Panthic churn

The birth of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), a political outfit floated by supporters of radical MP Amritpal Singh, reflects the churn that Panthic politics is witnessing in the Sikh-majority state. This is an attempt by Amritpal, who is behind bars in Assam under the National Security Act, and fellow parliamentarian Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa to fill the void created by the sharp decline of the Badals’ Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The latter, facing a crisis of credibility as well as leadership, wants the Sikh community to let bygones be bygones. However, Panthic anger over the distressing events of 2015 is yet to die down despite former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal’s atonement for ‘mistakes’ committed during his party’s rule.

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Both Amritpal and Khalsa continue to be critical of the Central and state governments, but they have put their separatist agenda on the back burner. Their focus is on Punjab and its problems, not on an illusory and elusive Khalistan. When they took oath as MPs last year, both swore allegiance to the Constitution and pledged to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India. In the same vein, they have now committed themselves to working within the democratic mainstream, ambitiously projecting their party as an alternative that will not only strengthen Sikh institutions but also protect the interests of people from various communities and sections of society. Their insistence on social justice and communal harmony is indicative of a constructive strategy to give the state a new lease of life.

The SAD, desperate to regain lost ground, has every reason to lose sleep over this development. No wonder Sukhbir warned the gathering at the Maghi Mela that some so-called Panthic outfits were bent on pushing the state back into the blood-stained era of militancy. However, it won’t be easy for the SAD to counter the narrative of this new rival, which will also try to tap into the disillusionment with the ruling AAP ahead of the 2027 elections.