutional, democratic and legislative practices and procedures”.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and party leader Bikram Singh Majithia too hailed the governor’s move, saying it will save crores of rupees of the state exchequer.

The governor’s decision came after Congress leaders Partap Singh Bajwa and Sukhpal Singh Khaira, and BJP leader Sharma approached the Raj Bhavan, arguing that there was no legal provision to convene a special session just to move a ‘confidence motion’ in favour of the state government.

In a letter to the governor, Khaira had stated that there is provision only for a no-confidence motion under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Chapter XII Para 58(1) but not for any Motion of Confidence.

In his order withdrawing permission for the special session, the governor said he took the decision after seeking legal advice from the additional solicitor general of India Satya Pal Jain. Jain gave his legal opinion that there is no specific provision regarding summoning the assembly for considering the “confidence motion” only, in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.