Sukhbir Singh Badal | |
|---|---|
 Badal in 2008 | |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 23 May 2019 – 4 June 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Sher Singh Ghubaya |
| Succeeded by | Sher Singh Ghubaya |
| Constituency | Firozpur |
| In office 2004–2009 | |
| Preceded by | Jagmeet Singh Brar |
| Succeeded by | Paramjit Kaur Gulshan |
| Constituency | Faridkot |
| In office 1996–1999 | |
| Preceded by | Jagmeet Singh Brar |
| Succeeded by | Jagmeet Singh Brar |
| Constituency | Faridkot |
| Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab | |
| In office 10 August 2009 – 11 March 2017 | |
| Succeeded by | Sukhjinder Singh RandhawaOm Parkash Soni |
| In office 21 January 2009 – 1 July 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Rajinder Kaur Bhattal March 2007 |
| Union Minister of State for Industry | |
| In office 20 March 1998 – 13 October 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Murasoli Maran |
| Succeeded by | Murasoli Maran |
| Member of Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office August 2009 – May 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Sher Singh Ghubaya |
| Succeeded by | Raminder Singh Awla |
| Constituency | Jalalabad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sukhbir Singh (1962-07-09)9 July 1962 (age 63) |
| Political party | Shiromani Akali Dal |
| Other political affiliations | National Democratic Alliance (1998–2020) |
| Spouse | Harsimrat Kaur Badal |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Majithia family, Badal family, Kairon family |
| Residence | Chandigarh |
As of 22 September, 2006 Source:[1] | |
Sukhbir Singh Badal (born 9 July 1962) is an Indian politician and businessman who served twice as the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and is currently the president ofShiromani Akali Dal, and was a member of Parliament from theFirozpur Lok Sabha constituency.[1] He is the son ofParkash Singh Badal, who has served five times as theChief Minister of Punjab. He is influential over the Sikh organisations of theShiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.[2] Badal and his family have ownership stakes in an array of businesses- including real estate, transport and other activities.[3]
Sukhbir Singh Badal was born on 9 July 1962 in a Dhillon Jatt Sikh family in the cityFaridkot,Punjab. His mother was Surinder Kaur. Initially, he was educated atThe Lawrence School, Sanawar. He completed an M.A. in economics fromPanjab UniversityChandigarh from 1980 to 1984, and an M.B.A. fromCalifornia State University, Los Angeles.[1][4]
He marriedHarsimrat Kaur Badal on 21 November 1991. She is also a politician and a Member ofParliament of India fromBathinda Lok Sabha constituency since 2009, and was the union food processing minister under Prime MinisterNarendra Modi until 17 May 2020.[5]
His son Anantbir Singh Badal made his first political appearance in 2019 before theIndian general election.[6]
Sukhbir Singh Badal was a member of the11th and12th Lok Sabha, representing Faridkot.[7][8] He was Union Minister of State for Industry inSecond Vajpayee Ministry during 1998 to 1999. He was also a member ofRajya Sabha during 2001 to 2004. In 2004, he was re-elected from Faridkot for14th Lok Sabha.[9] 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.[10] He was not the Member ofPunjab 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.[11] He was again appointed Deputy Chief Minister in August 2009 after winning by-elections fromJalalabad Assembly constituency.[12]
Akali Dal-BJP combined secured victory in the 2012 Punjab elections, beating anti-incumbency for the first time in Punjab.[13] Sukhbir was re-elected from Jalalabad and remained Deputy Chief Minister.[14][15] 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.[15] This victory and later victory inDelhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections in January 2013 elevated the position of Sukhbir Singh Badal as an important leader in politics.[16]
Badal defeatedBhagwant Mann ofAam Aadmi Party andRavneet Singh Bittu of Indian Natioanal Congress in 2017 Assembly Elections.[17]SAD and BJP alliance lost the majority to Congress.[18] In 2019, he was elected as Member Parliament of Ferozpur Lok Sabha Constituency by defeatingSher Singh Ghubaya of INC by securing more than 600,000 votes on 23 May 2019.[19]
