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Shiromani Akali Dal
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday launched a scathing attack on opposition parties Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress, accusing them of "looting" the state for decades. He claimed that while these parties mismanaged Punjab's resources, the AAP is working "tirelessly" to restore the state's dignity and prosperity. Mann was canvassing for AAP candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu in Panjwad, Thathi Sohal, and Jhabal Kalan ahead of the November 11 bypoll in the Tarn Taran assembly seat, which was vacated following the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June. Targeting both Congress and the Akali Dal, Mann said, "They sold Punjab's assets, but we are reclaiming its pride." He further criticised SAD leaders Sukhbir Badal and Bikram Majithia, as well as Congress leaders Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Partap Singh Bajwa, saying they had no moral authority to speak about Punjab's welfare. Highlighting his government's achievements, Mann emphasised that AAP has provided .
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday deferred till July 29 hearing on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia's plea against his arrest and subsequent remand in a disproportionate assets case. As the matter came up for hearing, Majithia's counsels sought three weeks to file an amended plea following which the court granted time and fixed the next date of hearing. Majithia had earlier filed a plea against his arrest and subsequent remand in the disproportionate assets case registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB). The state government's counsel Ferry Sofat said Majithia's advocates sought three weeks time to file an amended petition. The Punjab VB on June 25 arrested Majithia in the DA case allegedly involving laundering of Rs 540 crore of "drug money". Majithia on July 1 moved the HC against the DA case, calling it "political witch-hunting and vendetta" for being a vocal critic of the current dispensation. The former minister was sent to judicial custody by
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to initiate a dialogue with the UAE government to sensitise it about the religious significance of the five articles of faith, especially the 'kirpan', for the initiated Sikhs. In a letter to the minister, the Bathinda MP said she was making this appeal in the wake of a recent "advisory" by the Indian Embassy in UAE directing Indians not to carry sharp objects while visiting the country in view of Article 405 of the UAE penal law which prohibits the same. This move has caused deep distress and mental agony to Sikh travellers and residents alike, Harsimrat said, noting that there have been instances of Sikhs being detained and compelled to remove their 'kirpan'. She also cited a recent case of an elderly man being detained in Abu Dhabi for wearing the 'kirpan' and turban. Badal asserted in her letter that such incidents had caused distress within the Sikh community a
Sukhbir Singh Badal was elected president of the Shiromani Akali Dal again in the party's general delegate session that took place in Amritsar on Saturday. Badal's name was proposed by party's working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar while party leader Paramjit Singh Sarna seconded it. The session for electing SAD's new president was held at the Teja Singh Samundari hall in the Sri Darbar Sahib complex here. Several senior party leaders including Badal's wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Daljit Singh Cheema, senior leader Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal were present. On November 16, 2024, Badal had tendered his resignation from the party president post after he was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht for "mistakes" committed by the SAD and its government from 2007 to 2017. In January, his resignation was accepted by the working committee of the party. The SAD, later, conducted the new membership drive.
In the fray on a BJP ticket, Manjinder Singh Sirsa is credited with ending the Congress' domination in the Rajouri Garden seat with his victory in the 2013 Delhi assembly polls and wresting the constituency from the ruling AAP in the 2017 bypoll. Locked in a triangular battle with the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls, Sirsa, 52, is contesting from the same seat and is confident of emerging victorious for the third time. "After winning, my focus will be to ensure the supply of potable water to people living in the constituency and make its roads better and cleaner," two-time MLA Sirsa told PTI when asked about his priorities if he is elected from the seat. "The biggest problem in this constituency is that people are getting dirty water. The second problem is broken and dirty roads. "Garbage is scattered all over the constituency. Cable wires hanging everywhere is another big problem here," he said. Sirsa added that the Rajouri Garden seat
The working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Friday accepted the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as party chief, party leaders said. The move came over a month after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh asked the SAD to implement the December 2 edict at the earliest, while referring to the direction of accepting the resignation of Badal. Badal's resignation was accepted in the working committee meeting held at the party's headquarters here. Speaking to reporters after his resignation was accepted, Badal thanked the party workers and leaders for their support. Badal had tendered his resignation as the party chief on November 16 last year but the party's working committee did not accept his resignation, appealing him to reconsider his resignation otherwise the entire committee would resign enmasse. While pronouncing the religious punishment for Badal and other leaders for the "mistakes" committed by the SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017 on December 2
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
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 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
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
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