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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Will take legal action against breakaway faction for misusing party's name: SAD
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday announced to initiate criminal proceedings against leaders of the breakaway faction for allegedly using the party's name, noting the Akali Dal is a registered and recognised party with the Election Commission under a 1996 notification. The SAD also thanked party workers who led the fight and forced the AAP government to withdraw the land pooling policy, and announced a thanksgiving event at the Akal Takht on August 31 under the leadership of president Sukhbir Singh Badal. The party said it would not step back from protecting the interests of Punjabis. Claiming that 100 per cent of the party's delegates are with the SAD and not a single member is with the breakaway faction, senior SAD leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema alleged. The breakaway faction misused the SAD's name despite not participating in the membership drive, where every member paid Rs 10 for five years membership as per the party's constitution. The breakaway faction has no right to call any meeting 'a SAD delegates' session' and could face charges of fraud and forgery, he warned. Calling the faction's actions illegal and unconstitutional, Cheema said, 'The SAD is consulting legal experts to file a criminal complaint.' He accused the breakaway faction president, Giani Harpreet Singh, of defying the December 2, 2024, order of the Akal Takht, directing all factions to merge into the SAD in the interest of the Panth. Instead of complying, Giani Harpreet opened a new front. For a person who served as Jathedar of the highest Sikh authority, it is unfortunate that he is not following his own directions, Cheema said. Appealing to the media, Cheema said, 'It is completely wrong to call Giani Harpreet Singh the SAD president. This sends a wrong message to the people.' Responding to a question, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami criticised Giani Harpreet Singh's reported statement about capturing the SGPC, calling it an attempt to harm the honour and history of the Sikh institution. Dhami said, 'SGPC is a body that serves with the leadership given by the Sangat. If someone wants to serve, they should win elections, not resort to unethical remarks.' 'SAD is the only Panthic party. One should move towards unity, not division,' he added. Itinerary of Nagar Kirtan for 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur released SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday announced details of events for the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. A Nagar Kirtan on the theme 'Dharam Het Saaka Jini Keeya' will start from Gurdwara Dhobri Sahib in Assam on August 21 and will conclude at Sri Anandpur Sahib on November 23 after passing through 20 states. The first 10 days will cover routes from Dhobri Sahib to Siliguri (Aug 21), Malda (Aug 22), Kolkata (Aug 23-24), Asansol (Aug 25), Jamshedpur (Aug 26), Ranchi (Aug 27), Takht Sri Patna Sahib (Aug 28), Sasaram (Aug 29), Varanasi (Aug 30), and onward from August 31. A second Nagar Kirtan will start from Gurdwara Sri Matan Sahib, Jammu & Kashmir, on October 5, and a third from Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Delhi, on November 25; both will conclude at Sri Anandpur Sahib. The SGPC will also organise Gurmat Samagams, a poetry event, and interfaith gatherings in different parts of India. Booklets on Guru Tegh Bahadur's life and contributions were released in Punjabi, Hindi, and English, with translations into other languages also planned. Dhami criticised Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka for announcing events independently instead of coordinating with the SGPC, saying such matters should be discussed jointly.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
'Separate group misusing SAD's name, will file criminal complaint,' says Akali Dal
A day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) faced a virtual split following the rebel faction announcing its new president, the party on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) said it would file a criminal complaint against those leaders who were trying to appropriate the name of the SAD that was a registered and recognised party as per the Election Commission notification of 1996. Accusing the rebel faction of deceiving Punjabis by making false claims, senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, 'At present 100% of the delegates of the Shiromani Akali Dal are with the party and not even one member of the separate group, which was misusing the name of the SAD, was a member of the latter party.' Mr. Cheema said all delegates of the SAD had been elected after a due election following the end of the term of the previous working committee. 'All members of the SAD had taken membership of the party after submitting a membership fee of ₹10, which was applicable for five years. The separate group did not conduct any membership drive as per the constitution of the party, which stipulates that every member has to pay a fee of ₹10. Therefore, they have no right to call their party meeting a delegate session of the SAD and can be proceeded against for indulging in cheating and forgery,' he said here at a press conference. He also termed the move as illegal, unconstitutional and immoral and said the SAD was consulting legal experts in order to file a formal criminal complaint in this regard. The party breakaway faction on August 11 had declared former Akal Takht acting chief priest Giani Harpreet Singh as its president.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Policy U-Turn puts AAP's political skills to test ahead of '27 elections
Chandigarh: The AAP govt's move to withdraw its controversial Land Pooling Policy 2025 will be a test of the party's political dexterity ahead of the Punjab assembly elections in 2027. While the opposition is drawing parallels between the farmers' protest against the policy the protests stage to oppose the three farm laws in 2020-2021, AAP is calling the withdrawal of the policy "pragmatic" and a "timely retreat" in response to public sentiment. This to and fro is likely to shape the political discourse around AAP ahead of the 2027 contest. In the first example of such a narrative, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said during a media interaction on Tuesday that there was no comparison between the three central laws and the policy, or the protests against them. "There is no parallel," Cheema said, adding that over 700 farmers died in the 2020-21 stir and it caused the SAD to end its political alliance with BJP. Cheema expressed confidence that the withdrawn policy won't harm AAP's electoral prospects and the party would improve on its 2022 performance in the next elections. Asked about state govt's initial claim that the policy was "farmer friendly", Cheema said the policy was introduced in the interest of farmers and other beneficiaries, but it was withdrawn based on their feedback. He claimed that stakeholders were properly consulted throughout the process. When asked what prompted the govt to scrap the policy, Cheema said CM Mann personally engaged with farmers. "The chief minister realised that they were not satisfied with the policy during his interactions at events," Cheema added. He mentioned this wasn't the first land pooling policy in the