ALAMGIR: Ushering in a renewed hope  among panthic ranks and making a determinedbid to extricate the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) from the shadow of the Akali Dal (Mann), Sikh masses in thousands thronged the meeting-turned-into-arally at Alamgir near Ludhiana on November 30 to witness Bhai Daljit Singh ‘Bittu’ announcing a new set up of SAD (A) under the leadership of ‘Panch Pardhani’ presidium and ending the dictatorial streak that was bothering the proactive party workers.

Under the chairmanship of Bhai Daljit Singh, the five member presidium includes Harinder Singh Norway, GurJatinderpal Singh Bhikhiwind, Harpal Singh Cheema (incarcerated in Nabha jail) and Kamikkar Singh Mukandpur. Justice Ajit Singh Bains (retd), Giani Harinder Singh (Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha) and Karamjit Singh (journalist) were appointed as Advisors. Media in Punjab was quick to interpret the development as a vertical split within the Akali Dal (Amritsar) which was led by Simranjit Singh Mann. Just two days earlier, Mann too had convened a rally style meeting and had denounced Bhai Daljit Singh roundly. However, he had failed to focus on his party’s performance in the last Assembly elections, his own resignation from the top job, an equally sudden withdrawal of the resignation and a string of critical statements against many party leaders.

Bhai Daljit Singh’s announcement virtually meant the removal of Sardar Mann  from the post of president, thus ending the single-window one-man show that the Akali Dal (Amritsar) had been reduced to for quite some time. “The Khalsa Panth needed to revive its historic institution of Panch Parwan Panch Pradhan (The acceptable are the chosen, and once chosen are supreme). Based on this concept, we have formed a new presidium, while dissolving the old one, to find out the best ‘sevadars’ of the Panth,” Bhai Daljit Singh said. He said the Akali Dal under Sardar Mann had lost its aim and direction lately. “We in this gathering dismantle the erstwhile oneman structure ... which was suffering from  dictatorship... (The Presedium members) will not hold any government positions but would contest for SGPC and other organisations,” he said. Rajpal Singh Hardyaleana was appointed leader of the Youth Wing while Bibi Surinder Kaur was named president of the Women’s Wing.

Bhai Mohkam Singh of Damdami Taksal and convener of  the Khalsa Action Committee was asked to lead the religious front. Bhai Daljit Singh  announced that the new constitution of the partty would be adopted in 2008. Incidentally, throughout the presidentship of Sardar Mann, the party failed to have even a semblance of workable byelaws and was afflicted with the same ills as other parties are accused of in India as far as intra-party functioning and democracy is concerned. Hopefully, Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu will rectify such aberrations, said many Sikh leaders. Indiscipline and autocratic attitude in running the party affairs damaged the Mann-led party immeasurably, more so because the outfit had come into prominence riding on the collective aspirations of the Sikh quom which wanted it too succeed to help in leading the panth to glory again. Bhai Daljit Singh said with the latest development, even the groups and right-thinking individuals inside other Akali factions will also feel strenthened in resisting autocratic functioning.

Incidentally, the ruling Akali Dal led by Parkash Singh Badal is widely cited as one of the most autocratically run parties where only The Family decides every issue and appointment. Bhai Daljit Singh pleaded with the youth to shun the drug culture and instead coagulate forces with the party to build it into a strong organisation of the panth. Justice Ajit Singh Bains hailed Bhai Daljit  Singh for continuing on the path of larger panthic objective in the light of the path shown by Gurbani. Bhai GurJatinderpal Singh Bhikhiwind sharply criticized Sardar Mann, as did Bhai Satnam Singh Behru who at one stage tried to keep Bhai Bittu and Sardar Mann united but eventually  became a victim of the latter’sdictatorial functioning.

The Dharmi Faujis were represented by Bhai Malkiat Singh. Among others who participated were Harcharan Singh Burjhari (SGPC member), former MP Rajdev Singh, SSF president Paramjit Singh Ghazi, SGPC member Surinder Kaur, Baldev Singh Sirsa, Manmohan Singh Jammu, and S. Balwinder Singh.

The meeting was also attended by Bhai Harnam Singh Dhumma, Bhai Balwant Singh Gopala, president of Bhindranwala Youth Federation, Bhai Prof Davinderpal Singh Bhullar’s mother, Baba Hoshiar Singh Jalalabad, Bhai Harjinder Singh Shaheed’s mother Bibi Gurnam Kaur, Kartinderpal Singh Khalsa, Balwinder Singh Boparai and Mandhir Singh. Among the resolutions adopted were those vowing to fulfil the spirit of Anandpur Sahib  Resolution and Amritsar Declaration. One resolution committed the party to call upon the Khalsa Panth to take notice of people committed to disturb communal harmony and to start a movement against ‘gurudom’, foeticide, use of drugs, farmer suicides, crime against women and children, and another resolution declared Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as ‘nation’s asset’.