Longowal | ਲੌਂਗੋਵਾਲ ਬਰਸੀ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਦੀ ਜਗ੍ਹਾ ਨੂੰ ਲੈਕੇ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਦਲ ਬਾਦਲ ਅਤੇ ਪੁਨਰ ਸੁਰਜੀਤ ਆਹਮੋ-ਸਾਹਮਣੇ | N18V
Watch on YouTubeVideo summary
The upcoming 41st death anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal Ji in Longowal has become the center of a significant dispute regarding the venue for the celebrations, involving three major political entities: the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), and the Aam Aadmi Party. While the anniversary is traditionally celebrated with great devotion by lakhs of devotees from across Punjab, this year saw a controversy escalate over who would hold rallies in the grain market. The administration initially faced criticism for seemingly granting permission to all three parties for the same location, leading to questions about how such overlapping events could be managed without conflict. However, reports indicate that the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) and the Aam Aadmi Party have secured their respective spots in the grain market for their religious programs and blood donation camps, while the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has shifted its major program to Khalsa College following a court order.
The core of the disagreement revolves around the allocation of space in the grain market, which the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) argues is essential because it hosts the Parkash of the Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj, a tradition they have maintained for decades under the leadership of Sant Longowal Ji. They submitted petitions emphasizing their historical presence and the religious significance of holding the ceremony where the Guru's light resides, especially given the forecast of bad weather. Conversely, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) had initially claimed the same spot but faced a legal challenge. After a court decision was expected to resolve the matter, the Badal faction reportedly backed down and moved their event to Khalsa College, though they continued to protest the administration's handling of the situation. The Aam Aadmi Party also participated in the proceedings, with leader Aman Arora present annually, adding another layer to the complex political dynamics at play.
Critics within the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) have strongly condemned the conduct of the Badal faction and the government alliance, accusing them of politicizing a religious occasion by taking the name of the Guru for electoral gains. They highlighted that while the Badal party claims to be heirs of the saints, they failed to uphold traditions like opening Akhand Path Sahibs or maintaining the sanctity of the event, instead engaging in what is described as "uncle-nephew" alliances with the government. The speaker expressed deep sadness that political maneuvering has degraded to a point where religious sentiments are exploited for power struggles, noting that the administration and police appear to be backing the ruling alliance rather than ensuring justice or peace. Despite these tensions, preparations are underway for a massive gathering of over 50,000 people tomorrow, with leaders from various districts converging on Longowal to honor the martyrdom of Sant Ji, hoping that the controversy does not overshadow the spiritual significance of the day.
Read the full video transcript
Tomorrow, August 20, like every year, the
anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal Ji will be celebrated in Longowal, but
this time, a dispute arose between different parties regarding the anniversary and the location of the anniversary.
We are currently
present in the grain market of Longowal,
where on one side, the
Shiromani Akali Dal was saying that the upcoming
anniversary will be celebrated by us at this place, on the
other hand, the Shiromani Akali Dal
Punar Surjit, which was present, was saying
that we have got permission for this place. On the
third hand, if I may tell you, the
program that was also planned by the Aam Aadmi Party government was to be held at this very place. The
controversy had escalated considerably.
Questions were being raised about the administration as to
how the administration had given the same place to three parties to hold their rallies and
celebrate their anniversaries.
At present, the information that is being
received is that the rally of Aam Aadmi Party Aman Arora and
Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit, along with
their entire religious
program, will be
held at this place, and the program of Shiromani Akali Dal Badal at
Khalsa College will be held there.
However, these pictures
show that the tents that you see in front are where the
Aam Aadmi Party
rally will be held, the blood donation program will be held there, and the
tent that will be set up will be there. Aman Arora
comes here every year and participates in this religious program,
and the tents that are being set up by
Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit on this place are for the
morning program. Still, the big question is
how can this rally or program of both the parties be held at one place? Gobind
Singh Longowal was present here with his group and
talked to them. Oh Longowal
Sahib, how do you see the preparations being made?
Tomorrow will be the anniversary of Sant Ji.
Look at the 41st death anniversary of the immortal martyr Sant Harchand Singh Longowal,
which is celebrated every year by the
entire Sikh community with great devotion and respect,
and in which lakhs
of people who follow the ideology of Sant Longowal
and his devotees
come every year to Longowal, the great land of martyrs, and pay
homage. So
I think 40 years has been a very long time.
And this anniversary is celebrated continuously in the same way.
