CHANDIGARH, India: tour of Mizoram, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi said that the Union Government would be prepared to initiate discussion with the Akali Dissidents Jed by Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and Gurcharan Singh Tobra to solve the Punjab problem. Add resign a press conference after the conclusion of his four day visit to Mizoram, the Prime Minister said that Mr. Gurcharan Singh and Mr. Parkash Singh would have to make it clear whether they want to help the Union Government in curbing the anti-social elements Who were trying to destabilize Punjab. He said that it was difficult to tell from the inflammatory statements made by the two leaders especially on June 6th and June 7th as to which side they were on.
Mr. Gandhi said that the Union Government would never close its doors to any group that sought solutions within the frame work of the Constitution and said that Mizo.
Accord was an expression of this policy. The accord was intended to bring such groups into the main stream. Although the Mizo National Front was unlawful until recently sill the Centre entered into an agreement on an assurance that it will abide by law and work for the unity of the country, he said there to be some give and take or the issues.
When his attention was drawn to the news that Chief Ministers of Haryana and Punjab, Mr. Barnala and Mr. Bansi Lal, have agreed to yet another commission, Mr. Gandhi said that he firmly believes that the terms of reference of Desai Commission were appropriate. If one side now wanted to make terms of reference more broad, it might mean returning to square one, he said. Mr. Sunjit Singh Barnala, he said, had asked for the postponement of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab as the State Government was busy coping up with law and order situation in the State.
Meanwhile, commenting on Prime Minister’s offer of holding discussion with the Dissidents. Former Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, said that the rehabilitation of all army deserters and general amnesty to all Sikhs detained in jails could form the basis of the talks. On Prime Ministers offer he expressed happiness that the feeling has emerged in the country that the Punjab tangle could be solved by holding talks with Dissident Akalis, The Centre knows about them, was the reply of the former Chief Minister when he was asked by new men to identify the Sikh Youth Organizations with whom the Centre should hold talks with. Mr. Parkash Singh Ba dal said that the National Executive of Janata Party in a resolution has asked the Centre to hold talks with Sikh Youth Organizations like All India Sikh Youth Federation and Damdami Taksal. Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala, Chief Minister of Punjab, has also said that he has no objection if these parties were involved in talks, Asked if the Dissidents have committed themselves to help Union Government to curb the situation in Punjab, former S.G.P.C. President, Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra said the so called extremism in Punjab cannot be curbed by use of force alone. Mr. Sukhjinder Singh, former Education Minister, said that the Barnala government has become irrelevant and has alienated itself from the majority of the Sikhs, Asked if it should be dismissed, Mr. Sukhjinder Singh said that he did not advocate that.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 18, 1986
