Gurdev Badal, ex-Chief Minister’s confidant, is no more

Only former MLA Mantar Singh Brar and Youth Akali Dal leader Parambans Singh Bunty Romana were present from SAD apart from district administration officials. Gurdev Badal is survived by two sons and a daughter. He was suffering from a heart disease and complained of uneasiness following which he was admitted to DMCH few days back.

Diagnosed with lung infection, he was put on ventilator. He died of multiple organ failure Tuesday. Earlier, he had also survived a paralysis attack and was not well during the recently held Punjab polls. “Tussi Jattan de Badal, tey main Harijaanan da Badal (You are the Badal of Jatt, I am the Badal of Harijans). This is what Gurdev used to tell Parkash Singh Badal multiple times. He was a tall leader from SC community who worked immensely for their welfare,” said Maheshinder Singh Grewal, senior SAD leader.

Starting as a dhaadi (ballad singer) who used to sing in streets to preach Sikhism and propagate Punjab Subha movement, Gurdev was a known Punjabi writer, singer and lyricist. He then became a Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) member in 1963.

His first political win happened in 1967 from Muktsar from where he again won in 1969. In 1972, he won from Faridkot. Then he shifted his constituency to Panjgrain and won from there five times (1977, 1980, 1985, 1997 and 2002). In 1992, he had boycotted the Punjab polls going with his party’s decision. He was sworn in as agriculture minister from 1997-2002 in SAD government led by Parkash Singh Badal.

However, in 2007 and 2012 Gurdev Badal lost the polls from Jaitu. His son Suba Singh Badal contested 2017 polls from Jaitu on SAD ticket but lost.

Gurdev Badal had no connection with Badal village in Lambi or any blood relation with Badal family. As per Akali Dal leaders, there were two reasons on why used to write his surname as ‘Badal’.

“Since Parkash Singh Badal and Gurdev Singh used to stay together most of the times, Sant Fateh Singh who was then president of SAD started calling him as Gurdev Singh Badal. Though he had no connection with Badal family or village, Parkash Singh Badal called him his brother. Since then he started writing himself as Gurdev Badal,” says Maheshinder Singh Grewal, senior SAD leader.

However, Joginder Singh Brar who remained close to Gurdev Badal throughout his lifetime, says, “Gurdev Badal had a bold voice, perfect for ballad singing. Sant Fateh Singh ji complimented him saying ‘Tu Taan Badal vang garajda hain (You roar like Badals). This too was a reason that he started writing Badal behind his name,” he said.