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Punjab: Jailed MP Amritpal to launch political party during Maghi Mela on Jan 14
To launch the party, Amritpal’s father Tarsem Singh, Khalsa, his close associate Sukhwinder Singh Agwan, nephew of another Indira Gandhi’s assassin Satwant Singh, and supporters are gearing up to organise a rally under the banner ‘Panth Bachao, Punjab Bachao Rally’ at the annual festival
Radical Sikh preacher and jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh will launch a new regional panthic political party on January 14 during the annual Maghi Mela at Muktsar Sahib along with Faridkot MP Sarabjit Singh Khalsa, who is the son of PM Indira Gandhi assassin Beant Singh, and other like-minded activists.
To launch the party, Amritpal’s father Tarsem Singh, Khalsa, his close associate Sukhwinder Singh Agwan, nephew of another Indira Gandhi’s assassin Satwant Singh, and supporters are gearing up to organise a rally under the banner ‘Panth Bachao, Punjab Bachao Rally’ at the annual festival. Posters of the rally and launch of the new party are being widely circulated on social media.
“Leaders of political parties, including Shiromani Akali Dal, never let the concept of miri-piri (a concept which means religion and politics go together in the Sikh faith) be implemented. The president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is also elected by a particular family by sending the name of their choice in an envelope. This has left the Sikh sangat distraught,” Tarsem Singh said, confirming the development.
The development comes amid the ongoing turmoil and existential crisis facing the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Besides poll debacles in subsequent elections, recently, Akali Dal leaders, including senior most leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, served penance awarded by Akal Takht for the mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007 to 2017.
“This party will represent the true spirit of Panth and Punjab”, Agwan added.
Prior to this, Amritpal’s associates and supporters had organised a massive rally at Baba Bakala in Amritsar on the occasion of Mela Rakhar Punia.
The MP’s father had announced floating the new party on September 29.
“We have prayed before the Akal Takht for the formation of a new party. The party will be for the welfare of all and will follow the principle of ‘manas ki jaat sabhay eke pechanbo’ (equality of mankind),” Amritpal’s family had said at Akal Takht after offering aardas.
A day later, Amritpal, who along with his nine aides, is lodged in Dibrugarh jail of Assam under the National Security Act (NSA), issued a statement on his X handle, which is believed to be operated by his team.
“On appeal of sangat (community) and after a long discussion, we have decided that Punjab needs a regional political party to deal with the issues being faced by the state and panth. Due to the marginalisation of Akali Dal, Sikh issues have disappeared from politics. And other organisations which call themselves as panthic have failed to gain space on grass root level in sangat,” the post on X said.
Amritpal in the post added that the objective of the party is to struggle for the rights of Punjab. “For getting demands of Punjab and panth met, we will also present a resolution which will turn out to be the basis of the struggle for more rights to Punjab. This struggle will be converted into a mass movement by bringing organisations which are struggling on various issues, under one flag,” the jailed MP added in his post.
