Akali Dal revival: A long, challenging road ahead
Despite the Akal Takht's directive, there has been no change in the current leadership, nor have any attempts been made to reconcile with rebel leaders to strengthen the party
Chandigarh, Updated At : 12:20 PM Dec 31, 2024 IST
SAD president Sukhbir Badal addresses a party meeting. File
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Plagued by a string of poll defeats and inter-party rebellion, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) faces a challenging road to revival. The party’s current leadership remains put despite a directive from the Akal Takht, the highest religious authority in Sikhism.
Though SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal stepped down on November 16 pending the quantum of punishment by the Akal Takht, the SAD working committee, headed by former MP Balwinder Singh Bhunder, on November 18 refused to accept his resignation. It seemed the SAD would bring about the required changes after the Akal Takht on December 2 pronounced 10 days of ‘Tankhah’, a religious punishment, on Sukhbir and others at the helm for “harming the Sikh Panth”.
Directing the SAD to accept the resignation of all leaders within three days, the Akal Takht had ordered the formation of a seven-member committee under SGPC president HS Dhami to choose a new leadership. The deadline ended on December 22, but Sukhbir continues to be the party president.
In a recent interview with The Tribune, SAD spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema defended the non-acceptance of Sukhbir’s resignation. He reasoned that “though the SAD is driven by the Sikh Panth, as a political party, it is bound to follow its own constitution and remain secular in its working”. He said only the working committee could decide on the resignation, and this was explained to the Akal Takht Jathedar in the recent meetings with him.
Cheema said the party had also submitted a legal opinion on the matter, which states, “The constitution of the party does not permit any external body to interfere in its functioning…the orders passed by the supreme religious body (the Akal Takht) regarding the internal functioning of the party would not only impinge upon the autonomy and independence of the political party, but would also be a clear violation of principles of secularism as enshrined in the Constitution and the undertaking given by it before the Election Commission at the time of seeking registration.”
He said the party would soon be launching a membership drive, and after the election of delegates by the members, the general house would elect the new office-bearers. The entire process might continue up to March.
The issue of leadership overhaul apart, there does not seem to be any move by the SAD to bury the hatchet with the rebels. Dr Cheema said those expelled from the party on disciplinary grounds could be taken back only if the party’s disciplinary committee accepted their clarification, provided they submitted any in the first place.
SAD rebels, on the other hand, said they had complied with the Akal Takht’s directives. “We disbanded the Reform Movement and have made ourselves available for unity and strengthening the SAD. However, the current officer-bearers continue to cling to their posts instead of making way for the new leadership,” said Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, one of the main rebel leaders.
Given the current circumstances, SAD, one of the oldest regional parties in India, has its task cut out to see a turnaround in its fortunes and regain its lost influence in Punjab politics.
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