Shiromani Akali Dal - History

History

Further information: Akali movement

Akali Dal was formed on December 14, 1920 as a task force of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, the Sikh religious body. The Akali Dal considers itself the principal representative of Sikhs. Sardar Sarmukh Singh Chubbal was the first president of a unified proper Akali Dal, but it was under Master Tara Singh that Akali Dal became a force to reckon with. The party launched the Punjabi Suba movement to create a Sikh majority state in the undivided East Punjab under the leadership of Sant Fateh Singh. In 1966, the modern-day East Punjab was formed, but its division led to bitter conflict. Akali Dal came to power in Punjab, but many times the party's governments were dismissed due to internal conflicts & minute mandate in its favor.

The Dal's chief opponent on the political front is the Indian National Congress. Its political ally in the state and at the centre is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since the population of Punjab is about 60% Sikh and 37% Hindu, the Akali Dal needs the support of as many Hindus as the BJP can get to form lasting administrations, and the BJP needs the SAD to bring as many parliamentary seats from Punjab as it can to form a Union government.

In 1999, Gurcharan Singh Tohra resigned from the Akali Dal due to differences with then-party president Parkash Singh Badal and founded a new party named Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal. In 2003, he along with the party rejoined with the Badal-led Akali Dal.

Read more about this topic:  Shiromani Akali Dal

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    “The history of this country was made largely by people who wanted to be left alone. Those who could not thrive when left to themselves never felt at ease in America.”
    —Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)

    “Regarding History as the slaughter-bench at which the happiness of peoples, the wisdom of States, and the virtue of individuals have been victimized—the question involuntarily arises—to what principle, to what final aim these enormous sacrifices have been offered.”
    —Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)

    “What we call National-Socialism is the poisonous perversion of ideas which have a long history in German intellectual life.”
    —Thomas Mann (1875–1955)