Sukhbir S Badal launches YAD global membership drive

Ludhiana, November 14, 2023: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today launched the global youth membership drive of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) under the aegis of the Punjab di Shaan, Saade Naujawan programme which is aimed at giving appropriate electoral representation to the youth at all levels.

The programme, which was organised by the YAD under the leadership of its president Sarabjit Singh Jhinjher, evoked tremendous response from the youth who enthusiastically supported the efforts being made by the SAD to involve them in decision making in the party as well as in electoral politics.

Speaking on the occasion, Sukhbir Badal said the SAD had decided to reward merit and said henceforth youth would be given fifty per cent reservation on all posts. He said all youth who were able to register 250 members with their recommendation would be appointed as youth delegates. “These delegates will play a key role in the formation of the youth body including district presidents who will also be appointed if they register 2,000 members with their recommendation”.

Asserting that the entire membership drive would be completed by December 31 this year, Badal said the drive would be conducted in Punjab as well as the entire diaspora with youth bodies being formed in all countries having a substantial number of Punjabis. He said only those leaders who registered 2,000 members with their recommendation would be considered for the post of district president. He said the age limit for the district level body was 35 years and that for the State body was 40 years.

Badal said youth leaders who proved their mettle in the organisation would be fielded by the party in elections to the local bodies as well as committees and corporations. He said presently as many as 35 former YAD leaders had been appointed as halqa incharge in the SAD. He also announced that the youth would also be given a larger role in the Lok Sabha election campaign with three senior vice presidents, three vice presidents and three general secretaries being appointed for each Lok Sabha seat.

The SAD president also spoke about how the erstwhile SAD government led by Parkash Singh Badal had given employment to 2.5 lakh youth. He said the SAD tenure also witnessed the establishment of 13 new Universities, 30 new Colleges and even prestigious institutions like IIT, Ropar, IIM, Amritsar and IISER, Mohali. He said two preparatory institutions to train youth to become officers in the Indian armed forces as well as focus on sports by creating seven hockey stadiums and 21 multipurpose stadiums had brought in sporting culture in the State. He also spoke on how the SAD government had brought Kabaddi to the world map.

Badal also spoke on how the SAD in conjunction with the YAD would come up with a youth progamme aimed at resolving all grievances of youth as well as making a road map for creating employment as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for them. “We are also aware of the need to skill our youth to ensure they get ahead in life”, he added.

YAD president Sarbjit Singh Jhinjher spoke on how the YAD was holding Meri Dastar Meri Shaan camps in all districts to revive the State’s glorious traditions and culture. He also focused on how the YAD was stressing on Punjabi and Punjabiyat and taking every section with it in all its programmes.

Senior leaders of Youth Akali Dal were present on this occasion.