Parkash Singh Badal

Parkash Singh Badal
Parkash Singh Badal at Chandigarh Golf Club in 2014
8th Chief Minister of Punjab
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 March 2007
Governor	Gen. S. F. Rodrigues Shivraj Patil Kaptan Singh Solanki
Preceded by	Amarinder Singh
In office 27 March 1970 – 14 June 1971
Governor	D. C. Pavate
Preceded by	Gurnam Singh
Succeeded by	President's rule
In office 20 June 1977 – 17 February 1980
Governor	Mahendra Mohan Choudhry Ranjit Singh Narula Jaisukh Lal Hathi
Preceded by	President's rule
Succeeded by	President's rule
In office 12 February 1997 – 26 February 2002
Governor	Lt. Gen. B. K. N. Chhibber Lt. Gen. J. F. R. Jacob
Preceded by	Rajinder Kaur Bhattal
Succeeded by	Amarinder Singh
Personal details
Born	8 December 1927 Abul Khurana, Punjab, British India
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Shiromani Akali Dal
Other political affiliations	National Democratic Alliance
Spouse(s)	Surinder Kaur (1959–2011)
Children	Sukhbir Singh Badal Preneet Kaur
Residence	Chandigarh, India
Profession	Politician
Religion	Sikhism

Parkash Singh Badal (born 8 December 1927) is an Indian politician who has been the Chief Minister of Punjab since 2007. He previously served as Chief Minister from 1970 to 1971, from 1977 to 1980, and from 1997 to 2002. He is also the patron of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a Sikh-centered regional political party based in Punjab. He was the president of the party from 1995 to 2008, when he was replaced by his son Sukhbir Singh Badal.^[1][2] As the patron of SAD he exercises a strong influence on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee^[3] and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, and is generally regarded as the second most powerful Sikh leader worldwide, after India's former prime minister, Manmohan Singh. The Government of India awarded him the second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, in 2015.

Early life

Parkash Badal was born on 8 December 1927 in Abul Khurana, near Malout. He belongs to the Dhillon Jat clan.^[4][5] He graduated from the Forman Christian College in Lahore.^[6]

Political career

He started his political career in 1947. He was Sarpanch of the village Badal and later Chairman of Block Samiti, Lambi before rising into Punjab politics. He was elected to Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1957 for the first time.^[7] He was re-elected in 1969, serving as Minister for Community Development, Panchayati Raj, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries.^[7] He was Leader of the Opposition in 1972, 1980 and 2002. He has been elected in Vidhan Sabha for a total of 10 times, in 1957 and in each election since 1969, except for the February 1992 election, in which he led a boycott of state elections by the Akalis.^[8][9] He was a union minister in Prime Minister Morarji Desai's government in 1977, serving as Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.

Chief Minister of Punjab

He has served as Punjab Chief Minister for four terms, the first time in 1970 when he became the youngest chief minister of an Indian state. Presently he is serving his fifth term.

First term

Badal first became Chief Minister of Punjab in March 1970 and headed a coalition government of Akali Dal (Sant) and Jana Sangh. In June 1970 Jana Sangh withdrew support from the Badal government over their difference about the place of Hindi in Punjab. Later, in early July, seven of Akali Dal (Sant) defected to rival Akali Dal headed by ex-CM Gurnam Singh. An early session of assembly was called on 24 July to prove the majority of Badal's government. However the motion of no confidence was not admitted due to lack of requisite support of one-fifth of MLAs. Congress decided to stay neutral and did not support the no confidence motion.^[10] Later, in November 1970, the Akali Dal faction led by Gurnam Singh merged with Akali Dal (Sant) and became part of Badal's government. However, due to internal conflicts Gurnam Singh along with other 17 Akali MLAs defected and formed a new faction. Subsequently Badal resigned as Chief Minister on 13 June 1971 and recommended the dissolution of the assembly. On 15 June, President's Rule was imposed in Punjab.