So this time too, the Shiromani Akali Dal is
victorious. A month ago, I had submitted
a petition to the DC Sahib that the
grain market allotted to us should be done
because we are the followers of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj, his
Parkash is also here, and
this entire tribute ceremony will be held in his presence. From the very
beginning, we
celebrate the Parkash of Guru Granth Sahib because
Sant Longowal Ji was a religious person, he was
both religious and political, he grew up very much, and his
sacrifice was very great.
Every year, there is a program for the entire Punjab. This time, the
venue of the program had
created a controversy. On the one hand, you were
saying that you should come here for a
place. On the other hand, the Shiromani Akali
Dal, which is Badal, is saying that you should come here for a
small grain market. On the third hand, the Aam
Aadmi Party also had permission for the same place. What was the
dispute about that and
how was it resolved now?
Our petition was also submitted. Similarly, the
Shiromani Akali Dal Badals had
also given him their application. The
administration decided that the administration
made this decision because we had told them that the
light of the Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj, which we are doing all these programs in, will always be here.
So, for that, we should also be sad,
because we are already seeing that the
weather is very bad, there may be a lot of rain,
and there may also be light rain. So, out of respect for Sri Guru
Granth Sahib, we had
requested that this place be
given to us, because last year too,
we had held our own
tribute ceremony to Sant Longwal Ji at this very place.
So, keeping all these things in mind,
we were allotted sheds number one and two
in the grain market.
And in front you are
seeing that this is Aam Aadmi Party and
they had allotted the Shiromani Akali
Dal Badal at the back in the
same place because this religious program as
you said there was also a political program along with it.
People are associated with different parties.
Some are associated with your party,
some are associated with Badal party. If someone
goes to a government program, it seems that
giving programs to all three at the same place, sometimes tomorrow there will be a fight or a dispute.
Whose responsibility is it?
No, no, look, this is not today, it has been happening
here before too. You will see that in the
past, when
Captain Amarinder Singh was the Chief
Minister, he also kept doing it here. He used to do it here before and after.
Here we used to have ours here,
many other organizations used to celebrate in front.
So that is why I understand that the administration should have
seen this whole situation.
Whatever it is, I understand that
looking at this whole situation, we who were allotted this, the
Shiromani Akali Dal Badal, had also gone to the High Court in opposition to it.
Here too, they kept protesting,
but we were in some kind of a tug-of-war. They used to avoid falling.
Now they are going somewhere else, they are
doing their program in Khalsa College, you told me
because the court's decision must have been in our favor
because what we have talked about, that
we have been given allotment, the
administration told you, we will do whatever
you do here, we will do our Khalsa Bhai
Mani Singh Khalsa College, Shiromani Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee. For two or three
days, the in-charge of Shiromani Akali Dal Badal
here, Binderjit Goldie, was
sitting here. He wanted to have a
dispute somehow and we used to avoid this.
I also met him and told him that
Sant Longowal's martyrdom for peace is a
very big thing that we should
live peacefully, which the
government wants us to do in our
own place, but he was adamant.
But when this court's decision came,
he had to leave here and we have
started all our arrangements and
tomorrow there will be a huge gathering here,
more than 50 thousand people who are
Not only from Sangrur district but also from Patiala and other districts, a
large number of devotees from all over Punjab, who
come here every year, a
huge gathering is going to be held here,
in which all the big
leaders, including our Shiromani Akali Dal
Police President Giani Harpreet Singh Ji,
our entire leadership and many other
leaders are coming here. The
preparations are definitely being made
because tomorrow there will be a big program here which will be organized
by the Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit.
As Gobind
Singh Longowal said,
after the court orders, the Shiromani Akali Dal Badal has
changed its program schedule. The program is being organized by them in Khalsa College.
We will
also try to talk to the Shiromani Akali Dal Badal about
how the dispute arose and how it was resolved. We have
reached Khalsa College in Longwal
where the preparations are being organized by the Shiromani Akali Dal Badal for
tomorrow.
You can see the pictures.
First, the dispute took place regarding the venue. The
program organized by the Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit was being organized in the grain market of Longwal
and the program organized
by the Shiromani Akali Dal Badal was being organized on the same place. At the same
place, the third party Aam Aadmi also had a
program, there was also a
blood donation camp and every year Aman
Arora also reaches there. At present, the
program that the Shiromani Akali Dal Badal has come up with has been changed and held in this place,
in this college, where you
can see the preparations. Vinarjit
Goldie and I see Goldie Sahib in what way the
place has been changed. Earlier, there was a lot of
controversy. You had also
raised questions about the administration. Who gave
permission to hold big rallies of two parties at the same place?
