Gaining power can’t be Akalis’ sole aim: Ex-Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh

Former Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh, has sharply criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for “its focus on power and wealth accumulation, questioning the very purpose of its existence”.

Speaking on the first day of a two-day seminar, “Shiromani Akali Dal and the crisis in Sikh institutions,” hosted by the Kendri Singh Sabha in Chandigarh, he called for a critical reassessment of the party’s objectives and structure.

The conference, aimed at fostering a non-partisan dialogue, emphasised addressing the deeper roots of institutional decay within Sikh bodies through thoughtful reflection rooted in history, Gurbani and academic enquiry.

Giani Harpreet Singh urged the Akali Dal to decide whether it seeks power through means like amassing wealth, promoting familyism and abandoning principles or aims to uphold Sikh values and religion. He stressed the need to reconsider the party’s structure, questioning whether to persist with the current framework or revive traditional values to build a principle-driven party. The seminar focused on two themes: tracing the historical, structural and ideological decline of the Akali Dal and reimagining its relevance through strategic and ideological revival.

The discussion highlighted a broader crisis affecting Sikh institutions, including the SAD, SGPC and the Akal Takht, attributing their decline to long-term ideological drift, structural neglect, and the use of religious bodies for short-term electoral gains. Once a movement of selfless sacrifice, the Akali Dal has shifted towards conventional power politics, eroding its Panthic leadership. This crisis has distanced Punjab’s youth from Sikh traditions and shaken public confidence in religious, political and educational institutions.