Akali Dal Found the Name “Bal Diwas”

Chandigarh, December 25, 2025: Responding to the controversy surrounding the observance of “Veer Bal Diwas”, BJP Punjab State Spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal has issued a strong rebuttal to the Shiromani Akali Dal and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Pritpal Singh Baliawal, citing an earlier public tweet by Harsimrat Kaur Badal, pointed out that it was she herself who, in 2019, advocated commemorating the martyrdom of the Sahibzadas under the title “Bal Diwas.” He questioned why a term that was considered entirely appropriate by the Akali Dal until 2019 has suddenly become objectionable after the breakdown of the BJP–SAD alliance.

Baliawal further highlighted that even in 2018, during an event organised at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Sukhbir Singh Badal, on behalf of the Akali Dal leadership, had expressed concurrence with the name “Bal Diwas.” He remarked that the present opposition by the Akali Dal reflects a clear contradiction of its own earlier stand.

Stating that during the period of alliance with the BJP, all sensitive issues related to religion, agriculture, and Punjab were discussed and resolved through mutual consultation, Pritpal Singh Baliawal alleged that the Akali Dal leadership repeatedly breached this trust. He said such issues were later used for political posturing and to falsely portray the BJP as anti-Punjab, solely to safeguard the Akali Dal’s shrinking political space and to hinder the BJP’s growth in the state.

Baliawal emphasized that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party has consistently demonstrated the highest respect for Sikh history, traditions, and the supreme sacrifices of the Sahibzadas. The declaration of “Veer Bal Diwas”, he said, is a global acknowledgement of their unparalleled martyrdom and courage.

Appealing to the Shiromani Akali Dal and its leadership, Pritpal Singh Baliawal urged them not to exploit religious sentiments for political gains and to accept the reality of the stand they themselves had earlier taken. He asserted that political differences must not be imposed upon the sacred martyrdom days of the Sahibzadas.