Major Akali groups in Punjab tried to organize a public rally at Ludhiana recently. The Punjab government through its police force frustrated the plan by arresting important Leaders on the eve of the rally. All these leaders were subsequently released. There have appeared news reports in Indias media that the state government authorities regretted the curbs on the rally and felt that they had wrongly stopped Akalis from returning to the Indian mainstream politics. It is not the first occasion that traditional Akali leaders have tried to revive political activity. On.one or two earlier occasions, they made announcements of their plans to hold a public rally and the venues chosen earlier, as now, was Ludhiana. It was at the intervention of militant outfits that the rally plans had been abandoned by the Akalis. The militant leadership evidently had seen through the earlier Akali designs and had sternly told them not to return to their old ways by trying the so-called rally politics. But on the eve of the Latest rally plan, there was no public statement by any militant group. The reason could perhaps be the strong restrictions imposed on the media by the Indian authorities in Punjab. It has also to be admitted that the latest bout of untold repression in Punjab has led to disorganization of the militants. The deaths of certain important leaders at the hands of the Indian police also seems to have contributed to the dislocation. This situation has given Akalis heart to think in terms of staging a come back. While no sane person in Punjab or elsewhere will oppose Akalis or their politics in ordinary circumstances, nevertheless almost all militant groups have been critical of the traditional leadership all these years, The reason appears to be the militant realization that the traditional leadership has all along betrayed the Sikh masses and have struck unprincipled deals with India by bartering the rights of Sikhs and Punjab. The entire Akali thinking and politics is viewed by the militants as a road-block to the realization of the Sikh dreams and perspectives. That is why the militants are known to have no love lost for the Akalis and their politics. The militants do not seem to be wrong in their assessment. For, the Akalis have been reluctantly following the militants for their goal of Khalistan. Most Akali groups opted for the boycott of the February 1992 election slowly and hesitantly the call for which was issued by the militant leadership. When the response of the Sikh masses was seen by the Akalis as quite convincing, they raised the slogan of Khalistan and declared at Anandpur Saheb at the hola mohalla festival that the militants were the main constituents of the Sikh leadership. The militants should have seized the opportunity then to provide a proper political lead to the Sikh masses to operate over ground democratic struggle to supplement the underground movement. But the opportunity was lost. The Akali leadership itself took no initiative to carry forward the struggle and gave the masses no concrete program of action. That should have been expected from them. They had really no heart in the hola mohalla program which was, in fact, given by the second-rung leadership as senior Akali leaders then were in jail. It was more a clever manoeuvres on the part of senior leaders than a commitment to the new slogan. The message sent to India was look, either you set us free or face the music because the junior Akali leadership is far more radical than we are. The idea registered with Delhi and all important leaders were released, Then came the renewed wave of anti-Sikh repression by the Indian authorities. Several important militant leaders were killed. The Akalis are back to square one, The Ludhiana rally. The four-point program. These points are (1) release Bhai Sukhdev Singh and Bhai Harjinder Singh (2) stop anti-Sikh repression (3) give farmers remunerative prices for their produce and (4) end the conspiracy to deprive Punjab of its water. No one need take any exception to these demands which are just and reasonable. But do they measure up to the earlier Akali goal of Khalistan? Are Akalis serious about Bhai Sukhdev Singh and Bhai Harjinder Singh and their political thinking? The two Sikh leaders in an interview with a Punjabi daily, “Ajit”, asked Akalis to positively respond to Bhai Daljit Singh Khalsa’s call for Sikh unity on principles, Did any Akali respond to this call from Poone? No. Did they issue any serious call to oppose the police repression and killings of numerous Jindas and Sukhas daily? No, The Akali pretension of protecting farmers interests is best illustrated by the fact that the B.K.U. shied away from the Ludhiana rally. As for the water issue, the Akali credibility remains at the lowest ebb. They talk of Beant Singh governments conspiracy to deprive Punjab of its water wealth. That may be true, But, what is the Akali contribution to protect Punjab’s water interests? They fought an election on the Rajiv-Longowal accord issue in 1985, won it and formed a government which, according to Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, built 75% of the S.Y.L. canal for Harayna. The S.Y.L. forms the most immediate and time-bound program of action in the accord. Some of these leaders still make statements that they would like the accord to be implemented. Yet, they talk of the Conspiracy on the water issue. All said and done, for Akalis the four issues are More convenient slogans to lure the Sikh masses, The sole aim is to stage a comeback. But, will the Sikh masses allow it?
Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1992
