One of the country’s oldest regional party, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) became 100-years-old on 14 December, 2020. SAD was founded exactly a month after the formation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee with the prime motive to take control of the Golden Temple and liberate other historical gurdwaras from the possession of Mahants.
At that time, Sikhs formed just 13% of the total population of Punjab and were not identified as an independent community in the 1916 ‘Lucknow Pact’ despite representations by Sikh leaders. Now, the Akali Dal considers itself the principal representative of Sikhs. Sardar Sarmukh Singh Chubbal was the first president of a unified proper Akali Dal, but it became popular under Master Tara Singh.
Formation of the SAD was the first pure attempt of Sikhs towards their political mobilisation after the annexation of Punjab in 1849. Earlier, Sikhs were the main force behind the Ghadar movement, which was founded by expatriate Indians to overthrow British rule in India in the second decade of the 20th century. The party was formed in the times when Mahatma Gandhi was experimenting with non-violence and civil-disobedience. However, it was SAD which stood against the British using non-violence as a tool to free the gurdwaras. Around 500 Sikhs died and 40,000 were arrested in five years long agitation that ended with the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925. Later, under the leadership of Master Tara Singh, the Akalis were actively involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement and protested against the Pakistan Resolution passed by the Muslim League in 1940, as the creation of a separate nation of Pakistan was seen as detrimental to the prospects and harmony among people in the undivided Punjab. The Akali Dal reached its zenith of success under Master Tara Singh. After India achieved its independence, the SAD participated in the Punjabi Suba Movement, which was headed by Sant Fateh Singh.
