Akali Dal president who signed the 1985 accord; 1932-1985
Harchand Singh Longowal
President of the Shiromani Akali Dal from 1980, Sant Harchand Singh Longowal led the Dharam Yudh, was held after Operation Blue Star, and in July 1985 signed an accord with Rajiv Gandhi. He was shot dead at Sherpur that August.
Life
He was born on 2 January 1932 at Gidariani and trained as a granthi at Maujo, later moving to Longowal and raising a gurdwara to Bhai Mani Singh. He became head of the gurdwara at Damdama Sahib in 1962, entered the Punjab assembly in 1969, and led the Akali campaign against the 1975 Emergency.[EoS]
The accord and his death
He became president of the Akali Dal in 1980 and asked the government to apologise for the attack on the Golden Temple in 1985. He signed the accord with Rajiv Gandhi in July, and was denounced as a sell-out by Bhindranwale's father, Baba Joginder Singh. An unidentified young man shot him at the Sherpur gurdwara on 20 August 1985.[EoS][Grewal]