The Supreme Court verdict on the misuse of religion and caste by political parties will keep the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab on the watch. Pushed to the edge, the party has raised the war cry of "Panth is in danger" to polarise Sikh voters, who marginally outnumber the Hindu voters, in the poll bound state.
Representative image | PTI
Founded as a task force of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandak Committee in 1920, it evolved into the political wing of the SGPC over the course of time. The party is seen as representing voice, aspirations and ethos of the Sikh. It was only about ten years ago that it started giving tickets to Hindus—when Sukhbir Badal, the then young gen-next of patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, decided to dump all the historical baggage, including its role in the militancy years, and spoke of Punjabiyat in place of Khalsa or Panth.
Like the Congress, the SAD also gave ticket for the Malerkotla seat to a Muslim. This was not born out of any largeness of heart, but of pure politics as Malerkotla is a Muslim majority constituency.
The Supreme Court on Monday had ruled that seeking votes on the basis of religion, caste, race and language would amount to corrupt practice.
The SAD has not yet reacted to the apex court's observation. But Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt. Amarender Singh has hailed it, and said it would have "far reaching implications for Punjab where the Akalis have always misused religion to seek votes".
"Even today, they are taking Akali leaders to gurdwaras and making them affirm their allegiance to the SAD," the former chief minister pointed out.
