Punjab: Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, a leader of the Akali, dies at 85

Punjab: Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, a longtime leader of the Akali movement, passed away on Tuesday at PGI Chandigarh, where he had been hospitalised for the previous few days due to old age health difficulties.

A native of Tarn Taran district's Brahmpura hamlet, the 85-year-old once had the title of "Majhe da Jarnail," which he ultimately lost to Bikram Singh Majithia after the latter's ascent in party and state politics.

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Who was Ranjit Singh Brahmpura?

Ranjit Singh, who was born on November 8th, 1937, in Singapore, began his political career at the local level and, in 1961, at the age of 25, won the election for sarpanch of Brahmpura village.

He participated actively in 1961–1962, when state police detained Akali leader Jathedar Mohan Singh Tur for his repeated criticism of chief minister Partap Singh Kairon. Later, while still imprisoned, Tur ran for the assembly against Kairon, and Brahmpura openly backed him.
In 1977, Brahmpura was elected to the Naushera Pannua constituency for the first time. Brahmpura served as a member of the Lok Sabha from 2014 to 2019 and was elected four times.

In cases filed under the NSA, TADA, and ESMA legislation, Brahmpura spent more than nine years behind bars.

He had left Shiromani Akali Dal in 2018 following a disagreement with the party's leadership. After leaving his parent party, he allied himself with renegade SAD leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and became leadership of SAD (Sanyukat), the political platform he and Dhindsa had jointly established to challenge the Badals. But after only three years, he rejoined SAD in December 2021 and ran for office from the Khadoor Sahib Constituency.

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Tremendous loss to the panth, Punjab, and Shiromani Akali Dal

The death of steadfast panthic fighter and Akali stalwart Jathedar Ranjit Singh Brahmpura is a tremendous loss to the panth, Punjab, and Shiromani Akali Dal, according to SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal in a statement of condolence for the senior Akali leader.

Sukhbir in his message wrote, “This blow has created a void that would be hard to fill. Jathedar Sahib remained an unflinching symbol of panthic values and led from the front in safe guarding these.”

His demise has also been mourned by SAD leaders Bibi Jagir Kaur and Bikram Singh Majitha. On Wednesday, Brahmpura would be cremated at his home village.

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