NEW DELHI: The Shiromani Akali Dal is contesting the July 9 Gurdwara Elections in Delhi with a commitment to maintain politics and religion as inseparable entities.
The commitment has been made in IL selection manifesto, released by the party president, Mr, Parkash Singh Badal. Interestingly, the four page manifesto contains the political goal of “preeminence of the Khalsa” which found its place in the 1973 version of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution. But this goal was subsequently deleted from the 1978 version of the resolution which has now been adopted as the political ideology of the party, recently united under the banner of the Shiromani Akali Dal.
The manifesto also reiterates the party’s avowed aim of maintaining independent and separate identity of the Khalsa panth.” The Dal is contesting all the 46 constituencies of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), which was created by an act of the Parliament in 1970s.
The DSGMC is a premier Sikh body which has an annual budget of more than Rs 20 crore and runs 20 public Schools and colleges in Delhi: Unlike its stand in Punjab where the party projects itself as a “Punjabi party,” the manifesto reiterates that “the Shiromani Akali Dal represents not a region or an area or a section of the community but the nation as a whole.” The manifesto alleges that “some forces” are actively trying to separate religion and politics among the Sikhs which the party would fight against.
The manifesto particularly identifies Congress as their main political ‘opponent and held it responsible for various “atrocities” on the minorities. It alleged that the Congress is supporting some independent candidates in the elections to defeat the Akali candidates. ‘The manifesto also made a commitment to the electorate that if it wins the Gurdwara lections, it would make arrangements for the propagation of Sikh religion and also set up training school to train the religious preachers.
Besides this the party promises (o set up an “autonomous Sikh education board” to improve the management Of schools and colleges in Delhi, setting up an exclusive employment exchange for providing job opportunities to the youth, establishing a finance committee of economic experts for proper Utilization of funds It promises to open a cooperative bank, rehabilitates November 1934 riot victims, setting up of coaching centers for competitive exams and vocational institutions. Besides, it promises to open one public school in ‘each DSGMC constituency in Delhi.
About 3.5 lakh electorate will participate in the election, being held alter a period of 16 years.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 7, 1995
