Akali Dal at the political crossroads
The political spectrum in the state is at the crossroads as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders and rebels undergo punishment pronounced by Akal Takht for actions deemed harmful to the Sikh Panth since 2007.
The future of state politics hinges on the revival or further decline of SAD, whose weakening leaves a vacuum that hardliners or Khalistanis could exploit.
Even rival party leaders — BJP state chief Sunil Jakhar and Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring — warned of disastrous consequences for the state if the Akalis continue to falter, referencing their regular defeats in elections since 2017.
Experts on Sikh history and politics argue that such a vacuum led to the terrorism in the 1980s, and in the last two years, the vacant political space has seen the emergence of hardliners or Khalistan-supporting leaders, including Amritpal Singh.
Thus, all eyes are now on the shape the Akali Dal will take after religious punishments are over and whether they will be accepted back into the Sikh Panth.
Akal Takht has already formed a committee of seven members with a six-month mandate to choose new leadership for the party after conducting a membership drive. The committee includes a mix of Badal family loyalists, rebels, a neutral leader and a woman member whose father was a hardliner.
The Badal loyalists include incumbent SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, Iqbal Singh Jhunda and former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar. The rebels include Gurpartap Singh Wadala and Santa Singh Umaidpuri. The hardliner connection is represented by Satwant Kaur, an educationist whose father, Amrik Singh, died along with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the Operation Bluestar.
A key member is Manpreet Singh Ayali, who has questioned the decisions of the Badal family but has remained neutral in the recent loyalists versus rebels battle.
A vital question that has emerged is whether the Badals or those who have been punished will be able to lead the party again. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, while pronouncing the punishment, said, “The leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal has lost its moral authority to lead the Sikh Panth politically due to their actions.”
Akal Takht Jathedar also withdrew the Faqr-e-Qaum honour awarded to late Parkash Singh Badal, who was a five-time Chief Minister and the ‘tallest’ leader among the Akalis in his lifetime. The honour was bestowed for his lifetime contribution to the Sikh Panth. It remains to be seen if withdrawing the honour means retracting the lifetime work of the senior Badal.
