The current ferment in Akali politics reflects a fierce tussle for the control of premier Sikh institutions. Tensions have been simmering since December last year, when the Akal Takht awarded religious punishment to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal and others for the ‘mistakes’ committed by the party when it was in power in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. The intrigue and one-upmanship have intensified of late, and it seems that things are coming to a head.

Last week, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) dismissed Giani Harpreet Singh as the Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib after accepting the report of a panel that had probed allegations against him in an old domestic dispute. The controversial decision triggered a sharp response from Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, who said the ‘highly condemnable’ step would undermine the autonomy of the Takhts. Following the scathing criticism, SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami resigned on ‘moral grounds’ and reaffirmed his allegiance to the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. The rift widened when former SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar resigned from a committee set up by the Akal Takht to oversee the SAD’s membership drive and the election of office-bearers.

The Badals have controlled the SGPC for decades, but the party’s plummeting political fortunes – closely linked to the lingering anger within the Sikh community over the sacrilege cases of 2015 – has weakened their hold in recent years. Sukhbir and his party colleagues are hoping that their atonement would help them start afresh and regain the trust of the aggrieved Panth. However, their task has become even more difficult with the launch of a political outfit, Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De), by supporters of jailed radical MP Amritpal Singh. The multiplicity of rivals might prompt SAD to revive its alliance with the BJP, which is itself bent on making major inroads into Punjab. The developments will test the Takht’s resolve to reform and revitalize the beleaguered SAD.
(Tribune, India)