Brahmpura: SAD forgot issues it fought for yrs
Tuesday, 15/01/2019
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/brahmpura-sad-forgot-issues-it-fought-for-yrs/713711.html
Chandigarh : The SAD (Taksali), the recently launched breakaway faction of the SAD, has not just staked claim to the “takdi” poll symbol of the parent party, but it is also taking away its main political line of allowing autonomy to states as prescribed in the 1973 Anandpur Sahib resolution.
This was stated by SAD (Taksali) president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura while addressing mediapersons here on Monday.
“The Akali Dal has become a party of the Badals, who have forgotten the agenda on which the party struggled for years. We are Taksali leaders, who fought for federalism, and we will fight for the implementation of the Anandpur Sahib resolution,” he said.
The resolution was put forward by the Akali Dal in 1973 and it included religious and political issues. It asked for Sikhism to be recognised as a sovereign religion, separate from Hinduism. It also demanded more powers to be devolved from the Centre to states, with the latter getting more power than the Centre. Though chief patron of the Akali Dal Parkash Singh Badal has over the years always talked of the implementation of federalism, the resolution itself has been on the back burner in the SAD political agenda.
Brahmpura said there was no question of having a truck with the SAD even if Sukhbir Badal was removed as the party president.
The Taksali leaders — Brahmpura, Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Rattan Singh Ajnala — had revolted against the leadership of Sukhbir. They were later expelled from the party. All three leaders said although their party was gaining ground and would contest the Lok Sabha elections, they themselves would not contest. “We will field other candidates and canvass for them,” they said.
Speculation is rife that the sons of these three leaders will be fielded in their stronghold of Majha. The leaders said they would support the initiative of HS Phoolka, who is attempting to “free the SGPC from the control of the Badals”.
The Akali Dal has become a party of the Badals, who have forgotten the basic agenda on which the party struggled for years. We are Taksali leaders, who fought for federalism, and we will fight for the implementation of the Anandpur Sahib resolution. —Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Chief, SAD (Taksali)
