Veteran Akali leader Gurdev Badal dies
Tribune News Service
Faridkot, March 28
Senior Akali leader Gurdev Singh Badal passed away at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana today. He had been under treatment for several days. He was 83. Several SAD leaders of Faridkot and senior officers were present at the cremation ground here.
Starting his career as a “dhadi”, Gurdev Singh was an SGPC member in 1963. He worked as a member of the Dharam Parchar Committee for several years.
The eight-time MLA was a close aide of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Born on April 13, 1933, in Muktsar’s Haraj village, Gurdev Singh was the Dalit face of the Akali Dal. He was so influenced by Parkash Singh Badal that in 1980, he added “Badal” to his name. Even his two sons — Kewal Singh and Suba Singh — and son-in-law Sheet Singh (a former Akali MLA) also have “Badal” as their surname.
Gurdev Singh won his first Assembly elections in 1967 from Muktsar and went on to win every poll till 2002 except for the February 1992 elections that the Akalis boycotted. He was the Agriculture Minister from 1997 to 2002.
He was elected MLA from Muktsar in 1969, from Faridkot in 1972, and Panjgarain from 1977 to 2002. He lost the elections in 2007 — for the first time — to Congress candidate Joginder Singh Panjgarain.
He lost again to Joginder Singh in 2012 from Jaito.
In 2017, Gurdev’s son Suba Singh Badal was the SAD candidate from Jaito. He lost to Master Baldev Singh of AAP. In view of Gurdev Singh’s death, the Punjab Government declared second-half of the day a holiday in all its offices, educational institutions, corporations and boards throughout the state and Chandigarh.
AAP mourns death
Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has expressed grief over the demise of Gurdev Badal. In a statement, state AAP convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich said Gurdev Singh’s contribution to Punjab politics was admirable. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly HS Phoolka said Gurdev Singh would always be remembered for raising the voice of Dalits and the unprivileged.
