Five-time Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal passes away at 95

For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Akali patriarch and five-time Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was India's Nelson Mandela. The country's oldest politician -- next only to BJP veteran L.K. Advani -- Badal passed away on Tuesday evening after a brief illness at a private hospital. He was 95.

A media bulletin from the Fortis Hospital said that Parkash Singh Badal was admitted to the hospital on April 16 with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. He was shifted to the medical ICU on April 18 as his respiratory condition worsened.

Throughout his political career, Badal, who had once compared Modi to former US President Abraham Lincoln, had always expressed "immense satisfaction and pride" over the strong and principled stand taken by his party, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), "to save the beleaguered peasantry and the country". The Akali Dal was one of the oldest allies of the BJP. It was among the first to support the 13-day Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. And Akali patriarch Badal was a founder-member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). 

Badal was born on December 8, 1927 in Abul Khurana, near Malout, Mr. Badal graduated from the Forman Christian College in Lahore.

The Akali Dal-BJP (earlier Jana Sangh) alliance has been described as the oldest and strongest in contemporary politics. No other coalition weathered so many political battles since March 27, 1970, when Badal became the country's youngest Chief Minister.

In a conversation, the senior Badal had said that it made him feel very humble when Modi touched his feet ahead of filing his nomination papers in Varanasi. "Modi sahib took me by surprise. But as I see it, he sought blessings not from me personally, but from Punjabis and Sikhs all over the world." And did he give his blessings to Modi? He had replied: "Yes." "He has my best wishes and the blessings of all Punjabis for what he did for opening the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, punishment to Sajjan Kumar and other guilty of the 1984 massacre, abolishing the blacklists of Sikhs abroad and release of liberal funds in hundreds of crores for Guru Sahib's 'shatabadi' (550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.)".

In 2022, Badal, the eldest candidate at 94 in the fray for the 117-member Punjab Assembly, had lost to AAP's greenhorn Gurmeet Khuddian from Lambi by 11,357 votes, a seat he had won five times in a row since 1997. In 2015 he was awarded with the second highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan 

Days after returning his Padma Vibhushan over the 'black farm laws', the elderly Badal had urged Modi to scrap the three farm laws, claiming that they have pushed the country into a deep turmoil. In a four-page letter, Badal had called upon the Prime Minister to "show magnanimity" and withdraw these laws as a first step towards the resolution of the serious crisis confronting the country.

Despite the drubbing in the 2022 Assembly elections, the elderly Badal, who firmly believed that the farmers' issue relates to the overall national interest, had expressed "immense satisfaction and pride" over the strong and principled stand taken by his party "to save the beleaguered peasantry". He was often quoted as saying, "Sometimes parties face ups and downs. It happens in politics. The Akalis have a long history of rejecting the lure of office and standing up for principles."

Badal is survived by his son and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, and his Member of Parliament daughter Parneet Kaur.

Akali Dal chief and his son Sukhbir Badal said in a statement that the elderly Badal is "not just a human being, not just an institution, not just an era but it's like history halts at a critical juncture and I can barely gather my thoughts or manage words to announce that Sardar Parkash Singh Badal left us at 8 pm to embark on his journey to eternal peace at Guru Sahiban's and Akal Purakh's feet".

Current Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann&nbsp expressed his grief over the passing away of the former Minister.

पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री प्रकाश सिंह बादल के निधन का दुखद समाचार मिला... वाहेगुरु दिवंगत आत्मा को अपने चरणों में स्थान दें और परिवार को दुख सहने की शक्ति दें..
वाहेगुरु
वाहेगुरु

— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) April 25, 2023

Prime Minsiter Modi also offered his condolances sighting it as a personal loss.

Shri Parkash Singh Badal’s passing away is a personal loss for me. I have interacted closely with him for many decades and learnt so much from him. I recall our numerous conversations, in which his wisdom was always clearly seen. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. pic.twitter.com/YtD9xKsos2

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 25, 2023

Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi all expressed sorrow over his demise.

I was fortunate to meet Parkash Singh Badal Sahab on several occasions. His unparalleled political experience was very helpful in public life and always a delight to listen to. The memories of those meetings will always remain with me. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti pic.twitter.com/FqSSmVxSia

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 25, 2023

S. Parkash Singh Badal ji was a veteran of Indian politics.

Although we differed in our ideologies, he earned immense respect among the people of Punjab for his simplicity and loyalty to his cadre, as he served multiple terms as CM.

Our deepest condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/NMI3wUWT3P

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 25, 2023

पंजाब के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री और शिरोमणि अकाली दल के पूर्व अध्यक्ष सरदार प्रकाश सिंह बादल जी के निधन का समाचार दुखद है। वो आजीवन भारत और पंजाब की राजनीति के एक कद्दावर नेता रहे।

श्री सुखबीर सिंह बादल समेत उनके सभी शोकाकुल परिजनों और समर्थकों को अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं। pic.twitter.com/Wb9N7m8fO9

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 25, 2023

Describing Badal a "towering figure" in Indian politics and a leader who served the people of Punjab with distinction, Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit said: "Badal was a man of integrity, wisdom, and compassion, who devoted his life to the service of our people. He was a true son of Punjab, who worked tirelessly to promote the interests of our state and its people."

He had been on NIV and HFNC support along with medical management. He was being managed under Digambar Behera along with the pulmonology and criticalcare team supported by cardiology. Despite appropriate medical management, Parkash Singh Badal succumbed to his illness, the hospital statement said.

The Government has announced 2 days of state mourning over Badal's demise across India on April 26th and April 27th. 

“On the days of mourning, the national flag will be flown half mast on all buildings where the national flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on these two days,” the communication said.

The elderly Badal's mortal remains will be placed at SAD head office in Chandigarh from 10 am to 12 noon on Wednesday. Thereafter, the mortal remains will be taken to Badal village in Muktsar district where he will be cremated on Thursday, April 27th.