Chandigarh: Led by pro-Khalistan MP Amritpal Singh, who is currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail under National Security Act (NSA), a regional party named as Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) was launched at a political conference on the side-lines of annual Maghi Mela (Makar Sankranti festival) in Punjab’s Muktsar district on Tuesday.
Terming their party as a ``panthic front’’, its leaders said that Amritpal Singh, 31, has been named as the party president. Stating that a 15-point resolution called ``Shri Muktsar Sahib declaration'' was also passed at the said conference.
They said that the five-member executive committee constituted on the occasion comprised Amritpal Singh’s father Tarsem Singh, Faridkot independent MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa – who is the son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassin Beant Singh – and other radical leaders including Amarjit Singh, Harbhajan Singh Toor and Surjit Singh. Besides, a seven-member committee was also constituted to undertake the party's membership drive. Stating that while another committee has been formed to chalk out party’s constitution and policies, the leaders said that a delegate meeting that would elect the party’s party president and other office bearers would be held on the occasion of Baisakhi on April 13, 2025.
While Tarsem Singh said the party had been launched for the people and to fight for the issues of society, Faridkot MP Khalsa held that Punjab needs an Akali Dal to represent Sikhs as the other Akali Dal had lost the trust of the people.
Meanwhile, according to media reports, the Akali Dal (WPD) also held that it supported the farmers’ movement and would struggle for the release of Sikh detainees.
For record, Amritpal Singh has been in jail since April, 2023. He had led a huge crowd of people to Amritsar’s Ajnala police station on February 23, 2023, vandalising it and injuring several police personnel for the release of one of his supporters. He had, however, fled from home on March 18 after being booked under several charges following and non-bailable warrants issued against him. He was nabbed by Punjab police from Moga on April 23. He was booked under NSA and sent to Dibrugarh jail from where fought and won the Lok Sabha election with a massive margin of over 1.97 lakh votes in 2024.
