Since 2017, it has been losing badly in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Punjab. Apart from this, its performance in the elections to Panchayats and Municipal bodies, also known as ‘local governments’, has also been extremely weak. Considering the behavior of its various factions at the moment, there is no confidence that it will be able to re-emerge in the coming years.
In order to hold the leaders of the main faction of the Shiromani Akali Dal, also known as the ‘Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)’ and some other Akali leaders who emerged from this party accountable for their past mistakes and for the strength and unity of the Shiromani Akali Dal in the future, on December 2 last year, the Singh Sahibs, from the walls of Sri Akal Takht, where they had been sentenced to religious punishment, had also ordered them to reconstitute the Akali Dal by forming a 7-member committee under the leadership of Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) and other rebel leaders of this faction have completed their religious punishments as per the orders of the Singh Sahibs, but there is no unity among the Akali leaders regarding the fulfillment of the orders given by the Singh Sahibs regarding the reconstitution of the Shiromani Akali Dal. The leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has raised some legal points in this regard. They are of the opinion that if they accept the process of electing a new president of the party by becoming a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal under the leadership of a 7-member committee formed by the Singh Sahibs as per their orders, then this may lead to the cancellation of the recognition of the Shiromani Akali Dal by the Election Commission. In this regard, these leaders are also citing the legal opinion obtained from some well-known lawyers. On the other hand, the Singh Sahibs of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh, while talking to the media on January 6, the Gurpurab day of the tenth Patshah Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, has again ordered the leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) to implement the orders issued by the Singh Sahibs on December 2 and no irregularities should be done in this regard. With this statement of Giani Raghbir Singh, the problem of the leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) seems to have increased once again. Sukhbir Singh Badal has also held a regular meeting with the workers of 3-4 districts in the village of Barkandi in Malwa, in which he has repeated his allegation that conspiracies are being made to weaken the Akali Dal. He has also said that it is very important to strengthen the regional party of the state ‘Shiromani Akali Dal’ to protect the rights and interests of Punjab.
On the other hand, the supporters of Lok Sabha member Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib and Lok Sabha member Sarabjit Singh Khalsa from Faridkot constituency, who are detained under NSA in Dibrugarh jail, have started political activities together. This will create complications for the efforts being made by the Singh Sahibans or other parties to bring unity in the Akali Dal, in a way. If the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) persists in its current approach regarding the restructuring of the Akali Dal, then there is every possibility that the leaders who rebelled and left this party and who were earlier operating under the name of ‘Shiromani Akali Dal Reform Movement’ can also form a new Akali Dal. Thus, in the coming days, these three Akali Dals can be seen operating in Punjab politics. But the number of Akali Dals is not limited to this. In Punjab politics, other Panthic organizations such as Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Shiromani Akali Dal (1920), Sher-e-Punjab Akali Dal and International Panthic Dal are also active.
Thus, while the weakening of the Shiromani Akali Dal is having a profound impact on Punjab politics, anti-minority political forces are also becoming stronger in the national politics of the country and people belonging to minorities are becoming insecure day by day. At one time, the voice of the Shiromani Akali Dal was considered very important in the politics of the country. The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal used to travel all over the country. He would speak out against the atrocities committed against the Sikh community as well as other minorities. The Shiromani Akali Dal was known and seen as an opponent of oppression and tyranny and a ‘champion of human rights’. The lifestyle of the presidents of the Shiromani Akali Dal at that time was also very simple and they usually stayed in Guru Ghars during their tours in and outside Punjab and ate Prasad from the langars of Guru Ghars. They were always within the reach of the people. In those times, the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the president of the Shiromani Committee also had a national level status and influence.
By successfully running a 19-month-long morcha from the Sri Harmandir Sahib complex during the Emergency in 1975, the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal played a major role in restoring democracy in the entire country and with this, the leaders of the Akali Dal emerged as heroes. The Shiromani Akali Dal was always ready to struggle against every atrocity committed against the Sikh community in Punjab and outside Punjab. Due to this strength of the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Shiromani Akali Dal also had a strong influence on Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Takht Sri Patna Sahib and the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee.
Without a doubt, after the failure of the Dharam Yudh Morcha, the tragic events like the Saka Blue Star and the Sikh massacre in November 1984, the Shiromani Akali Dal
