CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Serious efforts are being made for launching a new Akali Dal in Punjab by various Sikh leaders including renowned Sikh preacher Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal. On Friday, an emergency meeting was conducted at the residence of a Sikh leader who is commonly known as Gurdarshan Singh “historian,” to discuss the issue. The first meeting was held in Sri Anandpur Sahib some days ago.
As per reliable sources, Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal, United Sikh Movement (USM) leader and former Damdami Taksal spokesperson Bhai Mohkam Singh and Sikh historian Dr. Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon are playing a leading role in the formation of the new Akali Dal.
Dal Khalsa leaders are said to have also been approached and a consensus has been made with a leader of Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani). Dal Khalsa has promised to accompany the group in religious activities rather than political ones.
For the formation of the new Akali Dal, a discussion was reportedly held with a senior leader of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) last week but a consensus could not be reached to get organized under a single banner. Sources said that, before the efforts, Baba Daduwal had met SAD (A) secretary general Jaswant Singh Mann in the latter’s residence. However, the meeting failed to bear fruit.
Jaswant Singh Mann said that in regards to the formation of a new Akali Dal, he had been contacted by Baba Daduwal and Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon separately.
Bhai Mohkam Singh said serious discussions were held in Fridays meeting, but their whole energy was being consumed in making the organizational structure of the movement.
