CHANDIGARE: Militants pledged support to Simranjit Singh Mann but warmed that Trojan horses in his Akali Dal could derail him anytime.

In a statement on behalf of the Khalistan Commando Force and the Panthic Committee Bhai Gurjant Singh Rajasthani and Bhai Sukhvinder Singh Laddoo criticised Mann group dissidents Rajdev Singh Barnala and Atinderpal Singh both MPs and Charanjit Singh Walia general secretary of the Dal. The militant leaders also condemned several lawyers as Indian agents whose recent actions would be avenged soon.

Bhai Manjit Singh AISSF president set at rest the controversy over the failure of the failure of Dal-M to support the bandh earlier this month. In a statement released through his lawyer P.S. Hundal Manjit Singh said there were no differences between him and Mann. The controversy was over when Mann met him in jail last week. He described as baseless reports of his tilting towards an Akali faction. He also asked his party colleagues to avoid any press statement in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Akal Federation a militant organisation criticised the traditional Akali leaders for betrayal of the Sikh pantl. Bhai Shamsher Singh of the Federation said the Akalis in order to assume power had always sold off the Sikh interest. In this connection he mentioned the names of Badal, Barnala, Manjit Singh Calcutta, Umranagal and Balwant Singh Ramoowalia among others.

Several militants outfits including the 5 member panthic committee have asked the SGPC authorities to ask for the resignations of all sitting members of the general house since they had become irrelevant in the changed political and religious scenario of the state in a joint letter to a senior SGPC official, the militants stated that SGPC members had no moral Tight to stay in office since the 5 year term of the house had expired in 1984. They threatened that in case SGPC members failed to resign they should be ready to face the consequences.

Meanwhile, Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode has criticised Bhai Atinderpal Singh MP for his claim that he was elected as an independent was baseless. Rode denied he was getting close to Badal and said he could never come to terms with the Badal group.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 27, 1990