Battle-lines sharpen in Akali Dal while Sikhs institutions move to mobilize Sikhs

 

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 of the executive committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in case the present imbroglio continues.

An indication of the mood was available at yesterday’s function organized by the SGPC to observe anniversary of Guru Ka Bagha Morcha that was one of the most important agitations in the history of the party. Several Sikh religious leaders left as Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal came on the stage. Also present were Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami.

Badal, who had earlier dissolved entire structure of the party, yesterday constituted a 5-member disciplinary action committee comprising his hardcore loyalists.  Ironically, there is no organization but now there is a disciplinary action committee.

At one level, he tried to pre-empt the Amritsar meeting of a section of leaders in the party that is pressing for complete overhaul of the organization on the recommendations of the Iqbal Singh Jhoonda committee that was constituted to study causes of total decimation.

A day earlier, SAD’s legislature party leader Manpreet Singh Ayali who was the first to raise his voice calling for introspection and rebuilding of the party, released yet another video in which he made it clear that after having been elected MLA thrice, his main aim was now to divert himself from power politics to pro-people politics. This shift is very important as the Akali Dal that at one time used to be voice of the Sikhs in particular and that of Punjabis in general got focused only to power politics.

The present situation is rooted in wrong and power centered policies adopted by the leadership over the years that was monopolized by the House of Badals with Parkash Singh Badal emerging as hegemonic leader who passed on the mantle to his son Sukhbir in 2008 that was unprecedented in the party constituted in 1920. SAD got transformed into party of dynasties and this, though suited the Badals, ended up in disaster.

Badal as the chief minister in 1997 not only failed to assuage the hurt feelings of the Sikhs relating to the militancy period but also rewarded the very police officials who had become symbol of state repression and brazen human rights violations. None dare question Badal as he backtracked from the promises made by the party in this context.

That worst came in 2015 when Punjab witnessed sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.

This was rooted in the very electoral politics that the leadership had pursued and the most glaring example was the exoneration that Badal managed from the highest Sikh clergy for Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim whose followers were found to be involved in cases of sacrilege cases. This was in violation of all cannons of prescribed Sikh code of conduct. The Akal Takjht is still to recover from that damage.

Not only that.

The Akali Dal and its government came into confrontation with the Sikhs who were demanding justice. And the repeat of this politics of confrontation was witnessed again when the Sikh organizations started dharna at Bargari, the epicenter of sacrilege, from June 1, 2018. Badal Senior came out of his self-imposed hibernation to confront these Sikh leaders.

These in brief are the blunders committed by the leadership over the years that lead to its decimation. This decimation was stamped further in recent Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election  in which the Shiromani Akali Dal candidate polled the lowest votes, less than even its erstwhile alliance partner BJP.

The present churning in the party started after the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-poll.

However, there is no indication that the top leadership is in a mood to make amends.

People have rejected the present leadership and it is clear that this pa ty with glorious history can’t be revived under the given situation.

Even the senior leaders who are demanding change are guilty of being partner in  those policies pursued by the House of Badals.

Interestingly, the leadership now seems to be depending upon the two main Sikh institutions – the Akal Takht and the SGPC- to mobilize the Sikhs.

Earlier, such power struggle in Akali Dal used to provide fuel to the hardline politics.

The call given by Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to the Sikhs in particular and Punjabis in general to organize prayer on August 15 in memory of a million Punjabis who lost their lives during partition that was freedom in 1947 is a subtle move. It is for the first time that such  a call has emanated from the highest Sikh seat that symbolizes sovereignty.

The Jathedar has also called upon the Akali leaders to shift their focus from power politics.

While the power struggle is on, signal has come from SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami that the BJP is in no mood to re-establish its relationship with the Akali Dal. He yesterday said that the RSS and the BJP were moving indirectly to make mobilization for election to the SGPC. It may be mentioned that election to the general house of the SGPC is overdue.

The BJP is moving via the Sikh leaders in Delhi majority of whom now support Narendra Modi.

And while the Akalis are engaged in power struggle, the hardliners are going ahead with their own agenda. The Akali Dal (Amritsar) and the Dal Khalsa have given call to the people to unfurl their own flags on August 15 rather than the Tiranga. Dal Khalsa senior leader Kanwarpal Singh has appealed to the Sikhs in Punjab to hoist Kesari Nishan Sahib, to the Communists and other sections to put up their own flags in place of Tiranga. The call is thus not just to the Sikhs but the Punjabis at large. This is important shift in the political dynamics of Dal Khalsa.

This call has found its echo in SGPC general secretary Karnail Singh Panjoli who has announced he would hoist Kesari Nishan Sahib on August 15.

The main issue now is whether Sukhbir Singh Badal would take action against senior party leaders whose agenda is rejuvenation of party or just submit.

The only time when the president of the Akali Dal is designated as the Dictator is only during the Morchas (agitations). This is first time that entire structure of the party stands dissolved otherwise.

Party’s general house should have been first convened before taking such decision.

The main issue is the revival of the party and that is not possible under the current situation and leadership.

The overhaul has to be total.

Not only that.

The party must apologize for the past politics and misdeeds that includes confrontation with the Sikhs at large.

The main show down is likely to be at the election to the executive committee of the SGPC due in November.