Badal was the president of Akali Dal during the2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election. Badal contested from theJalalabad Assembly constituency and lost the election toJagdeep Kamboj Goldy ofAam Aadmi Party.[20] Badal lost by a margin of 30,374 Votes.[21] SAD BSP alliance contested in all 117 seats, and won 3 seats. SAD finished on third spot behind AAP and INC.[22]
He was arrested over the 2015Kotkapura firing case, although he was let go due to lack of evidence against Badal.[23][24]
Later in 2020 he was detained for protesting against the corruption of health ministerBalbir Singh Sidhu outsideChief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's house.[25] 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.[26][25]
In 2021 during the2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest, Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal were detained by theDelhi Police as they led a protest march in the national capital to mark the first anniversary of the passage of three contentious farm laws.[27][28][29]
In October 2023, Sukhbir Singh Badal was detained by police in Chandigarh. The detention occurred during a protest march to the official residence of Punjab Chief MinisterBhagwant Mann concerning theSutlej Yamuna Link canal issue. He accused Mann is giving away the state's river water to Haryana and Rajasthan to gain political advantages in upcoming elections.[30]
Every year since 1999, Sukhbir Singh Badal protested against the1984 Anti-Sikh riots and for theIndian Government to give justice for the victims.[31]
In 2015, Badal had protested against theIndian Government over the keeping of Sikh prisoners in jail, including the assassins ofChief MinisterBeant Singh.[32]
In 2017 he protested against 4 Akali politicians not receiving clearance to contest in the Punjab elections.[33] He received an 'FIR' over blocking theFerozepur-Ludhiana,Amritsar-Bathinda, Bathinda-Mansa,Chandigarh-Mansa,Jalandhar-Amritsar andKharar-Chandigarh roads.[33]
From 2020 to 2022 he protested and received multiple legal cases for protesting during the2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest.[28]
Sukhbir Singh Badal slammed Sikh preacher and radicalAmritpal Singh for using theAdi Guru Granth as a shield during his protests in early 2023.[34] Although he also protested against the detainment of Sikh youth during Amritpal Singh's manhunt and the unofficial 'emergency' imposed by Bhagwant Mann.[35]
Like his father, Badal vehemently opposed the construction of theSutlej Yamuna link canal and always supported the farmers of Punjab on the issue.[30]
Many Sikhs protested against him for the Kotkapura firing case and asked him to apologise publicly, theShiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) separated from the main Shiromani Akali Dal for the same reason.[36][37] In late 2023 he made a public apology to allSikhs in front of theAkal Takht declaring that he would imprison the culprits if the Shiromani Akali Dal ever came to power in Punjab.[38] Many politicians from theShiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) andDelhi 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.[39][36]
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 inMoga district.[40] The bus was operated by Orbit Aviation, a company in which Badal has stake.[41] Subsequently, it was revealed by news reports that the Chief Minister of Punjab gave the girl's father₹3 million in compensation.[42]
On 13 December 2024, NovemberAkal takhtJathedar ("supreme spokesman or issuer of Sikh affairs") released an alteration within the presentment of other prudent leaders ofShiromani Akali Dal (SAD) after allegedly declaring him asTankhaiya and pervasively from today onward, noSikh can communicate with or maintain relationships with one who is declared tankhaiya till their "atonement".[43][who?][citation needed]
