CHANDIGARH: The newly constituted Akali Dal (Panthic) favors a Sikh homeland within the Indian Union and is critical of the Akali Dal (Badal) shedding its Panthic image and projecting itself as a Punjabi party. Briefing media persons here June 22nd, Akali Dal (Panthic) Spokesman Gurtej Singh, a former [AS officer, said, “We want to control our own destiny. This concept of the Sikh homeland is in accordance with the Anandpur Sahib resolution of 1973. The power should belong to the masses.”
He said his party will contest the forthcoming election to the general house of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak committee and the Vidhan Sabha. It will. Lore the possibility of joining hands with the Bahujan Samaj Party for the Vidhan Sabha elections. Gurtej Singh said his party supported the United Front Government at the Center. He pointed out that the Akali Dal had been fighting the country’s battle for a true federal structure and it was the right time to realize this goal with who regional parties also accepting this rationale, He regretted that the Akali Dal (Badal) had suddenly abandoned the concept of federalism which amounted to betrayal of the historic movement for autonomy.
Gurtej Singh claimed that his party was the revival of the original Akali Dal of 1920 as the Akali Dal (Badal) had parted company with the basic principles and converted the outfit into a Punjabi party.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 26, 1996
