Shiromani Akali Dal, its breakaway faction engage in show of strength

In a show of strength, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its breakaway faction on Wednesday (Augsut 20, 2025) held parallel events to mark the 40th death anniversary of Harchand Singh Longowal in Punjab’s Sangrur district, even as the battle to seize the space surrounding the ‘Panth’ (Sikh community) politics was evident.

On August 20 in the year 1985, Sant Longowal’, former president of the century-old party (SAD), was assassinated in Sangrur’s Sherpur village. Every year on this day, the events are organised to commemorate the day by the Akali Dal and other outfits. Longowal led the ‘Dharam Yudh Morcha’, a movement that included demands surrounding religious, political and constitutional issues. It started in the year 1982 and continued till 1984.

At Longowal town, as crowds gathered at rival political rallies, leaders from opposing stages made competing claims to persuade the public about who represents the “real” Akali Dal. The party leaders from both stages pushed the ‘panthic’ agenda, delivering impassioned speeches on key ‘panthic’ issues to rally support, and took a dig at each other.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal asserted that “Panthic ideals and principles were paramount for him and that he would never compromise on the prestige of the Panth for power.” In his address, Mr. Badal said, “I will take up all the pending issues of the ‘Panth and Punjab’ before the people in the next one and a half years. I appeal to you to support me in this endeavour to ensure a better future for our coming generations.”

Hitting out at leaders of the breakaway faction, Mr. Badal urged people to beware of them, adding “I request you with folded hands to save Punjab by uniting under the leadership of the SAD which has a track record of not only safeguarding the interests of the State but also ensuring speedy development on all fronts during its stints in governance.”

On the other hand, Giani Harpreet Singh, leader of the breakaway faction, who the faction has announced as its president, said the people have rejected the SAD led by the ‘Badal family’. “They have defied the Akal Takht’s verdict of December 2, 2024. Akal Takht (the highest Sikh temporal seat) had issued directions to the working committee of SAD to constitute a committee to hold elections for the post of SAD president and office-bearers, but it was not adhered to,” said Mr. Harpreet.

He also pointed out that no central government over the years has fulfilled Punjab’s interests. “The demands outlined in the Rajiv-Longowal accord have not been accepted to date, be it surrounding the Punjabi-speaking areas or the capital, Chandigarh, etc. The central governments have remained silent on the release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners) as well,” he said.

The SAD, which often claims to be the sole representative of the Sikh community, over the years had seen a gradual electoral downfall in Punjab, where Sikh identity and issues have long been central to political discourse. The latest setback of a split in the party has left the party at a crossroads with a stiff challenge to rediscover itself if it wants to stay relevant in Punjab’s dynamic politics