Amid Waqf debate, Sukhbir says BJP conspired to take over Sikh institutions

Bathinda: A day after his re-election as the president of Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal tore into the BJP-led central govt, accusing it of conspiring to weaken SAD and taking control of Sikh institutions.
The allegations come amid a debate raging over the recent Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, and violence erupting in West Bengal over the new law. Addressing a conference to mark Baisakhi at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo on Sunday, Sukhbir also gunned for the recently sacked jathedars of Sikh takhts, mainly Giani Harpreet Singh, saying that they worked on the diktats of BJP.
Sukhbir said SAD left BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to stand by agitating farmers in 2020 on the issue of farm laws, and that was when BJP govt started conspiring to weaken the panthic party. He said it also used Giani Harpreet to make Akali Dal leaderless. "As we derive strength from our religious places, the BJP govt started taking control of religious places. The biggest attack was made at Takhat Hazur Sahib by usurping power and forming a committee of its choice. It took control of Takht Patna Sahib and similarly the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. BJP govt made a separate gurdwara management committee for Haryana and made efforts to disturb even SGPC. Then they started taking control of takht jathedars, including Giani Harpreet Singh, who started weakening SAD. Let us recognise who is ours and who is our opponent. He also took on the independent MP from Khadoor Sahib seat Amritpal Singh without naming him, accusing him of trying to divide Sikhs," said Sukhbir in a veiled attack on BJP.
Sukhbir repeatedly asked everyone to join hands to again help SAD gain strength and form the govt in Punjab.
He invoked SAD's motto, saying it was "sarbat da bhala" (welfare of all) and respect for all religions. "
Earlier, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also cautioned people against the machinations of the BJP-led central govt against SAD and asked party workers to come on a common platform. "As I won four consecutive elections despite facing odds, Akali Dal is capable of forming govt on its own without any alliance, and if we bridge differences, we will easily gain power in 2027," she said.