I still raise this question today. My
question is that when we paid the fee first, when
we applied first, then others, the
other party, which today talks about reviving the Akali Dal,
which is playing on its
head by playing with the hands of the Aam Aadmi Party,
and today
why were they allotted a shed at that place because we had
asked for the shed, we had asked for it in the return, we had asked for the
side facing the stage, we had asked for an empty
field, so we asked for it. Not only that, that is why
our question remains the same today, that the
government and the administration, which Aman Arora, especially the
Punjab government,
pushed and did 100%, the second thing that
we have now shifted here, I
want because
we are waiting for the order in the court of the Longowal grain market,
and I have just come to know that the party
that says the court order has been passed, perhaps
they have come to know before the government
because the government is following what they are following.
It is a very big thing that the
government is following the revived Akali Dal and today there is
a grain market in one place, in it you, Aman
Arora, are also holding a program, in it, the revived Akali Dal is
also holding a conference, they
also gave us a place in it and they also gave us a place
that a third world tent cannot fit in
because it has a one and a half feet concrete plinth,
but we then waited
for the honorable court that will come and give a decision,
but its decision is still 6:02. So
far, we have not received any decision from them,
nor have our lawyers received any.
Just two minutes ago, we received their decision,
which we have discussed. But whatever the
decision of the honorable court is, we will fully implement it
because it is our duty to
implement the decision of the honorable court. But
before that, because our crowd,
our association, or the people who
came, our party workers, were a
very large gathering, at least 20-25 thousand, that is
why we had asked for a market. Despite
Longowal saying, we had
applied earlier, now the court's decision has come,
we have won, we have got this place. The
Shiromani Akali Dal Badal backed down on the court's decision.
I have to say with great sadness that
if the court's decision had come before 6:20,
we would have had a written argument in the court, and
they would have given us what we had to say.
If the court's decision is returned,
I will be there, but my friend, it is a very bad thing that
politics has fallen to such a level that
you have taken the name of the Guru, where
we should have climbed with the help of the Guru,
now you are doing politics by taking the name of the Guru.
You have made the politics of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
firm that Harpreet
Neete and others and Longowal Sahib have also taken the
reins of the entire revival that
even today they are saying that we should inaugurate Guru Granth
Sahib, we should celebrate the anniversaries of the saints,
we are the heirs of the saints. First
ask the heirs that they had the inaugurating of Sri Akhand
Path Sahib. Today
I want to tell you that you
must convey this through them. There were six Akhand
Path Sahibs in Kaibowal, of which we kept one,
but on the authority of Bhai Gobind Singh Longowal and
Surjit, on the part of the Akali Dal, which is celebrating this
conference or this
event, if
any Akhand Path Sahib has been opened in their name.
So I will still be in debt, so
today it is only politics. Aam Aadmi Party
played politics which always
tries to destroy the communal harmony here and make its politics shine. That
work was started by Aman Arora and others.
They got caught in their trap and today
they have created trouble with us. Then Bhai Sahib
says that we applied first, if
others here say through you, if they have
paid the fee before us,
they are ready to impose the fine, don't go to the Gurdwara and
come with us that you
paid the fee before us. On 15th August, the National
Holiday, the Market Committee was
opened. I want to ask at whose request was it
fed? It
was a holiday and they saw us straight away.
See who opened it at my behest, opened it at
Longowal Sahib's behest, opened it at
your behest,
opened it at the behest of the government, and
who is the government of Aam Aadmi Party? Then whose government is
following its orders, is feeding the market committee. This means that
their alliance has been solidified.
This is the proof of this. And
secondly, those who talk today that we
ourselves have done the lighting of Sri Guru Granth Sahib,
you have not kept the Akhand Path Sahib,
you have not done the lighting, you have only said that
yes, we should do it, but
I also want to ask you,
where did we use to light the lamp from 2017 to 2024
? We held rallies,
conferences, we came,
we used to make waterproof tents
where Maharaj
was seen, then last year Harpreet Singh Neete and others,
Giani ji, they formed a alliance with the government and took the
grain market.
We have had a Congress government for five years. This is
Longowal Sahib, the leader. They
kept demanding from the government. Ask them. Did the
Congress government give the market? If anyone
got it this time, it was only
because of their alliance, uncle-nephew,
which is not Aman Arora and Longowal Sahib. It is an
alliance of uncle-nephew. Because of them, and from there
Parminder Dhinase Hori, from there Harpreet Neete Hori,
and from Delhi, we have called the
officers and secretaries from Chandigarh to Delhi
and they have to think about whether they are forced. There is
no solution for them. But one thing I want to
say here is that the administration, especially the police
administration, is the one who, by
becoming the backer of the government, The most that should be given to justice is the one
who is in the forefront and gets this work done.