Sikh scholar Jagrup Singh Sekhon, former professor at the political science department at Amritsar’s Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), told ThePrint that whatever happened Monday had been inevitable.
“The decline of the Akali Dal started in the 1980s when Parkash Singh Badal toppled the government of Surjit Singh Barnala for his vested interests. After capturing the Akali Dal, Badal moved to take complete control of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) by the end of the 1990s,” said Sekhon.
“Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who had headed the SGPC for years, tried to assert his independence but could not stand up to Badal. Then, for ten years in power since 2007, the Badals misgoverned the state and encouraged ‘goonda-ism’ and corruption. Now, they are paying a price for that,” he said.
“Even if the Akal Takht forgives them (Akalis) after the punishment, the big question is whether the people of Punjab will forgive them or not. The Badals might get revived in religious terms after the penance, but it may not be possible for them to get politically revived,” added Sekhon.
When asked if there was a chance of radical forces in Punjab gaining ground due to the diminishing hold of the Akali Dal, Sekhon said the radical elements in the state are not significant because religion is not the most important political issue.
“Apart from Akali Sikhs, there are non-Akali Sikhs in the state. There are the non-Sikhs, Dalits…for whom such religious issues are secondary to the state’s economy and employment,” said Sekhon.
Historian Satwinder Singh Dhillon, who has written on the history of SGPC polls, said there was little possibility of radicals taking over the Akali Dal.
“Akali Dal has always stood for moderate leadership. During the party’s early years, there was a tussle of power between Kharak Singh and Master Tara Singh. Kharak Singh represented a radical or militant stand, while Master Tara Singh was considered a moderate,” Dhillon said.
“It was Master Tara Singh who moved ahead in the party, leaving Kharak Singh behind. Similarly, in the 1960s, when Sant Fateh Singh challenged Master Tara Singh’s authority, the former rose because he represented an even more moderate stance than Master Tara Singh. The Sikhs in Punjab have always been moderate. History has proven that,” Dhillon added.
Dhillon said that in the 1979 SGPC elections, the Akali Dal fought and won against several candidates fielded by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Discussing the new developments, Manjeet Singh, former sociologist and former professor at Chandigarh’s Panjab University, told ThePrint that the grounds had been laid for a revival of the Akali Dal and a possible tie-up with the BJP in the future.
“The democracy of Punjab is such that the minorities within the state, like the Hindus, find it more comfortable and secure when their party is in league with Akali Dal,” he said.
Amritsar-based Sikh historian and scholar Paramjit Singh Judge said whatever situation developed following Badal’s punishment, the Akali Dal would rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
“There has been an attempt to end the hegemony of the Badal family in the Akali Dal—which will lead to a leadership struggle in the party. The question is whether the rest of the Akali leaders are capable of taking the reins of the party and giving it a new direction,” he said.
Harjeshwar Singh, a professor at the history department of Chandigarh’s Sri Guru Gobind Singh College College, told ThePrint that Akal Takht’s punishment for Badal and other Akali leaders signifies many things.
“It signals that the religious arm of Panth Akal Takht has reestablished its authority over the political wing (SAD) after a long time. However, by submitting itself completely to the Akal Takht, whether the SAD jettisons its Punjabi face and once again becomes a Panthic party remains to be seen,” he said. “Sukhbir Badal, by humbly submitting himself to the punishment meted out by the Akal Takht, might see his political career revived. The punishment will surely help in assuaging the hurt collective conscience of the Sikh community.”
“Also, the punishment of Sukhbir will surely end the raison d’etre of Akali dissidents who have been using the Bargari and Ram Rahim stick against Sukhbir Badal. Whether they return to SAD or join the BJP remains to be seen,” he further said. “BJP leaders, such as Sunil Jakhar, welcoming the move will increase speculations of SAD-BJP joining forces again in a renegotiated contract, based on giving more weightage to the BJP in the coming years.”
“Overall, the regional and Panthic space remains severely fractured, factionalised and weakened in state politics,” he said.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
