PATIALA: The senior Akali leader, Simranjit Singh Mann, while talking to media persons, here. May 29, said that his party would confront the Akal ‘Takht jathedar, Prof’ Manjit ‘Singh, over the issue of Amritsar declaration when the latter returns from his foreign trip early next month. Making a blistering attack on the Akal Takht Jathedar, he said that Amritsar declaration ‘was drafted with full knowledge of Prof Manjit Singh, discussed with him threat bare before being approved by the Akali leaders at a Meeting at the Akal Takht held under his chairmanship, “How can the Akal Takht Jathedar deny calling it a declaration of the ‘Sikh panth when it was drafted and approved by the Akal Takht_ Over the issue of giving up Amritsar declaration for the sake of unity among the various Akali factions, including the Akali Dal Badal, Mann appeared to be angry with almost all the senior Akali leaders, He made a scathing attack on every leader without caring much for the recently forged unity among the Akalis, Mann said neither Capt. Amarinder Singh nor their Akali leaders like Surjit Singh Bamala and Gurcharan Singh Tohra, had the intellectual capability to draft a resolution like ‘Amritsar declaration, It was the handiwork of intellectuals, who, in consultation with singh, had prepared the Amritsar
Mann went to the extent of saying that the Akal Takht jathedar and other Akali leaders disassociated themselves with the Amritsar declaration under pressure from the Center. They all have vested interests and can hardly afford to annoy the Central Government at this juncture, he said, Mann alleged that Parkash Singh Badal, president of the new Akali Dal, had procured licenses for at least five petrol pumps from the Narasimha Rao government. Reacting to the postponement of the Gidderbaha election, Mann said that to cut Seshan to size. the Supreme Court should Immediately give is verdict regarding the government’s decision to appoint three-man government s decision to appoint three-man be election commission. With the division of power among the other members, the Chief Election Commissioner would not be able to act in a dictatorial manner, said Mann.
The people of Punjab, especially Sikhs, were being made addicts and alcoholics as a long drawn conspiracy of the Center, felt Mann. He urged the Shriomani Gurdwara, Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to launch a movement against alcohol consumption to save the Sikh community from becoming alcoholics. If this was not stopped, the Sikh community would be completely ruined.
The duty magistrate, Paramjit Singh in whose court Mann was produced refused the Baba Bakala police to take possession of Mann in a cage tenisiered apainsthima the Baba Bakala police had moved an application in the court in this regard.
Mann also filed contempt proceedings against the inspector general (prisons), secretary, Punjab and the Central jail authorities, Patiala for noncompliance of court orders for providing him the requisite medicines, fruit juices and an air conditioner in the jail as ordered by the Court.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 2, 1995