Shiromani
Akali Dal must maintain balance between Panth and Punjabiat
Ground Zero
Jagtar Singh
The century
old Shiromani Akali Dal is not only the first regional party in the country but
can also rightly claim to be the first party in India of that time that
included the present Pakistan and Bangladesh to be the first political
formation constituted by the Indians and for the Indians to voice the concerns
of the Sikhs at every level.
The first
party that is Congress was founded by British national Allan Octavian Hume to
act as a bridge between the rulers and the ruled.
The Akali
Dal that organised its 101st anniversary conference at Killi
Chahalan near Moga yesterday was born out of struggle for the liberation of
gurdwaras and the tradition to launch struggles continued on issues concerning
Punjab and the Panth till some years back.
At one
level, the Killi Chahalan conference is characterised by ideological continuity
that hammers federalism and socio-cultural diversity going by the thrust in the
resolutions.
The added
emphasis on Punjabiat for some years is rooted in the assertion of
socio-cultural diversity that characterises Punjab, the state whose
religio-political dynamics is different from all the other socio-cultural
regions in present day India. It is perhaps because of this reason that this
region did not get deeply communalised even during the worst of times relating
to the narrative that is Operation Bluestar, the avoidable army attack on the
Golden Temple (Darbar Sahib) complex and the November 1984 genocide of the
Sikhs.
The thrust
of the ideological resolution at the Moga conference was federalism, the issue
that the Akali Dal was the first to raise under free India going by its
manifesto of 1952 elections. This was the major poll plank of the party. The
1967 and 1969 manifestos reflected this ideological continuity. The Batala
Resolution of 1968 was the first formal articulation by the party on this issue
followed by the more radical Anandpur Sahib Resolution in 1973 and its next
version adopted at the Ludhiana conference in 1978.
The farmers
struggle has brought the focus on this sensitive issue of federalism as the
three farm laws that have now been repealed were encroachment on the rights of
the states. The farmers struggle is the first formal victory led by Punjab on
this issue. Of course, this struggle must be carried forward.
The resolution
passed at the Moga conference emphasises that in order to see India emerge as
the global power, respecting the regional assertions and cultural diversity is
must.
The
Shiromani Akali Dal maintained that in
association with other like-minded parties, it would carry forward this
struggle vigorously for more rights to the states.
This is in
consonance with the changing political environment as the emphasis at the
national level is on homogenisation under which the minorities get culturally
marginalised.
The Akali
Dal should take the first step to give practical shape to this resolution by
convening conclave of all the regional parties.
It is
pertinent to mention here that there is little difference between the BJP and
the Congress on this issue.
Yet another
sensitive dimension is that of maintaining delicate balance between the Panth
and the Punjabiat.
It may be
recalled that although Punjabiat agenda entered the Akali Dal discourse with
major emphasis only in 1996, party’s 1969 manifesto too talks of Punjabiat. The
perception now is that the Akali Dal has distanced itself from the Panth.
The Panth is
the foundation of the Akali Dal and the party would get further strengthened
only in case the foundation remains strong. And Panth has no contradiction with
Punjabiat as Sikhism is universal with emphasis on human brotherhood. The
Golden Temple symbolises that openness.
The only
issue is that of maintaining balance.
Akali Dal
chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in his speech recalled the Anandpur Sahib Resolution
in his speech while raising the issue of federalism.
It is time
for the party to move forward despite the baggage that every historical party
carries.
Peasants have not won but only retained the old position/situation . They could have done it legally in the Supreme Court because the 3 laws were enacted in violation of the Constitution of India and the court had stayed and had given hit to quash it ! But they wanted political mileage out of it !
ReplyDeleteSAD was Panthic Party till 1930 when Baba Kharak Singh was removed and Tara Singh , real name Nank Chand Malhotra was replaced with the support of Pt MM Mallviya and the CONGRESS. SAD was merged with the Congress in 1948 and 1956 by Tara Singh !