Questions over Sukhbir attack

Multiple questions have arisen following an attempt on the life of former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Akali leader, Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday, when he was performing sewa at the Darbar Saheb in Amritsar. The Akal Takht, the supreme body of the Sikhs had earlier handed out punishment to him, holding him guilty for acts of sacrilege as also some other actions.
Sukhbir Badal is, without doubt, the tallest leader in the Akali party and his death would have ensured that the organization would become headless, even though he had quit his post recently, anticipating the punishment from the Akal Takht, which had been sitting over the matter for over two months.
Therefore, the assassination bid would have been planned to create a vacuum in the Akali Dal as also to pave the way for a new set of leaders to take over, thus releasing the outfit from the grasp of the Badal family that has been controlling its affairs. Although the Akali Dal has approached the Governor demanding an impartial probe into the incident, yet there are many unanswered questions that need to be addressed immediately.
The attack was carried out by Narain Singh Chaura, who is being described as a “Lone Wolf” following the initial investigations, and who in the past has had an association with extreme elements wanting a separate state of Khalistan. How he managed to come near the Akali leader who was sitting on duty at the Darbar Saheb is something which needs to be clearly understood.
Had it not been for a Punjab police Assistant Sub Inspector, who has been attached to the Badal family for over two decades, the consequences of Chaura’s actions would have been very grave.
It is common knowledge that some extremists have been wanting to destabilize the situation in the border state, which was once strife ridden, to highlight their demands, which unfortunately for them, do not have resonance with the large majority of common people. Nevertheless, this small section is bent upon creating disturbances, which could push Punjab back to dark days, when an entire generation suffered on account of militancy. There are some Akali leaders who have indicated that the attack could have been the handiwork of the current Punjab government which does not want the revival of the Panthic party or of certain intelligence forces at the Centre, who would want the Badals to be out of the scene, so they could create circumstances that may force the Akalis to give up their tough stance against the Union government on multiple issues.
These theories are as far-fetched as the one which perhaps prompted a senior official of the Amritsar police to state that the angle of the attack being stage-managed could also be a part of the probe. The argument is that these things happen in politics and therefore it needs to be ascertained from that aspect as well. The Badal family is indignant over the attitude of the Centre and the state dispensation and has questioned the approach to the probe, calling it an attempt to shield the real culprits and give a twist to the investigations which is unnecessary. In the backdrop of the assassination attempt is also the role of some responsible functionaries of the Sikh Panth, which raises doubts and should thus be gone into thoroughly. Fortunately, the attempt did not succeed and Chaura was arrested from the spot by the alert policeman who risked his life to ensure that the bullets did not hit Sukhbir Badal. The fact that Chaura, who is believed to have recced the area since the past few days, and whose movement was caught on CCTV cameras, managed to bring in his pistol and did fire shots, is a matter of grave concern.
It does not reflect well on how the most sacred of all Sikh shrines was used by the suspect to give shape to his dastardly act which was foiled at the last moment. Sukhbir and others who were sentenced by the Akal Takht had without hesitation accepted the verdict, and agreed to do what they were asked to do by the supreme body. However, the Akal Takht, to independent observers, seemed to have overstepped while giving its judgment and in directly giving instructions to the Akali Dal on certain matters, has made the Panthic party vulnerable so far as the Election Commission is concerned. Theoretically, the Constitution and election rules forbid any party from using religion for the furtherance of its political agenda, but practically, several parties have been doing that without their activities being noticed or curbed. Thus, the directions of the Akal Takht to the Akali Dal regarding its leadership question and internal elections could be construed as an interference in the affairs of the party, even though, after 1996, it has ceased to be merely a Sikh party, having expanded its scope by including non-Sikhs as well.
Therefore, if the Election Commission acts, which it is unlikely to do, the action can have wide ranging ramifications, which may impact the national politics in a very big way. The Akal Takht’s directions have enormous sanctity and that is the reason why every true believer in the Sikh religion respects and honours their views.
The issue is that the attack on Sukhbir needs to be probed thoroughly and the conspiracy behind it should be uncovered without further delay. It should also be ascertained whether those who have propped up Amritpal Singh had something to do with Chaura. Between us.