Militant rise in Punjab – The Hindu

The effect of winter has started in the plains of North India. After the assassination attempt on two-time former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal, the atmosphere in the Golden Temple of Amritsar has become even cooler. The state saw the end of terrorism around the separatist Khalistan movement in the 1990s. But on December 4, 68-year-old Narayan Singh, who police claim is a “former terrorist” and Khalistan supporter, pointed a gun at the head of one of Punjab’s most prominent political parties.

Following the assassination attempt, which was foiled by the prompt action of Jasbir Singh, an assistant sub-inspector of Punjab Police, the focus has once again come on the growing emboldening of the right-wing in the state. It also points to the ‘existential crisis’ besetting the Shiromani Akali Dal, a party that was founded in 1920 and claims to be the sole representative of the Sikhs. creed (followers), as well as the oldest regional party in India.

Narayan is a resident of Chaura Bajwa village (Dera Baba Nanak) of Gurdaspur district. As Sukhbir sat in penance outside Harmandir Sahib, one of the most important places of worship for Sikhs worldwide, Narayan took aim with the gun. As soon as he fired the bullet, Jasbir caught him and the bullet hit the wall.

Sukhbir was on the second day of his penance when the Akal Takht, the center of religious authority for the Sikhs, handed him a set of punishments. salaryman (Religious misconduct). He was wearing a placard on which it was written that God gives shelter to sinners. 13 other people also got 10 days’ punishment each. Sukhbir, who was in a wheelchair with his broken leg bandaged, was sitting at the entrance gate (Ghantaghar) of the Golden Temple, wearing a dress. serviceman (person serving), when the attacker pulled a gun. Sukhbir narrowly escaped and the attacker was caught by the police.

“As the attacker moved towards the cloud YesI sensed his intention. Our officials had already informed us about anti-social elements and we were all alert, but keeping in mind the code of conduct at Darbar Sahib, we did not search anyone at the entry gate,” says Jasbir. He was in civilian clothes that day, wearing a simple white kurta-pajama and red turban, when he pushed the gun away from Sukhbir. The next day, Sukhbir returned to the campus to continue his service and this time he was photographed washing utensils.

loss of trust

A day after the incident, the Golden Temple has returned to its regular pace. Crores of devotees pass through the Ghantaghar Gate, and the sound of melodious Gurbani Kirtan (hymn) echoes in the air. However, some concerns are obvious.

After paying obeisance at Harmadir Sahib, 32-year-old Manjeet Singh, dressed in a black turban and formal clothes, says he prayed for everyone’s well-being. He clearly says that the firing incident should never have happened, especially in the Golden Temple. But the way the Badals have misused their power by ignoring the interests of creed For their personal and political gains, they should be punished harshly,” he says.

He says that in the last few years, Akali Dal has come under the control of one family. “The issues of Sikhs were sidelined. I have lost complete trust in the party,” he further said. He feels that Sukhbir has accepted his mistakes, but it is up to him creed To forgive him. This has not happened till now.

The person who shot at Sukhbir Singh Badal in the Golden Temple was caught by the security personnel. , Photo courtesy: PTI

The SAD government was in power in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, along with its coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the late Parkash Singh Badal was the chief minister. Sukhbir is his son. Manjeet says that one of his major mistakes was granting pardon to Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2007 blasphemy case. Ram Rahim, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for rape, had copied the clothes of 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh while conducting initiation ceremonies for his sect’s followers. This created an uproar and a police case was registered against him.

The Akal Takht had excommunicated religious leader Ram Rahim, but Badal used his influence to get him an Akal Takht-stamped pardon and also spent about ₹90 lakh on advertisements to justify the decision, as he later I confessed. The pardon had to be canceled after strong reaction from the Sikh community.

Manjeet believes that another mistake was the failure of the then SAD-led government to punish those involved in the sacrilege incident that took place in Bargari village in Faridkot district in 2015. In Bargari, pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were found torn, triggering widespread protests. As the protests escalated, two people were killed in police firing in Behbal Kalan in the district, while some people were injured during the protests in Kotkapura. Badal was also accused of appointing a police chief who was accused of being involved in police excesses against Sikh youth.

Manjeet feels that the only way for Shiromani Akali Dal to save itself is if all the leaders punished by the Akal Takht prove by their actions that they are working for the welfare of the country. creedSAD has lost the plot of its sectarian politics,” says Manjeet, who is a tourist guide and is in the business. Amritsar For more than a decade.

He says that earlier in the Lok Sabha elections held in 2024, radicals were successful in winning two out of 13 seats in Punjab. Two independent candidates won: Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh, who is currently in jail under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980; and Sarabjit Singh, son of Beant Singh, the assassin of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In 2022, radical Sikh leader and SAD chief in Amritsar Simranjit Singh Mann won from Sangrur parliamentary constituency in Punjab. Everyone had imagined that the Khalistan narrative was over.

