Shiromani Akali Dal

A day after he survived a bid on his life, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday performed the duty of 'sewadar' outside Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Punjab's Rupnagar district amid tight security. The former deputy chief minister, a Z+ protectee, arrived at the Ananadpur Sahib shrine surrounded by security personnel. Dressed in blue 'sewadar' uniform, Badal sat at the entrance of the gurdwara with a spear in one hand. He is undergoing religious punishment pronounced by the Akal Takht, the temporal body of Sikhs, for "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government and his party in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. Besides the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Akal Takht has asked Badal to perform the service of 'sewadar' at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, and Darbar Sahib in Muktsar and Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each. On the second day of his penance at the Golden Temple on Wednesday, Badal had a narrow escape as a former Khalistani terrorist fired

Earlier, on Wednesday, the news of tyre blast was reported as 'major bomb blast' incident, according to several media reports

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly condemned the attack on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was fired at while performing 'sewa' outside the Golden Temple on Wednesday morning, and directed police to investigate the incident. The chief minister also lauded the promptness of the Punjab Police in nabbing the attacker. The man missed Badal as he was overpowered by police. The audacious attack was captured on cameras of media persons who had gathered outside the Sikh shrine to cover the second day of Badal's penance for "mistakes" committed by the SAD government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. "Punjab Police prevented a major incident from happening today. It is the result of the promptness of the Punjab Police that the conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis has failed," Mann said in a post on X. "The police achieved great success by arresting the assailant on the spot with their promptness... I strongly condemn the attack on Sukhbir Badal ji. I have issued

The 104-year-old Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is set for a reorganisation following the Akal Takht's decision to form a committee to oversee elections for the party president's post and other office bearers. The party's political fortunes have waned in recent years under the leadership of Sukhbir Singh Badal, who, three months ago, was declared tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht. On Monday, the Sikh clergy issued a tankhah' (religious punishment) for Badal and other leaders for mistakes committed by the SAD and its government in Punjab between 2007 and 2017. Prior to the pronouncement of the punishment, Badal admitted to several mistakes, including pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh during SAD government's tenure in Punjab. Sukhbir Badal, the former deputy chief minister, was credited with the party's victory in the 2012 assembly elections. However, the SAD won only 15 out of 117 seats in the 2017 elections and just three seats in the 2

The punishment was handed down after the Akal Takht held Badal accountable for favouring Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2015 sacrilege case involving the Guru Granth Sahib

The Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht on Monday pronounced 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for Sukhbir Singh Badal for the "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, directing him to perform as a 'sewadar' and clean utensils and shoes at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Pronouncing the order from the 'faseel' (podium) of the Akal Takht in Amritsar, Jathedar of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, Giani Raghbir Singh, also directed the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Badal as party chief, besides forming a committee to hold elections for the post of SAD president and office-bearers within six months. The Jathedar further announced to withdraw the title of 'Fakhre-e-Qaum' bestowed upon former chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal, father of Sukhbir Badal. The five Singh Sahibans (Sikh clergy) also pronounced religious punishment for other Sikh leaders who served as ministers in

Sukhbir Singh Badal will receive 'punishment' from religious authorities for his acts as chief minister of Punjab. The question is whether a reinvention of Badal and the Akali Dal will follow

The Shiromani Akali Dal leader alleged that the Centre prevents the opposition from speaking in Parliament

Actor-BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Monday announced that her much awaited film "Emergency" will be released in theatres on January 17. The update comes a month after the actor-filmmaker said the team had finally received the censor certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after the film missed out on its September 6 release. Ranaut, who plays the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the political drama, shared the film's release date on her official X page. The caption of her post read: "17th January 2025 The epic saga of the nation's most powerful woman and the moment that altered India's destiny. #Emergency Unveils Only in cinemas on 17.01.2025!" "Emergency", also written, directed, and co-produced by Ranaut, was earlier scheduled to be released in September after multiple delays but it couldn't be screened as its certificate was stuck with the CBFC. The film was mired in controversy after Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, accu

The resignation of Badal (62), who is the son of five-time Punjab chief minister late Parkash Singh Badal, came amid vociferous demand by several rebel party leaders

Punjab's ruling AAP and opposition parties on Thursday criticised the Centre's reported move to clear the allotment of 10 acres of land in Chandigarh to Haryana for the construction of its assembly building. The AAP accused the BJP-led central government of conspiring against the state while the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed any decision to allocate land to Haryana in the union territory would be unconstitutional. The Congress said the Centre's clearance is "a calculated move to undermine Punjab's rightful share over its capital". The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reportedly granted environmental clearance for the land offered by the Haryana government to the Chandigarh administration in exchange for land to build the second assembly building. The Haryana government offered 12 acres of land in Panchkula in exchange for 10 acres of land near IT Park Road in Chandigarh. At present, Punjab and Haryana share the Vidhan Sabha complex which is next to

