By Karminder Singh Dhillon | Opinion |

Imagine this scenario. A Judge summons the leadership of a powerful political party; declares the party leader guilty of misconduct; pronounces humiliating “punishment” for other leaders of the party for one decade of “sins” conducted by the party: thus, effectively decimating the party; appoints a hand-picked committee to reorganize the party, undertake a membership drive and hold elections for the post of party president and office bearers within six months; and orders all breakaway factions to dissolve. The Judge then signs up as the first member in the membership drive, joins hands with the breakaway factions and becomes the President of the “re-organized” party.

One would be hard pressed to find such a judge, even in countries run by tin-pot despots and third-rate dictators.

Yet, the above is the narrative of the Akal Takhat, Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and the Shiromani Akal Dal (SAD). The Akal Takhat had, on December 2, 2024, pronounced SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) and punished several leaders of SAD for the “sins” of the party and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. The Akal Takhat also appointed a seven-member committee, which was given a mandate to supervise the reorganization of the SAD, undertake a membership drive and hold elections for the post of party president and office bearers within six months. This Akal Takhat -appointed committee started its membership drive in March 2025. This committee went on to hold a delegate session of the breakaway groups of the SAD at Gurdwara Burj Akali Phoola Singh in Amritsar on August 11, 2025.

Giani Harpreet Singh, a one-time acting Jathedar of Akal Takhat and former Jathedar of the Takht Sri Damdama Sahib — he was fired from both positions by the Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in June 2023 and February 2025 respectively — was elected as the president of the breakaway faction of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

After assuming the new role, Giani Harpreet Singh announced that the party would retain the name Shiromani Akali Dal and would soon begin the process of claiming the SAD office and election symbol. He also said that the next party meeting will be held at Teja Singh Samundari Hall, located within the SGPC Complex.

The SGPC had refused the use of its Complex to the breakaway faction to hold its elections. Giani Harpreet Singh further announced the setting up of a Panthic Council that would be the “religious wing” of the “New Akali Dal.” The relationship between the two would not be unlike that between the SAD and SGPC.

What Giani Harpreet Singh has achieved is a neat, precise and surgical coup. What is impressive in the political sense, and deplorable in the religious and moral sense is that he conducted this coup while riding on the platform of the Akal Takhat. Even then, his weaponization of the Akal Takhat may not be that appalling given that the institution of Akal Takhat – having zero foundations both in Gurbani and in all classical historical literature – has always been an instrument for use by one faction, party, group or another. The very origins of Akal Takhat by Nirmla Gurmukh Singh attest to such a situation. The SAD – which is at the receiving end of Akal Takhat shenanigans this time around – has itself used the Akal Takhat extensively during its political reign in Punjab.

Giani Harpreet Singh’s machinations that culminated in the SAD coup need mention – even if only to underline the brutal passion that he displayed in the outcomes. On the 2nd of December 2024 massacre of the SAD at the hands of the Akal Takhat, Giani Raghbir Singh was the one who was leading as Akal Takhat Jathedar. Giani Harpreet Singh attended the meeting as Jathedar of Damdama Sahib. Yet, the one who led the proceedings on that day – from being the stage manager and the one who announced the Tankhah (punishment) to Akali leaders was Giani Harpreet Singh. A video clip of him having a brawl with SAD leader Virsa Singh Valtoha during the 2nd of December proceedings sheds light on the very caustic role played by the Jathedar in the prosecution that led to the punishments of SAD leaders. In Harpreet Singh’s victory speech after his election of president, he revealed that he himself has written all orders to summon the Akali leaders at on 2nd December 2024 to give them punishments
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The SAD (Badal) was not just quick to pounce on Giani Harpreet Singh’s machinations that culminated in his presidency of the breakaway faction, but accurate in its criticism. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who returned to helm the SAD with his unanimous election as president on April 12, 2025, said Giani Harpreet Singh defied the Hukamnama of December 2, 2024, which specifically ordered against setting up of breakaway factions to weaken the party.