Balwinder Singh, who runs a painting studio in the Golden Temple Plaza that houses multimedia galleries telling the story of the Sikhs, also believes in what Manjeet does, saying it is now a lack of trust. “Even though Shiromani Akali Dal leaders are facing religious punishment, I do not think it will be immediately possible for the party to revive itself. He needs to prove himself among everyone. creedthe party got away from you cultist agenda and have paid a price for it,” he says.

Bijender Singh, a farmer from Deeg town in Rajasthan, who has come with his family to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, says, “Once people reject you, it is not easy to regain the lost trust. Same thing has happened with Akali leaders also. He has apologized but it will take time to restore trust.”

politics and people

Akal Takht is the center of Sikh power. The 12-foot platform within the Golden Temple complex was built in the early 17th century, as a symbol of power in response to Mughal oppression. Now, it is the center of religious rule.

On December 2, the Sikh chaplain of the Akal Takht announced religious punishment for Sukhbir and several other Akali Dal leaders who were part of the SAD-led government between 2007 and 2017. Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, the chief priest of Akal Takht, gave this order. fasil (platform) of Akal Takht. Instructions were also issued to the Executive Committee of SAD to accept the resignation of Sukhbir from the post of SAD President and to hold elections for the post of President as well as other office bearers within six months.

Akal Takht also canceled the title of Panth Ratan Fakhr-e-Kaum (pride of the Sikh community) given to late Prakash Singh Badal, who was given the title in 2011 for his service to the Sikhs. creed,

Sukhbir Singh Badal returns to Golden Temple to protest salaryman With tight security the day after the assassination attempt. , Photo Credit: ANI

SAD is going through a challenging phase. Dissatisfaction within the party reached its peak after it won only one seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The crisis deepened when several senior party leaders rebelled against Sukhbir and demanded his removal from the top post of the party. The electoral defeat indicates that the party has lost its traditional support base.

The party tried to make a comeback before the elections cultist The agenda was created by making election pitches around various issues like the demand for the release of Bandi Singh (Sikh prisoners) who were in jail for 20-30 years, but this did not make any impact among the voters.

“If the Akali Dal wants to revive itself, there is a need to groom a new leadership from within the party,” says Surinder Singh, assistant professor of political science at the rural center of Panjab University, Kauni in Muktsar Sahib district. ‘

zenith bulge

On 5 December, a local court in Amritsar sent Narayan to three days’ police custody. Pointing out that Chaura is a former terrorist and criminal, Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said: “The case is being investigated in depth keeping in mind the radical mindset of Chaura. He has been associated with various fundamentalist organizations. We have recovered a 9mm pistol from his possession and are investigating from where he got it. Chaura has been booked under Indian Judicial Code section 109 (attempt to murder) and relevant sections of the Arms Act, 1959.

Chaura’s son Jagjit Singh Bajwa, who is his lawyer in the case, says, “My father never talked about anything related to his visit to the Golden Temple. He may have acted in part because of the light punishment given to him for religious misconduct.” Chaura is a founding member of the now defunct pro-Khalistan group Khalistan Liberation Army. He heads the Akal Federation, a group of radicals who were active in the period of terrorism during the 1980s.

on a cultist Chaura was described as a ‘true Punjabi’ at a conference organized by Sikh fundamentalist organization Dal Khalsa in Moga on 5 December. cultistSenior leader of the organization Kanwar Pal Singh said that Chaura was a staunch supporter of the Khalistan movement.

“The Akali Dal abandoned its work,” says Dharam Singh, former professor of Sikh studies at Punjabi University, Patiala. cultist agenda at the 1996 conference in Moga and a Punjabi party was formed. Subsequently, many non-Sikhs not only became its members but also held important positions. “This resulted in gradual alienation of the Sikhs.” Although this helped the Akali Dal retain power in Punjab, it began to lose the support of the Sikhs. SAD, designed to care for Panthi politically; and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), established to look after the Sikh pilgrimage sites, were both formed in 1920 at the time of the Gurdwara Reform Movement, also known as the Akali Movement. Then, the Sikh community took over from the corrupt priests.

“The leadership of the Akali Dal has been in the hands of the same family since the 1990s. “Excessive political interference in the functioning of the SGPC cannot be ignored,” says Dharam. The Akali Dal now faces tough challenges, including gaining the confidence of its supporters, addressing internal conflicts and This includes re-establishing itself as a major force in Punjab politics.

Senior Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema says that the party has accepted the instructions of the Akal Takht. He feels that given the attack, “fringe elements” have come to the fore. “We will soon call a meeting of the party’s working committee to decide the future strategy,” he says.