Second attack on Sukhbir Badal highlights threats to moderate Sikh leadership

Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a dagger at the Mata Sahib Gurudwara in Maharashtra's Nanded on August 13. The attacker, described as a 'Nihang sevadar' (a volunteer at the gurudwara), was reportedly overpowered by security personnel. The motive behind the attack is yet to be ascertained, with police investigations underway.

This is the second attack on Mr. Badal in recent years. In December 2024, he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. In that incident, a former militant fired at him, injuring a bystander. Mr. Badal, who leads the SAD, a party traditionally regarded as the main political representative of Sikhs in Punjab, has remained a target of radical elements who oppose his moderate stance.

The latest attack has renewed focus on the security challenges facing Punjab's moderate Sikh leadership. The SAD, which has historically been considered a 'panthic' (religious-political) party, has seen its electoral support decline sharply over the past decade. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party failed to win any seats in Punjab. Meanwhile, independent candidates with strong pro-Khalistan positions managed to secure victories in the state.

Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan preacher currently detained in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act, won from Khadoor Sahib. Sarabjeet Singh, son of Beant Singh, who was convicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, won from Faridkot. These results are seen by political observers as indicators of a fragmented 'panthic' vote and the persistence of radical spaces in Punjab's politics.

Similarly, in 2022, Simranjit Singh Mann, a long-time advocate of Khalistan, won the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election. His victory further illustrated the failure of mainstream parties, including the SAD, to consolidate the Sikh vote.

Punjab endured a painful period of militancy between the mid-1980s and early 1990s, when a violent insurgency sought an independent Sikh state. That movement has since lost popular support among the people of Punjab. However, the repeated electoral gains by radical candidates in recent years suggest that some sections of the electorate remain open to such narratives, even if a majority does not endorse them.

Analysts say the vulnerability of moderate leaders like Mr. Badal is a consequence of the weakening of traditional political structures. The SAD, once a dominant force in Punjab, has suffered successive electoral defeats and internal factionalism, leaving a vacuum that radical elements are attempting to fill.

Still, most observers believe that the people of Punjab, mindful of the devastation caused by past militancy, are unlikely to embrace violence again. The challenge for the state and central governments is to ensure the safety of political leaders and to address the underlying political and social factors that allow radical voices to gain traction.