In response, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called on the Central Government to assist with paddy procurement to clear the state's mandis and facilitate wheat production for the upcoming harvest

The notice addresses top officials of the CBFC, requesting an immediate revocation of the certification granted to the film Emergency

The Shiromani Akali Dal's Delhi unit has urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to stop the release of Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Emergency', saying the film has the potential to incite communal tension and spread misinformation. Ranaut, a BJP MP, stars in the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in the film that will hit the screens September 6. In his letter to the board on Wednesday, the party's Delhi president Paramjit Singh Sarna said the trailer of the film, which was released recently, "depicts erroneous historical facts that not only misrepresent the Sikh community but also promotes hatred and social discord". Such depictions are not only misleading but also deeply offensive and damaging to the social fabric of Punjab and the entire nation, he said. The Emergency, imposed on June 25, 1975, by the then Gandhi-led Congress government, saw a suspension of civil rights for nearly two years. Sarna said, "Given the potential of this film to incite communal tens

Facing rebellion by a section of party leaders, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday dissolved its core committee, the outfit's highest decision-making body. Several senior party leaders, including some from the core committee, had last month demanded that Badal step down as the party chief following its debacle in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. The leaders who had raised the banner of rvolt included former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, former MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala and former ministers Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Surjit Singh Rakhra. Chandumajra, Maluka, Wadala and Rakhra were among the members of the core committee. SAD senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema on Tuesday said the core committee of the SAD has been dissolved. He said that the working committee of the party has authorised Badal to reorganise the party organisation. "In this regard the party President discussed in detail with his senior colleagues

Amid voices emerging within the party calling for a change at the top, the Shiromani Akali Dal core committee Thursday held a detailed discussion on its drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, and reposed full faith in Sukhbir Singh Badal's leadership SAD leader Charanjit Singh Brar wrote an open letter to party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, suggesting him to form a committee in the larger interests of the party. The Badal-led SAD faced a drubbing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as it could manage to win only the Bathinda parliamentary constituency out of total 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The SAD also saw a drop in its vote share from 27.45 percent in 2019 to 13.42 percent in 2024 polls. The meeting of SAD's core committee, which is the party's top decision making body, started at 3 pm and continued till 9:30 pm. In a statement, the party said the core committee held a prolonged and in-depth discussion on the prevailing political situation in the state, including analysis and introspection of

Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised by supporters and activists of radical Sikh outfits here on the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar on Thursday. The slogans were raised by activists of various outfits, including the Simranjit Singh Mann-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), and former MP Dhian Singh Mand at the Akal Takht the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Mann, who recently lost the Lok Sabha poll from the Sangrur seat, was also present. Led by the radical outfit Dal Khalsa, some Sikh youths were carrying Khalistani flags and photographs of a damaged Akal Takht the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Dal Khalsa activists were seen carrying placards bearing portraits of slain militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Canada last year. The entire marbled periphery of the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, near the Akal Takht echoed with pro-Khalistan slogans. Some Sikh youths carried banners and placards read

Polling began on Saturday morning for 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab and the lone Chandigarh seat in the seventh and final phase of parliamentary elections. Amid tight security arrangements, polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, said the officials. INDIA bloc allies -- the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- are contesting separately while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are contesting the Lok Sabha polls on their own for the first time since 1996. The Sukhbir Badal-led SAD walked out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2020 over the now-repealed three farm laws. Besides the Congress, AAP, SAD and the BJP, two other parties -- SAD (Amritsar) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) -- have also fielded their candidates. Punjab is going to witness a multi-cornered contest on all the 13 Lok Sabha seats. The AAP, Congress, SAD, BJP, BSP and the SAD (Amritsar) are contesting in all the constituencies of Punjab. However, the .

Three-time MP and Akali leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal speaks about bringing AIIMS, a central university, and other projects as some of her achievements as she braces for a multi-cornered electoral bout to get elected from the Bathinda parliamentary constituency for the fourth time in a row. She also invokes her late father-in-law and five-time Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, reminding voters that he used to remain among the public to address their issues. The Bathinda parliamentary constituency, which goes to polls on June 1, is considered a stronghold of the Shiromani Akali Dal with its candidate Harsimrat, the wife of party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, winning this seat since 2009. The 2024 Lok Sabha election is going to be a litmus test for Harsimrat, who seeks to retain the Bathinda seat as her political rivals are trying to breach SAD's fortress. This time the BJP, which used to be an ally of the SAD, has also fielded its candidate from the Bathinda parliamentary ...