2007–2012 term

In the 2007 Punjab state election Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government won 67 out of 117 seats and Parkash Singh Badal was sworn in as Chief Minister for the fourth time.^[11] He held 10 portfolios, which included the ministries for Home, Housing & Urban Development, Excise & Taxation, Power, Personnel, General Administration, Vigilance, Employment, Legal & Legislative Affairs and NRIs Affairs.^[12] Badal launched many schemes such as free ambulance service,^[13] Talwandi Sabo thermal plant, etc.^[14] Through a new transportation policy, he reduced taxes on air conditioned buses, making it less expensive for companies to operate luxury buses. This also increased profits of a bus company owned by his son, Sukhbir Singh Badal, which soared to 1.7 million U.S. dollars.^[15]

2012–present

Badal with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

In the 2012 election, Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party combined won 68 seats out of 117,^[16] despite a tradition of anti-incumbency in Punjab.^[17] Badal again became the Chief Minister of Punjab on 14 March 2012 after being sworn in by the Governor of Punjab, Shivraj Patil. He is also the oldest chief minister ever, and is the only person who has been both the youngest and the oldest chief minister of his state.^[18] In the present government he holds the portfolios of Personnel, General Administration, Power, Cooperation, Science Technology and Environment, Vigilance and Employment Generation.^[19]

FDI in India

Badal opposed FDI, and sided with political ally BJP.^[20]

Participation in Akali Movement

He was first detained in the Karnal jail in connection with Civil Liberties Agitation later under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Indian Emergency.^[7] He was President of the Akali Dal from 1996 to 2008.^[21]

Panth Rattan Award

On 11 December 2011, Badal was bestowed upon the title of Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum (literally "Jewel of the religion, pride of the community") by the Akal Takht.^[22] He was awarded this title at Golden Temple complex in the presence of Jathedars of all five Takhts in the form of a “siropa” (robe of honour), a sword and a silver plaque with inscription of the citation of Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum.^[23] Badal was awarded this title for his service towards the Sikh Panth by creating many memorials pertaining to Sikhism such as Virasat-e-Khalsa, besides being imprisoned for long time and having faced atrocities during various Akali movements.

This award was retracted by the Sikh Panth at Sarbat Khalsa on 10 November 2015 due to allegations of Civil Rights Violations and failure to recognize the oppression faced by the Sikhs of Punjab.^[24]

Many political Sikh organizations such as Dal Khalsa, Khalra Mission Organization, Punjab Human Rights Organization, Khalsa Panchayat and Niarye Khalsa Organization. Former SGPC secretary general Manjit Singh Calcutta argued that this award is given posthumously.^[25] In response, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh cited the example of Master Tara Singh, who was given this award during his lifetime.^[22] Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh termed it sycophancy, as Badal indirectly controls SGPC.^[26]

SYL Canal issue

Ever since the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) issue came up in 1982, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has been vocal in disapproving it and leading from the front in safeguarding the rights of Punjab’s farmers. He has played a key role in ensuring that SYL should never become a reality and even got arrested for leading the ‘Nehar Roko Morcha’ in April 1982. He believes that successive Congress governments at the Centre have been doing "grave injustice" to the state forcing Punjab to share the water in the name of SYL Canal. Recently, under his leadership, Punjab government took a path-breaking decision of adopting the Punjab Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (Transfer of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2016 in the assembly. With this decision taken on March 14, 2016, the process of denotifying (and dismantling) the 121-km long Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal that was constructed in Punjab to carry water to Haryana has begun. Parkash Singh Badal has expressed candidly many times that Punjab doesn't have a single drop of spare water for anybody and Akali Dal is opposed to the agreement which it believed would rob the water of the state. Chief Minister Badal, in his latest move, has sent a cheque of Rs.390 crore back to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar received from Haryana nearly four decades back.^[27][28]

Issues

Parkash Singh Badal along with his wife Surinder Kaur, son Sukhbir Singh and seven others were booked under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2003. After a seven-year-long case all accused were acquitted by a local court in Mohali in 2010 due to a lack of incriminating evidence.^[29] In 2007, 11 key witnesses retracted their statements before the Special Court set up in Ropar district.

Badal family and Moga case

In April 2015, a teenage girl died and her mother was seriously injured when they were molested and thrown from a running bus near Gil village, in Moga district.^[30] The bus was operated by Orbit aviation, a company part owned by Badal.^[31] However, the government refused to withdraw Orbit aviation's bus permit, leading to a public outcry.

