Sukhbir Singh Badal also launched a sharp critique of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, stating that he does not consider him a Sikh due to his alleged lack of knowledge about Sikh history.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has highlighted unity within the Sikh community despite being a minority.
Speaking at a gathering of Sikh groups here on Tuesday, Badal spoke of a perceived disparity in leadership between Sikhs and Muslims. Despite constituting only 2% of the population, Badal asserted that Sikhs, under the banner of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, exhibit strong and unified leadership. In contrast, he pointed out that Muslims, comprising 18% of the country’s population, lack cohesive leadership due to lack of unity.
Badal also launched a sharp critique of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, stating that he does not consider him a Sikh due to his alleged lack of knowledge about Sikh history. Badal said, “I do not consider him (Bhagwant Mann) a Sikh. He wears a turban to show that he is a Sikh. He does not know the history of Sikhs. We feel sad when we see him and hear his statements.”
Badal also accused the Punjab government of being controlled by Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, alleging exploitation of Punjab under his leadership.
In response to these concerns, Badal announced plans for the Shiromani Akali Dal to establish party units in all states with a significant Sikh population, aiming to bolster Sikh representation and unity across the nation.
The attack on Mann follows AAP’s dominant victory in the 2022 Punjab elections, where it secured 92 out of 117 seats, displacing the Congress.
