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<p class="C1">&#65279RIY&#256ST&#298 AK&#256L&#298 DAL, representing Sikhs living in the princely states of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, N&#257bh&#257, J&#299nd, Far&#299dko&#7789 and M&#257lerko&#7789l&#257, was set up in 1939 as a political forum parallel to the Riy&#257st&#299 Praj&#257 Ma&#7751&#7693al which had been in existence since 1928 and which had till then represented the people living mainly in the southern districts of the Punjab. After the introduction of provincial autonomy in 1937 the people living within the territories of Indian princes were becoming more conscious of their political rights. The rural population did not feel quite comfortable amid the growing influence of communists in the villages. In the urban areas a new class with equally strong vested interest was emerging. Leading Ak&#257l&#299 workers, about 500 of them, met  in Gurdw&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 at Sa&#7749gr&#363r on 25 Bh&#257do&#7749 1996 Bk/10 September 1939 and decided to form a separate party which they called Shiroma&#7751&#299 M&#257lv&#257 Riy&#257s&#257t Ak&#257l&#299 Dal. A working  committee comprising the following was elected :</p>
<blockquote class="C1"><p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;President &#8212Jathed&#257r Pr&#299tam Si&#7749gh Gojr&#257&#7749 (Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257)</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President &#8212Bh&#257&#299 Gurba<u>kh</u>sh Si&#7749gh Th&#363h&#299 (N&#257bh&#257)</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;General Secretary &#8212 Gi&#257n&#299 Kehar Si&#7749gh of Chakk (M&#257lerkotl&#257)</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Secretary &#8212  Bh&#257&#299 Harn&#257m Si&#7749gh <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 (J&#299nd)</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cashier &#8212 Bh&#257&#299 Jha&#7751&#7693&#257 Si&#7749gh of Jaw&#257har Ke, M&#257ns&#257 (Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257)</p>
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<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	This heralded the emergence of a new political set-up&#8212the Riy&#257st&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal. In their basic policies there was nothing much to differentiate the Riy&#257st&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal from Riy&#257st&#299 Praj&#257 Ma&#7751&#7693al. Both stood for more democratic rights and a representative form of administration. After Independence (1947), the Riy&#257st&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal led by Jathed&#257r Pr&#299tam Si&#7749gh Gojr&#257&#7749 co-operated with the Riy&#257st&#299 Praj&#257 Ma&#7751&#7693al in bringing pressure on the princely rulers of Punjab to relax their systems of administration. Jathed&#257r Gojr&#257&#7749 for instance was not satisfied with the "concessions" announced by the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 on his birthday in January 1948. It especially looked askance at the formation of Lok Sevak Sabh&#257, a pro-ruler lobby at Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. The Riy&#257sti Ak&#257l&#299 Dal welcomed the formation of the Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) in opposition to the Praj&#257 Ma&#7751&#7693al's demand  for the merger of the princely states in the Punjab. The Dal accepted the amalgamation of PEPSU with the Punjab in 1956, though it did demur at the government's dilatory attitude in regard to the working  of the Regional Formula. With the abolition of princely states, however, the Riy&#257st&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal melted away; it had become redundant, most of the cadre returning to the ranks of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Walia, Ramesh, <i>Praja Mandal Movement in East Punjab States</i>. Pa&#7789iala, 1972<BR>
<li class="C1"> Dilgeer, Harjinder Si&#7749gh, <i>Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal</i>. Jalandhar, 1978<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Major Gurmukh Si&#7749gh (Retd.)<br></p><BR>
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