TALWANDI SABO (BATHINDA) : The Akali unity was formalized here on Vaisakhi day, with the announcement of the merger of the Badal and Amritsar factions adopting 1978 version of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution as the political agenda.
The announcement was made by Ashok Singh Bagarian, chairman of the 9-member unity committee, as representative of the Akal Takht acting Jathedar, Manjit Singh, from the Diwan Hall stage in Takht Damdama Sahib complex.
He said the 9-member committee had “unanimously” taken the decision to unite with the 1978 version of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution as the political goal. Other modalities, including the structure of the united party, would be finalized at a meeting at Chandigarh on Saturday the 15th. Earlier, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who represents the detained Akali leader, Simranjit Singh Mann on the unity committee, sounded a discordant note mainly on the political agenda and pressed the leadership not to discard the Amritsar Declaration. He said this declaration could be long term policy program and the 1978 resolution the election manifesto.
At the same time, he said they had completely submitted themselves to the Akal Takht and Mann would not go back on any decision taken by the Akal Takht jathedar. He also referred to the demand for azadi.
However, no one questioned the formalization of unity after the announcement made by Bagarian. He also dispelled the fear that unity achieved under the patronage of the Akal Takht would invite disqualification from the Election Commission for contesting the election. He said Akal Takht was not just another gurdwara and its head was the Jathedar of the organization, As such, the role of the Akal Takht Jathedar in forging unity could not be questioned. He said even the Union Minister, Buta Singh, presented himself at the Akal Takhu
At one stage, Bagarian left in a huff after Chhotepur said he had nothing to say when all the leaders had started speaking. He said the announcement was his prerogative. However, he was persuaded back to the stage by Amarinder Singh.
Amarinder Singh said that there had to be one leader and that leader was Parkash Singh Badal. He made it clear that the majority decision would prevail. He said after unity, the guns would be targeted against the Beant Singh Government
Sukhjinder Singh was also forthright when he said the immediate target was to win the Gidderbaha by election next month and then dislodge the Beant Singh Government.
Badal said there should be no confusion about the 1978 version of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution being the political agenda. He said the Resolution advocated the federalism,
He said the united party would take all Punjabis along in this fight for justice and in due course, would organize political conferences all over the state to create a wave in favor of the Punjab’s demands. He expressed hope that all Akali leaders would speak in one tone in favor of unity.
Earlier, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, set the tone saying they had decided to unite and that would sound the death knell for the Congress in the state. This would also put an end to the police repression.
He said the Shiromani Akali Dal thus formed would take along the likeminded parties and Dalits in this fight against the Congress.
Manjit Singh, one of the members of the unity committee, said a new beginning had been made and after achieving complete unity.
Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Gurdev Singh Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said there should now be no confusion in the minds of the party rank and file about the unity.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 21, 1995
