Bandi Sikh Issue Shows Panthic Politics Broadening Beyond Akali Dal

In Punjab, a state in India, people are talking about 'Bandi Sikhs', which means Sikh prisoners who have been in jail for a long time.

For many years, one political party called the Shiromani Akali Dal was the main voice for Sikh matters in politics.

Now that party has become weaker, and other groups want to talk about Sikh issues too.

The Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP, which runs the Punjab government, has started talking about a prisoner named Jagtar Singh Hawara.

Hawara was convicted in the killing of Beant Singh, a former Chief Minister of Punjab, back in 1995.

A group led by Amritpal Singh also wants to use the prisoner issue to gain support.

A religious group called the Damdami Taksal is building its own organization across all of Punjab's 117 assembly areas and 13 Lok Sabha areas.

So now many different groups are competing over Sikh issues before the 2027 elections.

This shows that Sikh-related politics is no longer just one party's job.