Sad day for SAD: 90th foundation day ‘unsung’

He pointed out that even the SAD office has been shifted to a swanky,ultra-modern building in Chandigarh and the Golden Temple complex no more houses the party’s secretariat. “The old leaders are not seen anywhere. They are marginalised. The new leaders,led by current party chief and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal,are calling the shots,” he quipped,saying that he himself had faced humiliation and had broken away from the Badals.

A senior leader of the party expressed ‘resentment’ over the day going unnoticed and added,on condition of anonymity,that he had even spoken to Sukhbir Badal regarding this. “Completing 90 years is a big thing for our party and a matter of celebration. Perhaps in the effort to stay clinging to power,we forget our past,” he ridiculed,adding that the day should have been marked by sublime prayers meant to keep the party’s tradition of humbleness and service in mind.

The Akali Dal was set up following a congregation of Sikhs who were waging war to free the Gurdwaras from the clutches of the then government-controlled Mahants. It turned out to be one of the major mass movements on the Gandhian principal of non-violence,which later converted itself into the large Indian freedom struggle. The party,a democratic body,was aimed to protect Panthic interests and its first President,Bhai Sarmukh Singh,was called Jathedar.

When the Akali Dal emerged as a major political force and challenged the Congress in the state,especially after the 1960s,differences emerged and today there stand more than 10 major factions of Akalis. Master Tara Singh and Sant Fateh Singh were the most revered Akali leaders in the history of Punjab and both Presidents made the party one of the major political forces in the state. In recent times Harchand Singh Longowal,Gurcharan Singh Tohra,Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Parkash Singh Badal emerged as major leaders of the party.

The major sections of the Akalis today are the ruling SAD headed by Badal,All India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD) headed by Jaswant Singh Mann,Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Simranjit Singh Mann,Shiromani Akali Dal (1920) headed by Ravi Inder Singh,Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna and Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (Panch Pardhani),a breakaway faction from Mann. All claim themselves to be the ‘real Akali Dal’,though SAD(B) has been able to consolidate its position strongly if the last elections are considered.

Meanwhile,SAD(B) Chief Spokesman and Political Advisor to the CM Daljit Singh Cheema said that the party men have not forgotten the day. “We have initiated the Youth Wing’s mass contact campaign. This is a fitting tribute to the party’s founders as the youth today is seeing a ray of hope in the Akalis. Everything changes with time,including parties. We will be celebrating all the events related to our history in the future too,” said Cheema.