Chandigarh, June 14: A high-profile delegation from the Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) urged Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to intervene on a wide spectrum of socio-economic and Panthic matters. The faction asserted that the interests of farmers, laborers, and the broader Sikh community require immediate administrative focus. To ease the financial pressures operating on the local population, the leaders called for a 50 percent reduction in VAT and excise duties on fuel, while simultaneously requesting a tailored economic and industrial development package for Punjab on par with other border states.
The submitted document placed significant emphasis on pending territorial and natural resource rights. The political representatives stated that the process of completing the ‘Punjabi Suba’ remains unfinished, demanding the reintegration of Punjabi-speaking territories that were excluded during the regional reorganization of 1966. They further declared that Punjab’s sovereign rights over its river waters and hydroelectric projects must be stringently guarded. Alongside these structural demands, the delegation noted that the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor should remain open continuously to allow uninterrupted access for pilgrims.
Judicial accountability and institutional regularisation formed another major component of the discussions. The party maintained that the passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, needs to be revisited to incorporate thorough feedback from leading Sikh organizations. They affirmed that public trust rests heavily on delivering swift justice through fast-track court proceedings for the 2015 desecration cases, as well as holding the long-delayed democratic elections for the management committees of the shrines. The delegation, comprised of senior figures including Prem Singh Chandumajra, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Gobind Singh Longowal, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, and Bibi Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, concluded their presentation by appealing to the Governor to convey these urgent state matters directly to central authorities for swift resolution.
