Chandigarh: While the established political parties of Punjab are busy gearing up for another innings at the hustings early next year, two hard-line groups –the Dal Khalsa and Panch Pardhani have closed ranks and formed a single entity retaining the name “Dal Khalsa” to push and pursue their agenda of an independent and sovereign Punjab (Khalistan).

Today’s assembly of the two radical parties resolved to rekindle and rejuvenate the spirit of the Khalsa to uphold their desire for Khalsa Raj – a legacy they believe “has been bestowed on them by their Gurus and historical Sikh rulers Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and Maharaja Ranjit Singh.”

Delegates of both the political parties at their delegate session at a local Gurdwara Sahib decided to work under the nomenclature of Dal Khalsa –as it had a legacy of historical connotation –being the pioneer of the Sikh self-rule in the eighteenth century. Through show of hands, the parties unanimously elected human rights activist and lawyer, Harpal Singh Cheema to be its working President and empowered him to restructure the party and its units in Punjab by August 13.

Activists and leaders of both the parties have been actively involved in radical and militant politics over the last few decades. The new president, Harpal Singh is a lawyer by profession having led the Sikh Youth of America in the United States for more than 6 years after June 1984. Back in Punjab, he founded the Sikhs for Human Rights NGO group and has been actively assisting political prisoners and their families over the last few years.

Announcing Cheema’s appointment, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said revolutionary poet and founder of Dal Khalsa –Gajinder Singh and a long-time rebel leader and founder of Panch Pardani Bhai Daljit Singh would remain guiding force for the new set-up.
He said Gajinder Singh has been appointed patron where as Daljit Singh will assist them in the role of advisor to the organization. He said one of their top leader and SGPC member Kulbeer Singh Barapind was presently under detention and would be assigned the significant role after his release.
Earlier, present head H S Dhami stepped down to pave the way for the appointment of Adv Cheema. Advocate Amar Singh Chahal presented a siropa to Cheema on behalf of jailed militant leader Jagtar Singh Hawara.

Addressing the press conference Cheema reiterated that they would stick to principled and ideological brand of politics and adhere to democratic means.
He categorical stated that under Indian dispensation they would not contest assembly or parliament elections. Reiterating that elections won’t change the Sikh position, he said the issue of Sikhs was not of good or bad governance which can be solved by replacing the rulers or faces but it was actually the matter of future of their people that could only be secured by achieving right to self determination. However he said they view SGPC elections as exception and would decide about it at appropriate time.

He said the government tried to portray the movement and its leadership with wrong brush. Our first priority was to correct this and to give a new look to the azaadi movement in the changed circumstances.

In the present times, the biggest concerns that bother the people of the state are the drug menace and the design to change Punjab’s demography by engineering the influx of immigrants. He said there was a need to instil pride in Sikh youth of their culture, heritage and history.
He said that the Badals and their Akali party was extending their every help and cooperation in the execution of RSS/BJP communal agenda in Punjab and both had sold the collective interests of Panth and Punjab for the chair.

The gathering paid glowing tributes to brave-hearts who sacrificed their lives at the altar of Sikh Panth’s honour and freedom and sought permanent release of political prisoners who have been languishing in jails even after serving their sentences.

The gathering deplores the assassination bid on Sikh preacher Bhai Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, terming the attack as mindless act, without anticipating its dangerous fallout on the entire community.