Akali Dal chief to meet leaders for future strategy: Core group

Chandigarh, June 13 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday discussed the prevailing political situation in Punjab, including analysing and introspecting on the party's performance in the just concluded Lok Sabha poll.  

At a meeting of the party’s core committee lasting over six hours at the party headquarters here, it was decided that "in the coming days SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal would seek suggestions from party leaders individually as well as collectively to formulate the party’s overall agenda and strategy for future".

The meeting placed on record its appreciation of the "spirited, selfless and resolute leadership provided by the party President, Sukhbir Badal, especially during the past six months leading up to the polling date".

"The party places full faith and confidence in his leadership and salutes his single-minded devotion to the party’s interests,” said a statement by the party.

The meeting also considered the party’s likely strategy for the forthcoming byelection in the state. A final decision on these will be taken in the coming days.

Earlier, the core committee also took a serious view of the vilification campaign against the party and its leadership. The meeting reposed full faith in his leadership, said the statement.

In a resolution, the party expressed concern over the growing communal polarisation in society and its abuse in politics in the country. Also, the party came down heavily against the divisive utterances of film actress-turned-MP Kangna Ranaut following the incident at Chandigarh airport. "While the party does not approve of resorting to violence, but Kangana Ranaut must be held accountable for her abusive, humiliating and rabidly communal utterances which caused deep emotional hurt that led to the unfortunate incident at the airport. (CISF constable) Kulwinder Kaur’s alleged action must not be seen in isolation of the circumstances that led to it."

The party also opposed the idea of "the one nation-one culture" being promoted in the country. The core committee reiterated the party’s stand that India "is a country of rich cultural, religious, regional and linguistic diversity and federal structure is the only way to strengthen the country".

The meeting reiterated that a deep-rooted conspiracy is at play against SAD to confuse, mislead and divide the Sikh masses to render this leaderless. "The conspiracy is aimed at dividing and weakening the Khalsa Panth with the final aim of controlling their religion and sacred Sikh religious institutions," said the party.

--IANS

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