Political flashback: 1999 Khalsa tercentenary row echoes in Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th martyrdom anniversary

As the Punjab government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gears up to celebrate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, from November 20 to 26 at Anandpur Sahib, the event has become embroiled in a political controversy.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has refused to allow the state government to use its gurdwara premises and infrastructure for the official functions, a move that has sparked a fresh round of political and religious tensions in the holy city.

In light of the current standoff, former Deputy Commissioner of Ropar, Kulbir Singh Sidhu, recalled how a similar political tussle unfolded more than two decades ago during the grand religious celebration of the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa in 1999, organised by the then Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) government led by then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Speaking to The Tribune, Sidhu said that even the 1999 celebrations, which were considered one of the most prestigious events in Punjab’s religious and political calendar were not free from political wrangling. “In the middle of the preparations, I received a phone call from then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s wife,” recalled Sidhu. “She directed me to demolish the political stage erected by the SGPC, which at the time was headed by prominent SAD leader Gurbachan Singh Tohra.”

Sidhu said the instruction left him in a dilemma. “I tried to contact the CM, but he avoided my calls. Eventually, I managed to speak to him through one of his staff members. When I informed him about his wife’s direction and sought clarity, he told me to decide on my own,” he recounted.

Caught between orders from the CM’s household and the potential for unrest, Sidhu reasoned that any attempt to remove the SGPC’s stage could spark violent clashes between rival Akali factions loyal to Badal and Tohra. “I explained that it could lead to bloodshed during such a sacred occasion. Only then did the CM relent and ask me not to disturb the SGPC’s arrangements,” he said.

Sidhu further revealed that during the same event, the district administration also received an Intelligence alert of a possible bomb threat, heightening the tension. “By Guru’s grace, the event passed off peacefully,” he said. Afterward, Chief Minister Badal humorously congratulated the local administration saying, ‘Na koi bandha penchar hoya te na koi cycle’ meaning that neither a person nor even a bicycle was harmed.

The retired bureaucrat described the 1999 celebrations as a model of cooperation between the state government, the SGPC, and even the Union government. “Deputy commissioners from neighbouring Himachal districts were also roped in to ensure smooth organisation,” Sidhu recalled, emphasising that “the success of that event lay in collective coordination, not confrontation.”

Drawing parallels with the current situation, Sidhu advised the AAP government to adopt the same collaborative spirit. “For the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the government must bring the SGPC and the Union government on board. These events are beyond politics, they are occasions of faith and heritage,” he said.

As political differences once again cast a shadow over a historic Sikh celebration, old-timers like Sidhu view it as a déjà vu moment for Anandpur Sahib, a sacred city that has witnessed as much politics as piety over the decades.