LUDHIAINA: The PHRO appealed to the Prime Minister to abandon rash measures which had so for proved counterproductive.
Mr Sukhdev Singh in a letter to V P Singh said the subcommittee should be directed to devise steps to create a congenial atmosphere for fruitful talks on the vexed problem even if this meant a delay of a few months; the 4page letter was released to the press on Dec 15. The PHRO welcomed the PM giving priority to the Punjab problem. The PM he said was capable of solving the problem provided he distanced himself from the outmoded and deceptive framework built around the Longowal accord. The govt should hold elections to the assembly and SGPC so that more representative Sikh leadership emerges. It will be rash to conclude that the Mann group had emerged decisively on the Sikh firmament, he said.
Sukdey Singh asked the PM to emulate the late Lal Bahadur Shastri to take bold steps if necessary by ignoring the views of the so-called national leaders the same way as Shastri had kept at bay Indira Gandhi and her thinking in 1966.
The PHRO letter cautioned VP Singh of allowing the Janata Dal govt against the highhanded and illegal methods used by the Nehru dynasty.
Pleading for sincere preparatory measures, the PHRO said all black law must be repealed, thousands held in jails be freed, steps taken to dismantle the police state and punish the guilty of the 1984 carnage.
Punjab’s right to its river water must be recognized and the SYL canal be dismantled forthwith. These measure would soothe Punjab, mere words will not help, the letter said, Talks must be held with various groups including those underground. Multiplicity of groups did not stall the Afghan talks it said.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 22, 1989
