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POLITICS

Later both Ranjit Singh Brahmpura hands after selling their conscience Dera Chief in order to get votes in the
and Sewa Singh Sekhwan floated a new and Sikh pride”. elections by influencing the Akal Takht
party-Taksali Akali, but they failed to The resolution said ‘Taksali’ Akalis Jathedars.
create any impact in the state. But now have “become agents of the Congress Incidentally, Dhindsa resigned from
the latest to raise the banner of revolt in exchange for petty government fa- all party posts in September last year,
is Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, veteran vours”. They humiliated the respected but continues to be a primary mem-
Member of Parliament. What makes it Panthic term’Taksalis’ when they ber of the SAD. He is expected to leave
more saddening is the fact that the age- eceived honours on Guru Nanak Dev SAD in favour of Taksalis or some other
ing Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has been ji’s 550 ‘Parkash Utsav’ from the Con- group. He has been holding meetings
a lifelong associate of SAD patriarch gress stage. This is a shameful truth be- with his supporters and SAD work-
Parkash Singh Badal. hind their misuse of the name ‘Taksali’,” ers. Dhindsa has been appealing to all
the resolution read. the people unhappy with the style of
t is not as if Dhindsa has suddenly The resolution also said that “They functioning of Sukhbir Badal to come
risen in revolt. There had been tell are so devoid of the honour that al- to him. So far he has been telling people
I tale sign of it in the past as well. In though they oppose SAD, they do not that he wants to reform by staying in it.
fact for the last one year, Dhindsa has have the courage to dissociate them- He has also appealed to his supporters
been firing salvos at Sukhbir Singh selves from this party and its name. to bring as many people as people to
Badal. His objection is mainly to the The Sikh masses and the Punjabis will him.
style of functioning of Badal. But it is Earlier some senior SAD leaders,
only recently that Dhindsa has come including Jathedar Tota Singh, Bal-
out so openly against Sukhbir Badal. In past also Sukhbir Badal winder Singh Bhundar and Professor
What fuelled the fire was the fact that Prem Singh Chandumajra appealed to
57-years-old Sukhbir Badal was recent- had faced opposition Dhindsa not to sabotage the party, but
ly unanimously re-elected president and challenge to his he did not heed their advice. Inciden-
of SAD for another five years, the third tally, a function was recently organised
time in a row. leadership. Last year by splinter Akali groups, led by the SAD
This was too much for his detractors 81-years-old senior vice (Taksali). Dhindsa, in fact defended
to digest. Dhindsa has therefore raised other veteran SAD (Taksali) leaders
a banner of revolt. He seems to be go- president of SAD and MP who had in the past openly challenged
ing the Brahmpura and Sekhon way. from Khadoor Sahib, Ranjit Sukhbir Singh’s leadership when they
There is speculation that Dhindsa is in were in SAD. Dhindsa asked what was
touch with these leaders. Around 600 Singh Brahmpura revolted their fault? They were shown the door
party delegates gave their approval, against the leadership just because they raised their voice for
mandating Sukhbir Singh Badal to lead party’s good. Unfortunately whosoever
the party for another five years. Sukhbir of Sukhbir raised his voice, was shown the door,
Singh got the fresh mandate to lead the said the aged leader commented Dhin-
party on a day it was founded in 1920. sa, adding under Sikhbir Badal SAD had
The election coincided the function teach them the lesson which they have `deviated’ from the principles on which
held to celebrate the 99th foundation always taught to all such opportunists it was formed, he asserted.
day by the party. who betrayed Shiromani Akali Dal in Despite his differences with the par-
In his recent speeches after his re- the past, it added. ty leadership, Dhindsa has refrained
election, Sukhbir Singh Badal, has been Another resolution passed at the from resigning. He says he has worked
hitting back at Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. delegates’ session said, The SAD stands hard for the SAD for so many years now
“My father once said ‘Taksalis’ are those for greater fiscal and political autono- and the leadership should understand
who are loyal and not those who han- my to all states as strong states mean that threats would not work. According
ker for posts and positions. There are a strong country. The party also called to Dhindsa SAD party workers are a de-
many forces who are out to weaken for making the election manifestos of jected lot. “These workers want restora-
the SAD and SGPC,” he said and assert- political parties a legally enforceable tion of democracy in the party,” he says.
ed that the SAD has always emerged document. All this upheaval in the 99-years-old
stronger out of similar challenges. Dhindsa’s antipathy to Sukhbir Sin- party is not good for it. SAD leaders are
Incidentally, after Sukhbir Singh gh Badal is well known. He criticises hoping things will improve soon so that
Badal’s re-election, the SAD also passed Badal for hobnobbing with the Dera the centenary celebrations can be held
a resolution, dubbing ‘Taksali’ Akalis Sacha Sauda head Gurmeeet Ram Ra- in a grand manner next year.
as desperate and frustrated elements”, him Singh in the past. He also holds
acting as “puppets in the Congress him responsible for granting pardon to LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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