PATHANKOT: Akali Dal-M Chief S. S. Mann declared that he was ready to ask all Sikh-militants to declare a truce provided the Indian government was willing to involve them in negotiations. Truce was a fundamental necessity for paving the way for creating an atmosphere conducive for a meaningful and fruitful dialogue to resolve the Punjab problem and bring peace to the state, he said.

In an interview, Mann said he ‘was sure the militants would go in for a truce to ensure their participation in the talks, He was in this border town after attending a function to mark the death anniversary of Satwant Singh at his native village Agwaan.

During the 45 minute interview, Mann made his views known on several burning issues. Noting that hundreds of Sikh youths were underground, he said they must be given a chance to return to the mainstream. “I am surprised no ‘one has as yet talked of bringing about a truce. I am ready to take the initiative to ask the militant groups operating from India and abroad to observe a truce if the center wanted me to do so and involve the representatives of the militants in the talks.”

All armed conflicts had a truce before negotiations, he said. There would have to be no harassment or arrests on such an eventuality. Asked about how sure he was on his truce proposal, he said he was sure the militants would agree to what he said. Truce would be applicable to all the militant groups as well as the Panthic Committees wherever they were operating from, Mann said. He said the militants had rallied around his party as it was the repository of their confidence and demands. They have confidence in me as a leader of the Sikhs.

He even quoted a leading light of the Khalistan movement in the U.S who had reposed confidence: in his leadership.

Asked how seriously he took the veiled threats of militants particularly the Panthic Committee who had made it clear that any Sikh leader compromising with the government on anything less than Khalistan would meet the fate of Longowal, Mann said such threats were not directed at him.

The militants were genuinely annoyed with certain Akali leaders who had been his political allies. He said he had been moving about without any security cover even in border areas which were known to be strongholds of militants.

Are not Arun Nehru and VP Singh from the same category as Gandhi and Buta Singh? Mann paused for a while and said Nehru was one of those who was party to the repression of the Sikhs. VP Singh is not of that category. He disclosed that VP Singh even as a cabinet minister had sent him a discreet note in the jail that he did not agree with the policies of Gandhi and that he would quit the Congress I after 6 months. That was what he did later.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 12, 1990