With the SAD expelling several of its senior leaders for ‘rebelling’ against the party leadership – whom they held it responsible for ‘anti-Panthic sentiments’ that resulted in party’s poll drubbing – the country’s oldest regional party is now headed for a bigger showdown, writes Rajesh Moudgil
The 103-year old Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is again facing a major crisis – after 1989-1990 strife which had led to a split within. A section of its senior leaders, including its patron, former MPs, ex-ministers, former MLAs and office-holders have approached Akal Takht, the supreme Sikh temporal seat, gunning for party president Sukhbir Badal.
Before Akal Takht on July 1 last, they apologised for being part of SAD government from 2007 to 2017 when, they held, the top leadership committed “mistakes’’ and failed to represent Panthic sentiments that also led to SAD’s drubbing in the election.
The SAD along with its ally BJP, ruled the state between 2007 and 2017, but “due to the said reasons’’, its number fell to 15 MLAs out of total 117 in 2017 and just three in 2022 in assembly polls. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it could win just one out of 13 seats and 10 of its candidates failed to even save their deposits.
The SAD’s rebel leaders included former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SGPC chief Jagir Kaur and former ministers – Surjit Singh Rakhra, Parminder Singh Dhindsa and other leaders including Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Karnail Singh Panjauli and Manjit Singh.
They held that the “mistakes” included revocation of the case registered against Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for blasphemous act of imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007, failing to punish perpetrators of Bargari sacrilege and police officers for the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing incidents, allowing appointments of controversial IPS officer Sumedh Saini as DGP besides giving Farzana Alam, the wife of controversial police officer Izhar Alam, the party ticket in 2012 assembly polls and appointing her chief parliamentary secretary and failing to deliver justice to the victims of the fake encounter cases.
Subsequent to this, the five high priests – called “Panj Singh Sahiban’’ – summoned Sukhbir Badal and said in its resolution that according to the complaint received by the Akal Takht from some senior SAD leaders, the SAD president did not represent Panthic sentiments and has thus been asked to appear before the Akal Takht within 15 days with written clarification on the allegations. Sukhbir Badal, held the post of deputy chief minister when the party was in power in Punjab.
Sukhbir’s unconditional apology
Akal Takht on August 5 made public the apology letter submitted by Sukhbir Badal to Akal Takht Jathedar Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on July 24. Sukhbir Badal tendered an unconditional apology for “all mistakes committed by the party and its government’’. He said he was seeking an apology from the “Guru’’ and the “Guru Panth’’. He wrote in his letter that as the head of the family, he was taking full responsibility for all the mistakes that were committed knowingly or unknowingly. Even though the decisions taken at that time were of the party and the government, he sought forgiveness for all the mistakes that were committed, he said.
According to media reports, Sukhbir also cited a letter handed over to the Akal Takht by his father, the then Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2015 in the wake of incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and grant of pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head; Sr Badal had in this letter had said that though he did his best to lead Punjab humbly and wisely, some circumstances were beyond his control and that it was that feeling of regret and pain that he was going through right now. With such feelings in my heart, I humbly bow before my Guru and pray that Waheguru grants strength and grace to endure all this, his letter read.
Notably, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) clarification was also made public in which SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami responded to the SAD `rebel’ leaders’ charges over the newspapers advertisements to justify the pardon granted to Dera head in the blasphemy case. Dhami clarified that the advertisements were released by the then chief secretary on the orders of then president Avtar Singh Makkar to uphold the maryada and respect of Akal Takht.
`Rebel’ leaders expelled
Meanwhile, acting tough, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on July 31 expelled eight senior leaders including Prem Singh Chandumajra and Bibi Jagir Kaur from the primary membership of the party for indulging in anti-party activities with immediate effect.
Apart from the two leaders named above, other senior leaders who have been expelled from the primary membership of the party are Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sikander Singh Maluka, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Surinder Singh Thekedar and Charanjit Singh Brar.
Two days later, the SAD expelled party patron Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa from the party’s primary membership for indulging in anti-party activities including taking on the leadership of expelled leaders.
The decision to expel Dhindsa was taken by the disciplinary committee which was presided over by its chairman Balwinder Singh Bhundur and which included both the other two members – Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Gulzar Singh Ranike.
Grewal said that “the committee was of the opinion that Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa was not upholding the honour of his post. He was not only issuing unauthorised statements but was also acting against the party’s constitutions. He said the disciplinary committee also took into account the manner in which he took on the leadership of the eight expelled party leaders.
Akal Takht meet on Aug 30
Meanwhile, a crucial meeting of the Akal Takht has been scheduled for August 30 in which Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh-led Sikh clergy is likely to decide on the issue of “forgiveness’’ sought by Sukhbir Badal for the said “mistakes’’ committed by the SAD and its government.
According to media reports, the meeting would also discuss various Panthic issues as well as the said “explanation’’ given by SAD president in which he had tendered the unconditional apology for all “mistakes’’ of the party and its government between 2007 and 2017.
