JALANDHAR: The Akali Dal (Badal) Monday appealed to Panthic organizations and various political parties except the Congress and the BIP to boycott the elections in Punjab.

Stating this Kuldeep Singh Wadala general secretary of the Akali Dal (Badal) told newspersons that this was necessary to stop police “repression”. The boycott would be a step in the direction of safeguarding humanity

Wadala said the time had come when Hindus and the Scheduled Castes should take part in the struggle so that Punjab’s case could be presented effectively.

Wadala regretted that only Sikhs were taking part in the struggle although it was a question of human rights and political economic and religious freedom. The Congress was trying to project the struggle as an issue between Sikhs and Hindus.

Expressing concern about the Deployment of the Army Wadala alleged that it was being used to further the partisan interests of the Congress. The deployment of the Army was part of a conspiracy of the Congress and the BJP.

In the circumstances the Janata Dal the SJP the CPI the CPM and the BSP should reconsider their decision to take part in the elections. He said these parties should help put up the case of Sikhs in Punjab and of Muslims in Kashmir otherwise their political existence would be in jeopardy.

Wadala said the Center and the Punjab Governor wanted to ensure that Akalis and militants were not able to join hands for carrying out the struggle on political lines. If the government succeeded in its efforts violence would continue

Meanwhile a meeting of representatives of the Akali Dal (Badal) and the Akali Dal (Baba) of Doaba and Majha held here Sunday decided to take part in the proposed February 2“anti-repression” rally at Ludhiana.

“The meeting demanded the release of all persons detained by the police condemned the arrest of Simranjit Singh Mann president of the Akali Dal (Mann) and Manjit Singh president of the AISSF who were on their way to Srinagar to counter the “ekta yatra” of the BJP.

It expressed concern about the decision of the Akali Dal (Kabul Singh) and Sukhjinder Singh to Contest the elections and urged them to reconsider their decision. The meeting called for instituting a “shaheed parivar fund” to help the families of those killed in the present “struggle”.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 7, 1992