He has borne the brunt of criticism from supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal that he turned the party into a nepotistic and dynast party from its roots of a Democratic and Panth-centric party.[44] The Badal family has also been accused of shifting the focus of the Shiromani Akali Dal from Panth to Punjab and hence destroying the old party ofMaster Tara Singh.[44] The party President for the past 30 years have been Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal- after the complete losses to AAP and the INC in 2022 Legislative and 2024 General elections many party members took to protest and many left.[44] The Jhundan Reforms Committee report under Iqbal Singh Jhundan was prepared with steps to make the party succeed and continue as a representative of Punjab; but Sukhbir Singh Badal did not accept it.[45]
A rebel Akali Dal formed within the party includingManpreet Singh Ayali,Prem Singh Chandumajra,Iqbal Singh Jhundan andParminder Singh Dhindsa.[46] While Sukhbir had announced his support for the NDA candidateDroupadi Murmu during the Presidential poll, Ayali's party had boycotted the election.[47] TheShiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and theAkal Takht also assumed an autonomous role while dealing with the Akali Dal; often the Jathedar slammed the party for going from working for farmers and labourers to capitalists.[48] His promise to establish party units in all states having Sikh populations outside Punjab was also not fulfilled, and the Shiromani Akali Dal stopped their work for upliftment of Dalits in Punjab.[49][50]
In the 2024 General election the party got a lower vote percentage than theBharatiya Janata Party; and lower percentage than ever before and radicals received more support and seats.[51] According to most political experts, the reason for the Akali Dal's failure was lack of campaigning and lack of faith in the party.[51] Most supporters of the party state that Manpreet Singh Ayali should be made the Party President and the Jhundan Reforms Committee report should be implemented.[citation needed]
Badal and his family have direct or indirect interests in any array of businesses.[52][53] Badal holds a majority stake in thePunjabi languagePTC television network.[54][55] 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, Punjab Animal Breeders, Gurbaz Media, G-Next Media, Rajdhani Express, Azad Hoshiarpur, Taj Travels, PTC Group and Orbit Resorts.[56][57] He has been accused of enriching private transport companies, which he has a stake in, while the state transport department has deteriorated.[58] The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort inNew Chandigarh is owned by and named after Sukhbir Badal.[59]
He was accused of running Punjab like a Pvt. Limited company instead of a state. Sukhbir Singh Badal's business andPonty Chadha (supported byCaptain Amarinder Singh) were at crosshairs with each other to dominate Punjab's business and industry- after the latter's death it led to Badal's dominance.[60]Bikram Singh Majithia (Badal's brother-in-law) owns Saraya Industries, which has operations in liquor and energy.[60] Badal's other brother-in-lawAdesh Pratap Singh Kairon has majority shares in Shivalik Telecom.[60] Deep Malhotra heads the liquor-making Oasis Group and is an ex-Akali Dal MLA.[60] Shiv Lal Doda set up Gagan Wines and was the Akali Dal local leader in Abohar.[60] The stone crushing industry was dominated by Kuldeep Singh Makkar, who is the brother of ex-Akali Dal MLA Sarabjit Singh Makkar.[60] “Out of the 84 luxury bus permits operating in Punjab, at least 52 are with transport companies patronised by the Badals.”[60]
A new cable distribution network—Fastway Transmission Private Ltd— usurped the main three networks Hathway (belonging to Mumbai’s Rahejas), Zee’s Wires & Wireless India Ltd, and Digicable. Fastway too has a Badal connection.[60] Between 2010 and 2015, Jagjit Singh Kohli and Yogesh Shah were directors on Fastway’s board.[60] Their names, incidentally, also show up in the statutory filings of Sukhbir Singh Badal’s two media companies—Gur-Baz Media and G-Next Media.[60] G-Next owns the PTC Group of television channels.[60] In 2014, Gur-Baz owned 99.98% shares in G-Next.[60] Orbit Resorts owned 99.98% shares in Gur-Baz.[60] Sukhbir Badal owned 67.32% of Orbit Resorts.[60] It is unproven but alleged that Badal also indirectly owners a share in parking lots and night clubs inNew York, and multiple large farms in theUnited States of America.[61]
Badal has been complemented by his supporters and opponents that he has a shrewd business acumen; and that if he leaves politics he would be a leading business icon internationally.[62]