SAD leader Arshdeep Singh Kaler provided a fitting analogy of a judge adjudicating a case between two parties in which he had a direct interest in the spoils of the outcome.

THE WINNERS, LOSERS AND THE BEHIND THE SCENES DIRECTORS

When the events of December 2nd were made public, a good number of Sikh commentators viewed it as a dream come true for the “autonomy” of the Akal Takhat. They argued that the underlying lesson of that day was that the master manipulators of Akal Takhat, namely the Badal dominated SAD, were finally being brought to justice. For once, the political servant that was the Akal Takhat was going to hold its political master that was the SAD to account. Many Sikhs argued that the “panthic interests” that the Badal-led SAD had trampled upon for decades that it was in power, and the “maan-maryada of Akal Takhat” that the Badals had trodden upon and driven into dirt for decades were both finally restored on December 2nd.

For a while, even the Jathedars of Akal Takhat appeared to be reveling and basking in their new-found “power and authority” – issuing bold statements that reflected their lofty assessment about themselves.

The events from December 2nd, 2024, till August 11th, which culminated in Giani Harpreet Singh’s election as president of the breakaway faction shed light on three things. First that the notion that the Akal Takhat had “finally found its rightful authority” was merely a mirage. Second, that the Akal Takhat had, once again, been weaponized by nefarious forces whose ultimate goal is to take over the next government of Punjab by dividing and weaking the only party of the Sikhs that has any real prospect of ruling Punjab come February 2027.

BJP AND THE POLITICS OF DIVIDE AND TAKE OVER.

The BJP has proven its ability of taking power in some states by dividing the main political party, setting up breakaway factions, and then absorbing the breakaway faction to win elections. Such a model was deployed in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The same strategy of dividing the SAD, supporting the establishment of the ” New Akali Dal” of Giani Harpreet Singh and then absorbing some or all the breakaway factions will enable the BJP to launch an onslaught in the 2027 Punjab elections. The BJP can be expected to take power if the strategy works.

Sukhbir Singh Badal subscribes to such a conspiratorial strategy. In a statement to The Tribune, he alleged that the “central agencies were trying to weaken the SAD” by propping up “parallel” Akali Dal headed by Giani Harpreet Singh.

So, yes, Jathedar Harpreet Singh has pulled off a coup. But the success of the coup speaks less of the Giani’s competence and a lot more of the BJP’s far-reaching prowess, long tentacles and political aspirations for the takeover of Punjab in 2027.

Accordingly, then, there is speculation that that ” New Akali Dal” party is the brainchild of BJP. This speculation is fueled by video-recorded admissions by Giani Harpreet Singh that he has been in regular contact with BJP Home Minister Amit Shah and other Delhi BJP leaders. In a video that was recorded after his election as president, Giani Harpreet Singh says that Amit Shah had come to meet him at Akal Takhat when he was Jathedar. Reports that were published when the meeting had taken place described the meeting as “private” and neither party offered any details of what transpired. In this same video, Giani Harpreet Singh disclosed that he has been having regular phone calls with Amit Shah.

Giani Harpreet Singh has also met, in the last few months, with the state leaders of Patna and Maharashtra. He has also attended a BJP meeting in Delhi where RSS leaders were present. The BJP also appears to be working closely with Sant Smaj head, Harnam Singh Dhumma, and has had contact with at least two committee members out of five which were appointed to reconstitute the SAD.

The BJP leader who is in charge of Punjab state is Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, a central minister and a senior leader from Gujarat. Shekhawat is known for his skills in roping in leaders of other parties to help achieve the power strategies of the BJP.

All of the above machinations of the BJP can be viewed as legitimate political maneuverings that are in line with the objectives of just about any political party – gain enough power to form the next government. The BJP’s maneuverings with the SAD and its breakaway factions, with Taksals, Deras and Babas of Punjab are thus nothing out of the ordinary.

