• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

Opinion In Poll Mode, SAD Revives ‘Panthic’ Agenda

Jan 6, 2005
3,450
3,762
Metro-Vancouver, B.C., Canada
In poll mode, SAD revives ‘Panthic’ agenda
Naveen S Garewal/TNS

Chandigarh, November 28
After an experiment in social engineering, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) seems to have changed its strategy and has now decided to take a calculated risk by re-adopting the “Panthic agenda”.

ind8.jpg

CM Parkash Singh Badal at Virasat-e-Khalsa opening.

At the same time, it has decided to keep distance from radical elements within the Sikh community. The spree of inaugurations of Sikh historical monuments at the fag end of the SAD-BJP government term clearly aims at garnering Sikh votes.

The brain behind the move seems to be that of SAD patron and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Being a veteran politician, Badal Senior, it seems, has sensed the gradual erosion of the Sikh vote bank of his traditionally “Panthic” party over the years.

The alliance of the SAD with the BJP has further diluted this vote bank. Further, the underlying tension between the SAD and the BJP has made it necessary for the Akalis to consolidate their own position without banking on the BJP.

In turning the Khalsa Heritage Centre at Anandpur Sahib into a reality, along with dedicating three other monuments (in memory of Banda Bhadur at Chappar Chiri and the two Sikh massacres — small and big ghallugharas at Kanuwan and Kuper Heedha), Badal has a twin agenda. The prime aim is to garner support for his party from every possible quarter so as to retain power, with or without the BJP. Secondly, Badal wants to establish himself in the revered league of Akali leaders as Master Tara Singh and Sant Fateh Singh.

The move to confer the titles of ‘Panth Ratan Fakr-e-Qaum’ upon Chief Minister Badal by Akal Takht

Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh aims at catapulting the Badal Senior into the galaxy of famous Akali leaders. As the Akal Takht Jathedar is appointed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee (SGPC) where the SAD has 157 out of 170 elected members, the move is being viewed nothing more than an act of sycophancy.

At the beginning of the current term of the SAD-BJP government, Badal was conferred upon with the title of “Sant-Siaasatdaan” (Saint-Politician). Gurcharan Singh Tohra, an astute politician and many-time president of the SGPC, was posthumously given the title of “Panth Rattan.” He was never a part of the government.

During the 2002-2007 Congress regime, Captain Amarinder Singh had managed to woo a large number of rural voters by streamlining procurement and series of other administrative measures. Since, the Congress does not want to lose its vote bank, built in rural areas, it has hit out at the SAD’s re-calibrated pre-poll strategy of reviving the “Panthic agenda”.

As a counter reaction, the SAD has raked up issues like “Operation Bluestar.”

The inauguration of the Sikh historical memorials has also brought forth the increasing divide between the SAD and the BJP. During LK Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra, the SAD made it a point to distance itself from the BJP leader for his controversial comments on Operation Bluestar in his book, ‘My Country My Life.’ Though BJP president Nitin Gadkari was present for the opening of the Khalsa Heritage Complex, the Punjab BJP president was “missing”.

The Akali strategy

To check gradual erosion of the Sikh vote bank: The spree of inaugurations of Sikh historical monuments, at the fag end of the SAD-BJP government, clearly aims at garnering Sikh votes

To reduce dependence on the BJP, its alliance partner: The underlying tension between the alliance partners has made it necessary for the Akalis to consolidate their position without banking on the BJP

To keep distance from radical elements within the community and gain support from every possible quarter to retain power.

source:
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111129/main9.htm
 

Kanwaljit.Singh

Writer
SPNer
Jan 29, 2011
1,502
2,173
Vancouver, Canada
he just provided the means, we have gone ahead and destroyed ourselves. one person may have lot of power, but the power of whole panth would be bigger. had the panth used their power for good of sikhi and themselves, no badal can do anything.
 

Tejwant Singh

Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Jun 30, 2004
5,024
7,183
Henderson, NV.
It is a shame to notice how the so called Sikh politicos can shamelessly prosititutise their religion for the sake of power-ego. Rather than enslaving this thief, they use Sikhi as a weapon to slave themselves with it.

These Sikh look alikes make it almost imopssible for those who want to become Sikhs.
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

Sawa lakh se EK larraoan
Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Jul 4, 2004
7,708
14,381
75
KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA
he just provided the means, we have gone ahead and destroyed ourselves. one person may have lot of power, but the power of whole panth would be bigger. had the panth used their power for good of sikhi and themselves, no badal can do anything.

kanwal ji..

Leaders are there for a purpose...GOOD leaders lead to glory..while bad leaders lead to ruin...it wouldnt be fair to say..for example that Had Punjabis/Indians used their power for good..then No Guru Nanak could ahve don anything..no Guru Arjun could ahve done anything or No Guru Gobind Singh could have doen anything ?? It dint happen like that..GURU Nanak Ji and his 10 successors had to sweat it out in blood and tears....sacrifices of untimaginable endeavour....to make the Mughals FALL........its false to say that... Aurengzeb and his mughals would have fallen all by themsleves ?? Banda Singh and the Mils sardars and Ranjit Singh made the Khalsa raaj a relaity..while the Dogras made it into dust...the SIKHS were the SAME in 1800 as in 1850...only the LEADERS changed when ranjit died...Shaha Muhammed wasnt WRONG when he wrote..aant nu faujan jit ke harian neh...the FORCES won the battle but lost the WAR...Badal is much more responsible than just >>means ...He destroyed actively a nd still does his job well as shown in the sgpc elections..he will continue to destroy UNTIL the PANTH gets a GOOD LEADER...until then not all the "good" can do anything...
 

Kanwaljit.Singh

Writer
SPNer
Jan 29, 2011
1,502
2,173
Vancouver, Canada
Leaders are there for a purpose...GOOD leaders lead to glory..while bad leaders lead to ruin...

But leaders have nothing in their hands if no one follows them, right?

No Guru Nanak could ahve don anything..no Guru Arjun could ahve done anything or No Guru Gobind Singh could have doen anything ?? It dint happen like that..Guru Nanak Ji and his 10 successors had to sweat it out in blood and tears....sacrifices of untimaginable endeavour....

Gurus were leading us to the right choices, whether we made them or not, is our fate. Similarly Badal will corrupt the system as long as he is in power. Why do we let him in power? Why vote for him? Even if people say they don't, and we assume there is vote theft or some other corruption, there are people who are helping Badal steal the votes, by hook or crook and stay in power.

Aurangzeb fell because people revolted against his practices. If he proclaimed himself to be the ruler of India, more than half of the provinces under him were unhappy trying to break away. And here we have Badal becoming CM and openly going with BJP, still we will vote for him? People will, most of them in Punjab, and this shows Badal has majority support (real or manipulated).

Badal is much more responsible than just >>means ...He destroyed actively a nd still does his job well as shown in the sgpc elections..he will continue to destroy UNTIL the PANTH gets a GOOD LEADER...until then not all the "good" can do anything...

Yes I agree Badal is corrupt, I agree we need a good leader, but we are choosing him to be the leader. And we are living with that.
 
📌 For all latest updates, follow the Official Sikh Philosophy Network Whatsapp Channel:
Top