Jagtar Singh

  Akali Dal strategizing revival by mobilising SGPC on issue of Sikh political prisoners Ground Zero Jagtar Singh   Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal might be using the term “terrorism days” for the period of militant Sikh struggle that phased out in mid-nineties but his party is now putting into action the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to build pressure for the release of Sikh political prisoners associated with that very struggle. While making a qualitative shift from Punjabiat to Panthic agenda for the revival of this once the Sikh party that now stands completely marginalised, he would have to shed the very terminology that he has been using till today morning. Seeking release of political prisoners is different from demanding release of “terrorists”. The basic issue here, however, the design to revive the Akali Dal through the statutory SGPC dominated by it. It has been proposed to launch a massive state wide signature campaign unde...

  Issue of leadership by presidium comes up at working committee meeting of Akali Dal   Ground Zero Jagtar Singh   Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal who is confronted with the worst ever existential crisis of the party in last two decades was cautioned by a senior leader against sycophants at the working committee meeting of the party here yesterday. The proposal of collective leadership for the time being to revive and rejuvenate the party was   learnt to have been firmly raised. The move to take disciplinary action against senior party leader and soft target Jagmeet Singh Brar had to be abandoned amidst opposition. Lastly, Badal himself turned down the proposal to express confidence in his leadership as had been done a day earlier at the meeting of the former district presidents of the party. Among those who ostensibly were not invited to the meeting included Leader of the 3-member Akali Dal Legislature Party Manpreet Singh Ayali, ...

  Battle-lines sharpen in Akali Dal while Sikhs institutions move to mobilize Sikhs   Ground Zero Jagtar Singh   Power struggle has intensified in Shiromani Akali Dal, the oldest party in India constituted by the Indians, that is confronted with existential crisis following virtual total rout in the last Assembly polls in February. The Sikh institutions too have indirectly entered the battle field but at a different level and that is to mobilize the Sikhs from whom the Akali Dal stands alienated. What is now also clear that despite voting for the BJP’s candidates in the presidential and vice-presidential elections, the ruling party at the Centre continues to cold-shoulder the Akali Dal. It is in this backdrop that the loyalties are changing but not publicly in several cases. Some of the senior leaders are backing the pro-changers while remaining in the background. In the context of the ongoing power struggle, the major test would be the annual election o...