What is, however, deeply troubling and concerning to the Sikhs in the religious sense is the complicity of Giani Harpreet Singh in his capacity, first as Acting Jathedar of Akal Takhat and then as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib. In the event BJP does take control of Punjab in 2027 with the help of the “New Akali Dal”, Giani Harpreet Singh will be rewarded with sufficient power that he can wield to exert influence of his political masters on Akal Takhat and the SGPC. Sikhs have seen how BJP nominees have been used to bring Takhats Patna Sahib and Hazur Sahib; as well as Delhi Gurdwaras under BJP control. What, if anything, will prevent the same from happening to Akal Takhat and the other two Takhats within Punjab?

THE ILLEGALITY OF GIANI HARPREET SINGH’S BJP BACKED COUP

Giani Harpreet Singh claims to be legitimate head of SAD. The truth of the matter is that the SAD is a duly registered political party with the Election Commission of India. It has an elected committee, possesses a duly registered party symbol, is supported by subscription paying members, operates from its legally registered office, and is governed by its legally valid constitution.

The Giani Harpreet Singh Dal still has no written constitution. He has enrolled members who came on board without paying any fee, which is not lawful. The Society Registration Act/Firms Registration Act of India says that a committee of at least seven members has to be formed first. A draft memorandum of Association and Constitution is the task of this committee. Obtaining a Certificate of Registration certificate is the next order of business. With this Certificate, the party qualifies for a PAN Card that allows it to open bank accounts. The enrollment of members with required amount of fee, which has to be deposited in the bank account comes only after the bank accounts are operational. Giani Harpreet Singh and his gang have followed none of these steps.

It is difficult to fathom that a holder of a PhD degree that Giani Harpreet Singh claims he is, does not understand that there cannot be two political parties with same name. The only possible explanation is that he is merely being used by anti-SAD elements in the form of BJP operatives and disgruntled former anti-Badal SAD members such as Bibi Jagir Kaur etc. in the hope that Giani Harpreet Singh’s religious credentials as a former Jathedar would somehow make the illegal into legal, the immoral into moral, and the impossible into the possible.

THE WINNERS AND LOSERS OF IT ALL.

Who won in this BJP fueled ridiculous coup, Akal Takhat led religious shenanigan and SAD Rebel led takeover of their own party is akin to asking who won in the last round of Punjab floods.

Takhats Hazur Sahib and Patna Sahib are under the control of RSS and or BJP. Virtually all Delhi Gurdwaras are standing with the BJP and many of their committee members stood on BJP ticket in recent Delhi elections. It is thus natural that the BJP is now eyeing Punjab. With their alliance between the Badal led SAD in tethers, Giani Harpreet Singh as the Ali Baba of the 40 Rebels is their bet. It’s a bet that relies on the assumption that the people of Punjab are sufficiently stupid to fall prey to and fall behind Giani Harpreet Singh’s religious credentials as a former Jathedar of the Akal Takhat.

The biggest losers are the people of Punjab and Sikhs at large. The former will be denied the chance to consign corrupt, inept and power-hungry politicians – even those who transformed themselves from Jathedars to politicians – to the dustbin for good. This drama of a “New Akali Dal” has extended the shelf life of bad politics in Punjab.

Sikhs at large are losers because Giani Harpreet Singh and his gang of disgruntled former SAD politicians have proven, yet again, that Sikh religious and political leadership and the panthik institutions controlled by them are self-serving, do not have panthik interests at heart, are largely dysfunctional and subject to manipulation.

Sikh thinker, writer and parcharak Karminder Singh Dhillon, PhD (Boston), is a retired Malaysian civil servant. He is the joint-editor of The Sikh Bulletin and author of The Hijacking of Sikhi. This article appeared in Sikh Bulletin 2025, Issue 4, Oct-Nov 2025. Click here to retrieve archived copies of the bulletin. The author can be contacted at dhillon99@gmail.com.

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