To observe the 39th death anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal at Longowal village today, two separate functions were organised — one by the Sukhbir Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the other by the Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar. Considering the opportunity as a show of strength, the latter virtually outsmarted the SAD by mustering more numbers.
Paying tribute to Sant Longowal at the SAD Sudhar Lehar function, senior Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa asked Badal to quit as SAD president for revival of the party. He also asked Gurpartap Singh Wadala, convener of the SAD Sudhar Lehar, to convene a meeting for finding a solution to problems being faced by the SAD
Another leader of the SAD (Sudhar Lehar), Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, said their main aim was to revive the Akali Dal by resolving issues of Punjab and the Panth. Former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur said people had lost faith in the leadership of Sukhbir as he had weakened the Sikh institutions with his policies and decisions. Wadala said they would chalk out a programme for the release of ‘Bandi Singhs’ soon.
Paying tributes to Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said Sant Ji sacrificed his life for Punjab. Sukhbir said Delhi-based political parties, besides agencies, know that to control the Sikhs, they had to weaken the SAD, break the SGPC and lower the image of Akal Takht. But the Sikhs had not been understanding these conspiracies. He also said that the Congress and the AAP were hand-in-glove and this was the reason that they were not speaking against each other. Sukhbir said no one was ready to talk about “Bandi Singhs”, but on the other hand the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was being given parole time and again by the government.