Will separate if demands are not met, SAD tells BJP

BJP

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on January 31 threatened to “separate” from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if its demands were not met.

Senior SAD leader and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Naresh Gujral told The Indian Express that the BJP had not done anything about its party’s warning to not meddle in management of religious places.

Gujral also said the BJP had failed to rein in its leaders who make provocative statements against minorities, and ignored its demands for a package for farmers.

“Our party has told the BJP to keep off gurdwara management affairs and not interfere in our religious matters. But the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) keeps meddling with the Sikhs’ religious affairs. We cannot allow that,” Gujral told the newspaper.

The SAD boycotted an NDA meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the first day of the Budget Session. “Of course we will take this (boycotting the meeting in protest) forward. If the BJP does not take any steps on our demands, logically, we will separate,” Gujral added.

Retaining the SAD, one of its oldest allies, is key for the BJP. The saffron party has lost multiple key allies in the last year, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). The party has also been facing threats of separation from the Shiv Sena.