Political career
Sukhbir Singh Badal was a member of the 11th and 12th Lok Sabha,representing Faridkot. [5] [6] He was Union Minister of State for Industry in Second Vajpayee Ministry during 1998 to 1999. He was also a member of Rajya Sabha during 2001 to 2004. In 2004,he was re-elected from Faridkot for 14th Lok Sabha. [7] He became the President of Akali Dal in January 2008. A year later in January 2009,he was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab. [8] He was not the Member of Punjab Vidhan Sabha at that time. He resigned in July 2009,upon the completion of six-month period available for contesting elections for the assembly,during which he didn't contest any elections. [9] He was again appointed Deputy Chief Minister in August 2009 after winning by-elections from Jalalabad Assembly constituency. [10]
2012 Punjab elections
Akali Dal-BJP combined secured victory in the 2012 Punjab elections,beating anti-incumbency for the first time in Punjab. [11] Sukhbir was re-elected from Jalalabad and remained Deputy Chief Minister. [12] [13] In the new government he held portfolio of Home,Governance Reforms,Housing,Excise and Taxation,Investment Promotion,Sports and Youth Services Welfare and Civil Aviation. [13] This victory and later victory in Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections in January 2013 elevated the position of Sukhbir Singh Badal as an important leader in politics. [14]
Leader of Opposition
2017 Punjab elections
Badal defeated Bhagwant Mann of Aam Aadmi Party (MP Sangrur) and Ravneet Singh Bittu (MP Ludhiana) from INC in 2017 Assembly Elections. SAD and BJP alliance lost the majority to Congress. In 2019,he was elected as Member Parliament of Ferozpur Lok Sabha Constituency by defeating Sher Singh Ghubaya of INC by securing more than 600,000 votes on 23 May 2019.
2022 Punjab elections
Badal was the president of Akali Dal during the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election. Badal contested from the Jalalabad Assembly constituency and lost the election to Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy of Aam Aadmi Party. [15] Badal lost by a margin of 30,374 Votes. [16] SAD BSP alliance contested in all 117 seats,and won 3 seats. SAD finished on third spot behind AAP and INC. [17]
Detentions,Protests and Issues
Detentions
He was arrested over the 2015 Kotkapura firing case,although he was let go due to lack of evidence against Badal. [18] [19]
Later in 2020 he was detained for protesting against the corruption of health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu outside Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's house. [20] Before his detainment he stated,"There is scam in vaccination,there is scam in Fateh Kit,there is scam in SC scholarship,farmers' land is being acquired" and then was dragged away by the Punjab Police. [21] [20]
In 2021 during the 2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest,Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal were detained by the Delhi Police as they led a protest march in the national capital to mark the first anniversary of the passage of three contentious farm laws. [22] [23] [24]
In October 2023 he was detained over the Sutlej Yamuna link canal issue,he protested against Bhagwant Mann who wanted to give Punjab's water to other states against the people's will. [25]
Protests
Every year since 1999,Sukhbir Singh Badal protested against the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots and for the Indian Government to give justice for the victims. [26]
In 2015,Badal had protested against the Indian Government over the keeping of Sikh prisoners in jail,including the assassins of Chief Minister Beant Singh. [27]
In 2017 he protested against 4 Akali politicians not receiving clearance to contest in the Punjab elections. [28] He received an 'FIR' over blocking the Ferozepur-Ludhiana,Amritsar-Bathinda,Bathinda-Mansa,Chandigarh-Mansa,Jalandhar-Amritsar and Kharar-Chandigarh roads. [28]
From 2020 to 2022 he protested and received multiple legal cases for protesting during the 2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest. [23]
Sukhbir Singh Badal slammed Sikh preacher and radical Amritpal Singh for using the Adi Guru Granth as a shield during his protests in early 2023. [29] Although he also protested against the detainment of Sikh youth during Amritpal Singh's manhunt and the unofficial 'emergency' imposed by Bhagwant Mann. [30]
Like his father,Badal vehemently opposed the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna link canal and always supported the farmers of Punjab on the issue. [25]
Issues
Many Sikhs protested against him for the Kotkapura firing case and asked him to apologize publicly,the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) separated from the main Shiromani Akali Dal for the same reason. [31] [32] In late 2023 he made a public apology to all Sikhs in front of the Akal Takht declaring that he would imprison the culprits if the Shiromani Akali Dal ever came to power in Punjab. [33] Many politicians from the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee rejoined the mainstream Shiromani Akali Dal,such as Manjit Singh GK,Harpal Singh Jalla,Amrik Singh Janaitpur,Harpreet Singh Garcha,Jagdish Singh Garcha rejoined his party. [34] [35]
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. [36] The bus was operated by Orbit Aviation,a company in which Badal has stake. [37]
Subsequently,it was revealed by news reports that the Chief Minister of Punjab gave the girl's father ₹3 million in compensation. [38]
Businesses and Real Estate
Badal and his family have direct or indirect interests in any array of businesses. [39] [40] Badal holds a majority stake in the Punjabi language PTC television network. [41] [42] Badal and his family are also major stakeholders in Orbit Aviation,Dabwali Transport,Indo-Canadian Transport Company,Metro Eco Green Resorts,Saanjh Foundation,Falcon Properties,and Orbit Resorts. [43] [44] He has been accused of enriching private transport companies,which he has a stake in,while the state transport department has deteriorated. [45] The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort in New Chandigarh is owned by and named after Sukhbir Badal. [46]
