Shiromani Akali Dal

Tota Singh, a senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) politician and former Punjab minister, died on May 21 at the age of 81 after a protracted illness at a private hospital in Mohali. In the Akali administration, Singh was the agriculture and education minister. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed sorrow at Singh's demise. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the leader of the Punjab Congress, also expressed his condolences. 

Ahead of the Punjab Polls, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, demanded a CBI probe against CM Charanjit Singh Channi. Alleging him of conducting illegal mining in Chamkaur Sahib constituency, Majithia said, "Total loot by Channi in his 111 day tenure will be more than 1,111 crore". Majithia even released audio recordings of CM's close aide Iqbal Singh and his son discussing illegal mining with CM's blessings. 

Several Sikh leaders had arrived in J&K on June 28 in order to protest against the alleged "forced conversion and interfaith marriage" of Sikh girls. However, the Sikh community had claimed that on June 26, an 18-year-old was forcibly married to a Muslim man in Srinagar. Later the girl was returned to the family members after they help protest outside the court. Meanwhile, SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa demanded an "anti-conversion law… read-more

An FIR was lodged against Sukhbir Singh Badal, the president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) after violating the COVID-19 protocols. Reportedly, the former deputy CM had organized a party at his house gathering 100-150 people. Lambi Police station officials have booked him under IPC section 188. Former MLA Harpreet Singh and Robin Brar, the Chief of Students Organization of India have also been booked under the same.

In an interesting turn of political events, ten of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leaders from Punjab's Malwa region on January 15 defected to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The resignation was tabled as a protest against the Centre's recently promulgated "anti-farmer" legislations. Besides, the SAD leaders said that some more BJP leaders are willing to leave their camp to join the Akali Dal in coming days.