Jagtar Singh

  Revival of Sikh institutions including Akali Dal depends upon change in top leadership   Ground Zero Jagtar Singh The situation has never been so desperate in the Sikh religio-political domain ever since the struggle started for the liberation of the gurdwaras from which emerged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in 1920. The Sikh institutions have landed in unfathomable depth. This dimension has to be viewed in the context of Sikhism being a religio-political body corporate and not just like any other religion. Sikhism   is rooted in a philosophy that is humanistic and universal professing egalitarianism. at least institutions are identified as the voice of the Sikhs. At the top in the hierarchy is the Akal Takht, the institution set up by the Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind, that symbolises the Sikh sovereignty, whatever might be its interpretation in the present context. The SGPC was set up by a representative mobilisation of the Sikhs at a 2-day conclave at Ak

  Khalistan protagonist Mann crushes AAP, finishes Sukhbir Badal, dictates political discourse Ground Zero Jagtar Singh   Punjab has the potential to throw up surprises. In an unprecedented move, Punjab has rejected Aam Aadmi Party within less than four months of extending massive mandate to form the government to vent their anger against the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal respectively. Khalistan protagonist Simranjit Singh Mann, who heads the Akali Dal (Amritsar), is back. This is his third victory after 1989 and 1999 from Tarn Taran and Sangrur respectively. The people of Sangrur, the Lok Sabha seat vacated by Bhagwant Mann who is now the chief minister heading the Aam Aadmi Party government, have rejected AAP and pushed the Shiromani Akali Dal to the last slot. Sangrur this time has opted for Simranjit Singh Mann as replacement for  Bhagwant Mann in Parliament. The reason is simple yet complex and rooted in historical Punjab psyche. Punjab has never accepted

  Sangrur Lok Sabha bypoll result to be more crucial for Sikh religio-political domain Ground Zero Jagtar Singh   Bhagwant Mann had been winning the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat with massive margin. Now he is the chief minister whose resignation from Parliament has necessitated this byelection. He now represents Dhuri Assembly constituency that is a segment of Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. In this context, the margin would be an important factor in case his party retains the seats. That Bhagwant Mann has to himself focus on this byelection is an important dimension as his government has been in power for a little more than three months and the performance of a new government is normally assessed after six months. This government is yet to present its first regular budget. However, there is another dimension that is all the more crucial for the future political discourse of   Punjab and this concerns the Sikh religio-political matrix. It is the Sikh domain that by and large dictates pol