Recalling Harchand Singh Longowal, a moderate voice during Punjab’s turbulent times

On August 20, 1985, Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, a prominent Sikh political figure during Punjab's tumultuous 1970s and 1980s, was assassinated. Longowal, who served as the chief of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), was a moderate political representative during a time of insurgency. He was assassinated less than a month after signing the Punjab Accord with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Born in Gidariani village of Sangrur district on January 2, 1932, Longowal was deeply religious and studied Sikh scriptures. He began his involvement in the Akali movement and politics in the mid-1960s and rose to prominence during the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975. Longowal was elected as the President of the SAD in 1980 and launched the Dharam Yudh Morcha the same year, which involved Akali volunteers courting arrest during the Asian Games in Delhi to draw attention to their demands.

Despite the tensions between the SAD factions over the venue of Longowal's death anniversary program, it is crucial to remember his significant role as a moderate voice during the Akali movement's turbulent times.