Taking a step forward towards bringing panthak, political, social and economic change in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt), along with many other national and regional parties, on Thursday joined hands to form a third front to take on the Congress and the Badals in the ensuing state assembly polls.
Coming together under one umbrella, they vowed to give a tough fight to the “family politics” in Punjab.
The leaders, who addressed the media to announce the alliance with Akali Dal (Sanyukt) led by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Jathedar Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, include Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) patron and sister of late Babu Kanshi Ram Swaran Kaur, Bhim Army national president Chandra Shekhar Azad, Shiromani Akali Dal (Kirti) president Buta Singh Ransee K, Janata Dal (Secular) Deve Gowda state president Master Avtar Singh, Janata Dal-United state president Manvinderpal Singh Benipal, Indian Union Muslim League (Banatwala) Coordination Committee national secretary Maqsood-ul-Haq.
Brahmpura said that for their party, panth is supreme but unfortunately, some anti-panthak and anti-Punjab forces are working to undermine the Sikh spirit and ethical and religious values of Punjab. Hence, people are desperately wishing for a third alternative front who can give a tough fight to the family politics in Punjab.
He said that the Badal family had not only done a great disservice to the Sikh faith but had also badly damaged the decency of the Akal Takht. “There is no one above the Akal Takht Sahib and Jathedar of Shri Akal Takhat Sahib but as Deputy Chief Minister of the state, Sukhbir Singh Badal had summoned Akal Takht Jathedar and even passed an order to forgive those involved sacrilege of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji is a heinous act,” he said.
Brahmpura clarified that now is the time to remove the dominance of the Badal family from the Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, and Sri Akal Takht Sahib and again the customs of Akal Takhat Sahib and principle should be restored.
Dhindsa said that today, the Badals have taken the place of the mahants who at one time treated Gurdwara as their jagirs (their own property) and misused the power assigned to them.
“Now, the right time has come that the Sikh panth should teach a lesson to the Badals just like mahants were taught and the Badal family should be shown doors,” said Dhindsa.
He said that today, there is a need for the entire Sikh community to come together under the banner of SAD (Sanyukt), a party that upholds the true principles of Akali Dal, and create a new image of Shiromani Akali Dal.
“On behalf of SAD (Sanyukt), he would assure that the dominance of the Badal family over the century-old Akali Dal would be ended by liaising with all panthak peers and well-wishers of Punjab as the Badals had tarnished the image of the party which has a glorious history of many supreme sacrifices,” he said.
“Coming together of all these regional parties having the same panthak ideology is the need of the hour so as to remove the traditional parties from power and to create a third strong front to bring about change as per the wishes of the people of the state,” he said.
“This alliance is their first step taken in this direction and this alliance would represent Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat in the state and build a prosperous Punjab,” he said.
Dhindsa said that freeing Punjab from the clutches of various mafias currently operating in Punjab is the utmost priority of this alliance. “Besides, our party would also ensure that the investment in the education sector the State would be systematically increased and the industry which had disappeared from Punjab due to increased corruption in the government machinery that functioned under Akali Dal, and now Congress would be brought back on track,” he added.