Parkash Singh Badal is an Indian politician who has been the Chief Minister of Punjab
since 2007.
He previously served as Chief Minister from 1970 to 1971, from 1977 to 1980, and from
1997 to 2002.
He is also the patron of Shiromani Akali Dal, a Sikh-centered regional political party based
in Punjab.
He was the president of the party from 1995 to 2008, when he was replaced by his son Sukhbir
Singh Badal.
As the patron of SAD he exercises a strong influence on Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, and is generally regarded as the
second most powerful Sikh leader worldwide, after India's former prime minister, Manmohan
Singh.
Early life Badal was born on December 8, 1927 in Abul
Khurana, near Malout.
He belongs to a Jat family of Dhillon clan.
His father's name is Raghuraj Singh and mother's name Sundri Kaur.
He graduated from the Forman Christian College in Lahore.
Political career He started his political career in 1947.
He was Sarpanch of the village Badal and later Chairman of Block Samiti, Lambi before rising
into Punjab politics.
He was elected to Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1957 for the first time.
He was re-elected in 1969 serving as Minister for Community Development, Panchayati Raj,
Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries.
He was Leader of the Opposition in 1972, 1980 and 2002.
He has been elected in Vidhan Sabha for total 10 times, 1957 and each election from 1969
till present except 1992.
In 1992 he led a boycott of state elections in February 1992, by the Akalis.
He is also a former union minister in Morarji Desai government in 1977.
He held the portfolio of Agriculture and Irrigation.
Chief Minister of Punjab He has served as Punjab Chief Minister for
four terms the first time in 1970 when he became the youngest Chief Minister of an Indian
state.
Presently he is serving his fifth term.
First term Badal first became chief minister of Punjab
in March 1970 and headed a coalition government of Akali Dal and Jana Sangh.
In June 1970 Jana Sangh withdrew support from the Badal government over their difference
about place of Hindi in Punjab.
Later in early July 7 of Akali Dal deflected to rival Akali Dal headed by ex-CM Gurnam
Singh.
An early session of assembly was called on 24 July to prove the majority of Badal government.
However the motion of no confidence were not admitted due to lack of requisite support
of 1/5th number of MLAs.
Congress decided to stay neutral and did not supported the no confidence motion.
Later in November 1970 Akali Dal faction led by Gurnam Singh merged with Akali Dal and
became part of Badal government.
However, due to internal conflicts Gurnam Singh along with other 17 Akali MLA's deflected
and formed a new faction.
Subsequently Badal resigned as chief minister on 13 June and recommended to dissolution
of assembly.
On 15 June, President's Rule was imposed in Punjab.
2007–2012 term In 2007 Punjab State Election Shiromani Akali
Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government won 67 out of 117 seats and Parkash Singh
Badal was sworn as the Chief Minister for the fourth time.
He held 10 portfolios which include the ministries for Home, Housing & Urban Development, Excise
& Taxation, Power, Personnel, General Administration, Vigilance, Employment, Legal & Legislative
Affairs and NRIs Affairs.
Badal launched many schemes such as free ambulance service, Talwandi Sabo thermal plant, etc.
Through a new transportation policy, he reduced taxes on air conditioned buses, making it
less expensive for companies to operate luxury buses.
This also increased profits of a bus company owned by his son, Sukhbir Singh Badal soar
to 1.7 million U.S $. 2012–present
In the 2012 election, Shiromani Akali Dal Bharatiya Janata Party combine won 68 seats
out of 117, despite a tradition of anti-incumbency in Punjab.
Badal again became the chief minister of Punjab on 14 March 2012 after being sworn in by the
Governor of Punjab, Shivraj Patil.
He is also the oldest chief minister ever, and is the only person who is both the youngest
and the oldest chief minister of his state.
In the present government he holds portfolio of Personnel, General Administration, Power,
Cooperation, Science Technology and Environment, Vigilance and Employment Generation.
FDI in India Badal opposed FDI, and sided with political
ally BJP.
Participation in Akali Movement He was first detained in the Karnal jail in
connection with Civil Liberties Agitation later under the Maintenance of Internal Security
Act during the Indian Emergency.
He was President of the Akali Dal from 1996 to 2008.
Corruption Case Parkash Singh Badal along with his wife Surinder
Kaur, son Sukhbir Singh and seven others were booked under various provisions of the Prevention
of Corruption Act in 2003.
After a seven year long case all accused were acquitted by a local court in Mohali in 2010
due to the lack of incriminating evidence.
In 2007, 11 key witnesses retracting their statements before the Special Court set up
in Ropar district.
Panth Rattan Award On 11 December 2011, Badal was bestowed upon
the title of Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum(literally Jewel of the religion, pride of the community)
by the Akal Takht.
He was awarded this title at Golden Temple complex in the presence of Jathedars of all
five Takhts in the form of a “siropa”, a sword and a silver plaque with inscription
of the citation of Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum.
Badal was awarded this title for his service towards the Sikh Panth by creating many memorials
pertaining to Sikhism such as Virasat-e-Khalsa, besides being imprisoned for long time and
having faced atrocities during various Akali movements.
Many political and radical Sikh organizations such as Dal Khalsa, Khalra Mission Organization,
Punjab Human Rights Organization, Khalsa Panchayat and Niarye Khalsa Organization.
Former SGPC secretary general Manjit Singh Calcutta argued that this award is given posthumously.
In response, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh cited the example of Master Tara Singh,
who was given this award during his lifetime.
Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh termed it sycophancy, as Badal indirectly controls
SGPC.
Personal life In 1959, he married Surinder Kaur.
The couple had two children, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parneet Kaur, who is married to
Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon.
Surinder Kaur died in 2011 after a long illness due to cancer.
See also Prakash Singh Badal ministry
References