The assassination attempt on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal by a former militant, who had crossed over to Pakistan during the height of unrest in Punjab, has rekindled memories of the state’s darkest days. Strikingly, the incident occurred at the very spot where a deputy inspector general of the Punjab Police was killed in 1983. While today’s ground reality is vastly different, with scarcely any popular support for separatist elements, the need for caution cannot be understated. Unfortunately, the incident has fuelled conspiracy theories, with both the Opposition and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party indulging in blame games. What is urgently required is an impartial investigation. Political parties must resist the temptation to exploit this moment of reckoning for the state for narrow gains.
The shooting comes at a time when the spotlight is on the Shiromani Akali Dal, amidst interventions by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikhs. India’s oldest party, which historically served as a moderating force in panthic politics, finds itself on the back foot. Its diminishing influence was evident in the Lok Sabha elections, when two candidates with extremist leanings were elected to Parliament. While optimists see promise in the Akal Takht’s efforts to reform the party, the path to revival is fraught with challenges. Sukhbir Singh Badal’s admission of guilt in response to the Akal Takht jathedar’s pointed questions on sacrilege and controversial police appointments may have satisfied some people but it also seems to have emboldened hardliners.
