The working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal established a 12-person subcommittee on December 11, 1972, with the goal of creating comprehensive policies and initiatives. The Akali Dal adopted a resolution in 1973 during a gathering at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, that contained both political and religious demands. The Anandpur Sahib Resolution is the name given to the resolution. The resolution covered both political and religious topics. It advocated that Hinduism and Sikhism be treated as distinct religions. Additionally, it demanded that Punjab be allowed more autonomy and that power be transferred from the federal government to state governments.
Historical Perspective
- The Akali Dal wanted special status for Sikhs during the 1967 assembly election, similar to that of Jammu & Kashmir and as envisioned under Article 370.
- The Anandpur Sahib resolution, which emphasized Sikh autonomy, was adopted by the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal in 1973 in response to this demand.
- Later, in 1977, the general house adopted the resolution.
- On the basis of an election platform based on this resolution, the Akali Dal ran in the 1977 parliamentary and state assembly elections.
Provisions of the Resolution
In response to the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, the Akalis demanded the following:
- Eradicating caste-based prejudice, untouchability, illiteracy, and other issues that go against the teachings of the great gurus.
- Establishing a new all-India gurudwara law to ensure better management of community centers and places of worship.
- The unification of Sikh religious practices and rituals worldwide by uniting all gurudwaras under a single banner.
- It is imperative to swiftly merge the areas that have been deliberately excluded from Punjabi-speaking and Sikh regions and create a unified administrative entity where Sikhism and Sikh interests “can be especially protected.”
- In proportion to the number of its Lok Sabha MPs, Punjab would provide its fair share of the monies required for Central subjects.
- The resolution urged that the Centre’s purview be restricted to the areas of money, defense, foreign affairs, and communications, and that all other functions be transferred to the states.
- The Constitution should be changed to be truly federal, with equal power and representation for all states at the center, it was asserted.
- Minority Sikh populations living outside of Punjab should be safeguarded.
- Free admission to the Pakistani Gurdwaras and the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
- Due of racial discrimination, Sikhs are not allowed to join the military.
- Chandigarh, which is governed by the federal government, need to be moved to Punjab.
- The neighboring states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi will all recognize Punjabi as a second language.
- The Rajiv-Longowal Accord was signed on July 24, 1985 by Harchand Singh Longowal, the leader of the Punjabi Akali party, and then-Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Shiromani Akali Dal’s demands were met by the administration, and the agitation was put to an end.
General Objectives of the 1973 Anandpur Sahib Resolution
- The Akali Dal will put out a lot of effort to accomplish the following objectives: spreading the Sikh way of life and getting rid of atheism and non-Sikh ideology. maintaining the Sikh Panth’s sense of independence and establishing a setting that allows the “National Expression” of the Sikhs to be completely realized and gratified.
- Religious Goals establishing a new all-India gur-udwara law to ensure more effective and meaningful management of places of worship and community hubs than is currently possible, as well as supporting the reintegration of historic Sikh preaching orders (like the Udasis and Nirmalas) into a thriving Sikh society without interfering with their financial resources and property.
- bringing all gurudwaras around the world under the control of a single organization in order to harmonize Sikh religious practices and rituals globally and to pool and maximize resources for religious propagation.
- Political Objectives: The Khalsa Panth, whose objective is to ensure the Khalsa’s dominance, and the directives of the 10th Guru in Sikh history both clearly state the political objectives of the Panth.
- The necessary environment must be established, as well as a political constitution, in order to give this “birthright” of the Khalsa a tangible form. The Dal will use every tool at its disposal to achieve its objective.