'Conspiracy' to finish SAD began after it parted ways with NDA, says Badal

Amritsar: A "conspiracy was hatched" to finish the Shiromani Akali Dal and its leadership, Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Saturday and alleged the plot started after the party walked out of the NDA in 2020.

Badal, who was on Saturday elected Shiromani Akali Dal president, also appealed to those who had left the party to return for a broader 'panthic' unity.

Badal returned to the helm of the Shiromani Akali Dal with his unanimous election as president of the Punjab-based party. The 62-year-old former deputy chief minister was first elected party president in 2008.

His election at the party's general delegate session in Amritsar came barely four months after he resigned when he was declared "tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct)" by the Akal Takht for "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its government from 2007 to 2017.

Addressing a gathering of party delegates and members, Badal said, "I give you my solemn commitment that I will never compromise on any issue that concerns the prestige of the 'Khalsa panth', Punjab and the Shiromani Akali Dal." He also claimed the past six months had witnessed a conspiracy to finish the party and its leadership.

The former deputy chief minister alleged this conspiracy first started when the Shiromani Akali Dal left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to express solidarity with the farmers agitating against the three contentious farm bills in 2020.

"This conspiracy began when the Shiromani Akali Dal parted ways with the NDA. We left it for the farmers. Till the time we were with the NDA, we never allowed it to do any injustice," Badal said in his address.

"This conspiracy was accelerated during the past six months. It is unfortunate that when we left the NDA, the Centre decided to bring its stooges to the fore. The Sri Hazur Sahib and the Patna Sahib boards were expanded to bring them under government control," he added.

The Centre also took over the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee by inducting its leaders into the BJP, besides setting up a new gurdwara committee for Haryana, he alleged.

Badal claimed it was most unfortunate that decisions of the 'quom (community)' were "manipulated by such forces" and "even our respected jathedar sahiban, who should have acted as a custodian of 'panthic' interests, chose to play into the hands of these forces".

"They brought 'jathedars' under their control," he said.

"I congratulate the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for vacating the 'kabja (control)' of anti-Sikh forces over our 'takhts'," Badal said.

Giving a clarion call to the delegates to prepare for bringing the Shiromani Akali Dal back to power in 2027, Badal said, "Once our workers decide to bring the party to power, it will come about. I, on my part, assure you that the next party government will preside over the eradication of the gangster culture and the drug mafia." He announced that the Shiromani Akali Dal was committed to all-round development.

"We will bring back industry in the state. We will ensure all sections of society -- be it the farmers or the weaker sections -- get their due. I am committed to making Punjab the number one state in the country," Badal said.

He also thanked outgoing working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar for his contribution to the party during a critical juncture.

Badal announced that the 'barsi (death anniversary)' of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal would be commemorated in Lambi on April 25.