Dal Khalsa slams Amit Shah’s saffron turban at Moga rally as ‘political gimmick’

Hardline Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa strongly criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday for wearing a saffron-coloured turban during a rally organised by BJP in Moga, terming the gesture “disturbing and politically motivated”.

Reacting to Shah’s remarks at the rally, Dal Khalsa leaders said seeking votes from the people of Punjab by wearing a turban for political reasons amounted to “political blackmail”. In a statement, the organisation’s political affairs secretary said that putting a turban on leaders “whose policies and mindset are hostile towards Sikh and Punjab interests” was merely a political gimmick that added “insult to injury”.

The group also accused the Union Minister of avoiding key issues concerning Punjab. It alleged that Shah did not address concerns related to transnational repression, alleged fake encounters, unlawful detentions, and what it termed impunity granted to security agencies.

Dal Khalsa chief spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said that while the organisation had already decided to stay away from electoral politics under the present political framework, political parties that still believe in the electoral system should unite to oppose BJP in the state. He urged various factions of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to set aside their differences and present a united front if they want to challenge BJP’s political expansion in Punjab.

Kanwar Pal Singh also held the Akali Dal leadership responsible for giving BJP a foothold in Punjab’s politics through its earlier alliance with the party. Responding to Shah’s remarks on Hindu-Sikh unity, he said that communal harmony between the two communities in Punjab remained intact. Any rift, he alleged, had historically been triggered by divisive policies of the Central Government.

The Dal Khalsa leader also dismissed the Home Minister’s claims regarding efforts to make Punjab drug-free, alleging that the drug crisis in the state had grown during previous governments, including the former Akali Dal-BJP alliance. He further criticised the Union Minister for allegedly supporting religious Deras, claiming that such support undermines the core principles of Sikh philosophy.