Faced with the worst ever political crisis in its almost nine-year tenure, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday asked the party leaders and also the members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to fortify party’s image in their respective areas.
Making every possible effort to come out of the current situation¸ the party president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal met the SGPC members, local MlAs, and district presidents, from five districts at his residence in Badal village to discuss the prevailing scenario in the State.
Punjab is simmering, since over a month, on one issue after another ranging from farming crisis, pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head, and latest being series of incidents of sacrilege of Sikhs’ holy scripture, Guru Granth Sahib.
At the time when the party was all out to woo the Sikh voters by going back on its panthic agenda, it suffered a major setback with two back-to-back developments Sikh clergy pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda head and ‘bir’ sacrilege incidents.
The situation became so much worse in the state after the first sacrilege incident was reported in Faridkot district on October 12 that the Centre has deployed paramilitary forces in four districts of the state. The state-wide protests, spreading over 10 days now, even witnessed two deaths besides several others seriously injured.
Getting into ‘damage-control mode’, Sukhbir on Thursday asked the party leaders to ensure that no untoward incident took place in their respective areas and peace prevails.
Besides, he asked them to boost the party’s image among people by attending more and more social events, and restoring people’s faith in the party.
Sources informed The Pioneer that the issue of desecration incidents and pardon to Dera head was discussed at length in the meeting. “These issues were discussed in detail…The two issues have upset the Sikh community to a great extent. While the pardon issue was politicised by the radical Sikh organisations, the sacrilege issue had hit very hard the conscience of every Sikh, whether in the state or abroad,” said an Akali leader, requesting anonymity.
An Akali MlA, who did not wish to be named, said that they have been asked to go among people, participate in social gathering, re-establish people’s faith in the party, and lift party’s image which has been hit following the recent developments.
In the current situation, many villages have put up posters banning Akali leaders from entering their areas. What is more, the SGPC members, head priests of five takhts, and also the party leaders are dodging attending public meetings and the social gatherings to save themselves from the mounting public anger.
The party even faced opposition from within with its leaders, and also SGPC members announcing their resignations.
Known for exploiting the religious sentiments to grab power, the Akali Dal had made its efforts to recoup from its failures and controversies it had faced in the recent past including drug issue, Moga bus molestation case, among others, by adopting the panthic agenda and raising Sikh related issues.
The decision had, however, cast a shadow over its age-old political ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead crucial state assembly polls, scheduled to be held in early 2017.
As a part of the same, the party organised a Dharmik Darshan Didar Yatra a journey across the state bringing Sikh masters’ relics, followed by 350th anniversary celebration of Sri Anandpur Sahib, raising several Sikh-related issues with the Centre.
It also managed to shift two Sikh prisoners Khalistani militant Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar and TADA convict Gurdeep Singh Khera back to Punjab which has irked the saffron party. Only recently, the Centre ordered the release of another TADA convict Waryam Singh, the demand made by the SAD.
However, at present, the SAD is face-to-face with the worst ever crisis in terms of politics, religion, administrative, etc that too when the next State Assembly polls are just over a year away.