state's history, pointing out that the Akalis implemented a similar policy in a staggered way, while the Congress allowed private players to acquire land. Daljit Singh, a lawyer and member of the All India Congress Committe, said quite contrary to AAP govt's claims that it withdrew the land pooling policy to respect the farmers' opinion, the AAP leadership sensed its eroding political space. "The AAP govt was forced to reconsider its decision after the High Court order on Saturday made strong observations against the policy. It would be impossible for the ruling party to shed the tag of being anti-farmer and it will have a bearing on its performance in the next assembly elections," said Daljit Singh, who actively opposed the policy. Amar Singh, the Congress MP from Fatehgarh Sahib, stated that the AAP govt's land pooling policy was introduced without any demand from the ground level. "It was a plan to loot landowners, and the Congress didn't allow that to happen," he said. An AAP leader, meanwhile, confided on condition of anonymity that the land pooling policy "not only built a negative perception in the minds of landowners, but it also strengthened the opposition's charge that the party's Delhi leadership has a role in such key decisions." He added, "For farmers, land has always been an emotive issue and somehow they perceived the land pooling policy with suspicion." It is learnt that in the face of fierce opposition to the policy from landowners and rival parties, some AAP members internally voiced their concerns with the party, and the move could prove to be politically damaging for the party. BOX: WASN'T THE FIRST LAND POOLING POLICY: CHEEMA Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema claimed that previous Congress and SAD-BJP govts granted "change of land use" (CLU) for more than 30,000 acres of land for residential and industrial development. "Illegal colonies mushroomed in the state during the previous govts and people have to live without proper amenities. Land for these colonies was taken at low rates from farmers and handed over to developers. Land pooling policy was earlier introduced in Mohali by the Akali govt," he said. Cheema added that the land pooling policy was aimed at planned urban development but was withdrawn if farmers were not satisfied with the policy. "The AAP govt has defended the interests of farmers and has ensured that canal water reached every field. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) was stopped from releasing additional water to Haryana. Uninterrupted power supply has been ensured for the agriculture sector," he said. BOX: AAP MLA DISTRIBUTES SWEETS AAP MLA from Fatehgarh Sahib Lakhbir Singh Rai distributed sweets to celebrate the withdrawal of the land pooling policy. "We are thankful to the CM Mann and the Punjab government, who, after listening to the voice of the farmers and the people of Punjab, have withdrawn the land pooling policy. The state's development will proceed according to the wishes of its people. The state govt has scrapped it based on the feedback," he said. MSID:: 123259693 413 | Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Will file criminal case against breakaway faction: SAD
The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday warned that it will file a criminal complaint against leaders of the breakaway faction for trying to misappropriate the name of the party, saying the SAD was a registered and recognised party under the Election Commission's 1996 notification. SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema addressing the media in Chandigarh on Tuesday. (HT) The party's statement came a day after former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh was unanimously elected as the president of the SAD's breakaway faction in a meeting of the Akal Takht-appointed panel in Amritsar. Terming the group's meeting on Monday illegal, unconstitutional and immoral, party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said the SAD was consulting legal experts to file a formal criminal complaint. 'At present, all delegates of the SAD are with the party and not even one member of the separate group, which is misusing the name of the SAD, was a member of the party,' said Cheema, warning the breakaway faction against deceiving Punjabis by making false claims. Stating that all delegates of the SAD had been elected after due election following the end of the previous working committee's term, Cheema said the members of the breakaway group had not participated in the membership drive. He went on to say that all members of the SAD had taken membership of the party after submitting a membership fee of ₹10, which was applicable for five years. 'The separate group did not conduct a membership drive as per the constitution of the party, which stipulates that every member has to pay a fee of ₹10. Therefore they have no right to call their party meeting a delegate session of the SAD and can be proceeded against for indulging in cheating and forgery.' Cheema also took on Giani Harpreet Singh for violating the hukamnama of the highest temporal seat, issued on December 2, 2024, stating the separate group should close its shop and merge with the SAD in Panthic interest. He said instead of doing this, Giani Harpreet had gone ahead to open a new shop. 'It is extremely unfortunate and unbecoming that a person who has served as the jathedar of the apex Sikh institution did not follow its directives,' he said.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Safe Punjab portal led to over 5,000 drug FIRs in a year: Cheema
Over 5,000 drug related cases were registered in a year after the launch of Safe Punjab WhatsApp chatbot, where people could provide information and tips on drug peddlers and hotspots, Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Tuesday. The WhatsApp chatbot is accessible at 97791-00200. (REUTERS) The WhatsApp chatbot portal, launched by chief minister Bhagwant Mann in August 2024, achieved a commendable conversion rate of 32%, Cheema said at a press conference here. It helped in transforming public input into concrete police action, said Cheema, who also serves as chairman of the anti-drug drive 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' cabinet sub-committee. The minister said that the portal has been instrumental in registration of over 5,000 FIRs in a year. The chatbot, accessible at 9779100200, has positioned the 'Safe Punjab' portal as one of the nation's most effective public portals for police engagement, he added 'The portal has become a vital source of intelligence and a potent weapon in the campaign against drugs, which was officially initiated on March 1 this year to intensify the state's efforts against drug trafficking,' he added. Cheema said that since its inception of the campaign, a total of 16,322 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act, leading to the arrest of 25,552 individuals. He said that the state government has also taken decisive action against drug smugglers by demolishing 182 of their illegal properties. He said these efforts have resulted in major drug seizures, including 1,054 kg of heroin, 21,534 kg of poppy husk, 366 kg of opium, and over three million tablets, capsules, and pills. The minister also criticised the previous SAD-BJP alliance, accusing it of patronising the narcotics trade for a decade, and also pointed out the failure of the subsequent Congress government to take strong action against the drug menace between 2017 and 2022.