Gadaar-e-Quam Award

On 15 November 2015, along with Avtar Makkar, Badal was declared Gadaar-e-Quam (meaning traitor of the faith) award by World Sikh Summit(Sarbat Khalsa). This was due to his role in the 1984 Sikh genocide and his alliance with RSS.^[32]

Personal life

In 1959, he married Surinder Kaur. The couple had two children, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parneet Kaur, who is married to Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon. Surinder Kaur died in 2011 after a long illness due to cancer.^[33]

See also

• Prakash Singh Badal ministry (1977–1980)
• Punjab
• Shiromani Akali Dal
• Bathinda

References

1. Bains, Satinder (31 January 2008). "Sukhbir Badal becomes youngest president of Shiromani Akali Dal". Punjab Newsline. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
2. Badal Jr. is Akali president. Thehindu.com (1 February 2008). Retrieved on 2015-10-17.
3. SAD-Sant Samaj combine sweeps SGPC elections. Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved on 17 October 2015.
4. Mohan, Archis (31 January 2012). "Close race for Badal & rival". The Telegraph (Calcutta, India).
5. Bakshi, S.R. Parkash Singh Badal:Chief Minister of Punjab. APH Publishing Corporation, 1998, p. 11.
6. Gopal, Navjeevan (15 March 2012). "Literate, under middle, ninth passed all in new cabinet". Indian Express. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
7. "The grand old man of Akali politics", CNN-IBN, 2 March 2007.
8. Punjab Polls 2012. Tribuneindia.com (26 December 2011). Retrieved on 17 October 2015.
9. Parkash Singh Badal. pbplanning.gov.in.
10. Arora, Subhash Chander (1990). Turmoil in Punjab Politics (1st ed.). New Delhi: Mittal Publications. pp. 131–140. ISBN 81-7099-251-6. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
11. Punjab Assembly Election 2007 Results. indian-elections.com
12. Badal allocates portfolios. Thehindu.com (8 March 2007). Retrieved on 2015-10-17.
13. Badal launches free ambulance service. dayandnightnews.com. April 2011
14. Talwandi Sabo thermal plant okayed. The Hindu (10 December 2007). Retrieved on 2015-10-17.
15. Mandhana, Niharika (12 May 2014). "In India, a Political Dynasty Prospers in Power". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
16. Punjab elections results 2012. Zeenews.india.com (6 March 2012). Retrieved on 2015-10-17.
17. Punjab Polls 2012: Warhorse Badal beats anti-incumbency for the first time – Politics – Elections – ibnlive. Ibnlive.in.com. Retrieved on 17 October 2015.
18. Parkash Singh Badal takes oath as Punjab chief minister. Times of India. 14 March 2012
19. Punjab Cabinet Ministers Portfolios 2012. dayandnightnews.com. March 2012
20. "Badal contradicts son, opposes FDI". The Indian Express. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
21. "Past Presidents", Shiromani Akali Dal.
22. "Ignoring protests, Badal given top honour". The Tribune. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
23. "The CM is now Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum..". The Indian Express. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
24. Correspondent, HT. "Sarbat Khalsa appoints Jagtar Singh Hawara as Akal Takht jathedar" (10 November 2015). Hindustan Times. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
25. "Grandiose title for Parkash Singh Badal sparks storm". THE TIMES OF INDIA. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
26. "Sikh intellectuals seek criterion for Panth Rattan". THE TIMES OF INDIA. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
27. "SYL is an emotive issue: Badal". he Statesman Limited. he Statesman Limited. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
28. "Badal describes SYL canal as 'death warrant' of Punjab". Legit Expressions Pvt. Ltd. Legit Expressions Pvt. Ltd. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
29. Badal, family acquitted in corruption case. Indianexpress.com (1 October 2010). Retrieved on 2015-10-17.
30. Webdesk, DNA News (2 May 2015). "Moga molestation: Punjab education minister stirs up controversy, says victim death 'god's will'". DNA India. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
31. Sharma, Sandipan (1 May 2015). "Why spare the bus owners? Punjab molestation case is no different from Uber rape incident". First Post. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
32. "World Sikh Summit Declares Badals & Makkar ‘Gadar-E-Quam’". Sikh 24. Sikh24.com. Retrieved 24 January 2015. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
33. "Surinder Kaur Badal dead: Former Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal's wife passes away", The Economic Times (24 May 2011), Retrieved 2011-10-25.