Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) expelled “taksali” (traditional Akali) leaders on Sunday announced the name of their new party — Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) — while unanimously nominating Khadoor Sahib’s sitting MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura as its president.
The sad turn of events for the Akali Dal came just a couple of days after the party observed its 98th foundation day on December 14, and a few months ahead the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The name of the new party was announced by the expelled leaders — Brahmpura, former Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan and former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala, among others — after paying obeisance at Akal Takht, the Sikhs’ highest temporal seat.
Talking about the new party’s political agenda, they told that the new outfit would take up issues pertaining to Punjab's right over capital Chandigarh, and river water issues and other rights of inhabitants of Punjab.
The new outfit will fight against the drug menace affecting the State, said Brahmpura.
Sekhwan declared that the new party — SAD (taksali) — would be the “real” Akali Dal “based on the original constitution of 1920” with the required modifications.
“To point out the illegal, wrong, incorrect decisions taken by the Badals as the conscious of Guru Sikhs could not bear these wrong deeds done by them, the new Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) is formed. This party is dedicated to the holy Gurudwaras, Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Sikhs,” said Brahmpura.
Mincing no words, Bahmpura said that this Akali Dal (Taksali) is aggrieved by the decisions taken by the Badals, “like pardon to ‘pakhandi sadh of Dera Sirsa’ for their personal and individual financial-political gains”.
“Both the Badals and their associates are responsible for Kotkapura, Behbal Kalan and Bargari incidents. The families of victims are looking for justice and relief but so far no result,” he said, while addressing the press conference in the open space in front of Golden Temple complex, sitting on the ground, as they were denied permission by the SGPC.
The Taksali Akali leaders declared that the Badals would not be allowed to capture Gurudwars and other religious places as if these were their personal property.
Equating the Badals and Majithia with Aurangzeb, Brahmpura said that the newly-formed SAD (Taksali) will have full concern with the Gurudwaras and religious activities. “In this newly-formed Akali Dal (Taksali), all sects would be given adequate representation and the Deputy Chief Minister will be selected from the SC/BC community if they come to power.
“Our Sikh brother residing in foreign countries will also be given sufficient membership and leadership in the newly-formed SAD (Taksali) so that the glory of Sikh religion can be spread all over the world,” he said.
On December 2, the expelled SAD leaders had declared that they would float a new political outfit based on the Akali Dal's old constitution, which was framed in 1920.
They had accused SAD, led by Sukhbir Badal, of distorting the party’s constitution. The expelled SAD leaders had trained their guns at Sukhbir, accusing him of causing irreparable damage to the SAD and its cause.
Acting tough, SAD’s core committee had expelled Brahmpura and Ajnala from the party's primary membership for six years, along with their sons — former MLA Ravinder Pal Singh Brahmpura and former MLA Amarpal Singh Bony — as the two leaders were allegedly indulging in "anti-party activities".
Earlier, the party had also shown the door to Sekhwan for speaking against the party shortly after he had announced his resignation as senior vice-president and core committee member.
Brahmpura had recently resigned from the post of SAD's senior vice-president as well as its core committee membership citing age and health reasons. Earlier, Sekhwan, Brahmpura and some other Taksali Akalis (old guard) had raised their voice against SAD's alleged deviation from its 'panthic agenda'.