JALANDHAR: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), alleged that the Congress-I leaders were involved in the killings of nine of its campaigners who were killed nan incident near Nakodar on February 16. The Congress-I men were also involved in pasting threatening posters issuing warnings to voters to stay away from voting or face reprisals the BSP said.

The BSP workers were canvassing for Om Prakash Sidham, who contested from the Nurmahal Assembly segment (reserved), when their vehicle was waylaid. Two persons fired at the vehicle killing five persons on the spot while four others succumbed to their injuries Seven persons were seriously injured.

Om Prakash Sidham, who is also the general secretary of the Punjab unit of the BSP, Om Parkash Siddi, district president BSP, Kapurthala, and Vipin Kumar, councilor, who contested the Jalandhar parliamentary sea, a   joint press conference here, charged that Inderjit Singh Yadav, block secretary of the Nurmahal unit of the Congress-I himself shot the BSP campaigners From a“ sten gun like weapon.” When asked how they came to mow about the identity of the killers 11 says after the incident, Sidham said a BSP worker, Chaman Lal, who was injured in the shoot-out and was unconscious all these days, had given the name after regaining conscious,

Sidham further added that Chaman Lal belongs to Nurmahal area to which the alleged killer, Inderjit Singh Yadav, belonged. Therefore the question of mistaken identity did not arise, Sidham contended.

When it was pointed out that the police had declared the shoot-out to be the handiwork of two militants -Kulbir Singh and Gurdeep Singh the BSP leaders refuted the police version and said these militants were not behind the killings.

Of the 48 persons who lost their lives in post-election killings, at Least 40 have been known BSP sympathizers,

The BSP leaders alleged that the Congress (I) men had killed the BSP workers in order to create animosity between the BSP and the militants on one hand and also to terrorize the BSP supporters to help the Congress-I candidates on the other. They said the killings of BSP workers and the intimidating posters helped the Congress-I. These two things terrorized the BSP supporters who stayed away from polling fearing subsequent reprisals, the leaders said.

The Congress (I)s motive, the BSP leaders said, was to create unrepeatable differences” of the BSP with the Sikhs. But the Congress (I)s conspiracy would not succeed, they said.

When asked if the police have been informed about Yadav involvement in the shooting, Sidham said the Station House Officer of Nurmahal was present at Chaman Lal’s residence when he made this disclosure. But the police has not made any more till this day against the killers, Sidham said Sidham was shocking that despite nine persons killed no senior police officer ad approached them for investigations.

Sidham said he had informed the army officers about the involvement of the Congress (I) leaders but they expressed their inability to do anything in the matter.

The BSP leaders have demanded judicial inquiry into the incident and also the pasting of warning posters, allegedly by the Congress (I). They also demanded suspension of te senior police officers of the area before the start of the Judicial inquiry. If no action was taken, the BSP, would be compelled to launch an agitation, they said.

The BSP MLA from Sham Chaurasi, Gurpal Chand and the BSP Punjab women wing convener, Sukhwinder Kaur Sait leveled similar allegations in a joint statement here. They said the Congress (I) felt threatened by the rising popularity of the BSP among Dalits and other weaker sections of the society in the State and therefore indulged in the set killings reports UNI.

Bahujan Samaj Party (K) has demanded a high level probe into pre and post poll killings of BSP workers and Dalits, PTI reports. Satnam Singh Kainth, president, youth wing, Punjab BSP and newly-elected BSP MLA from Banga, on Thursday warned that in case the government failed to check these killings, the BSP will launch a country wide agitation.

These Killings were aimed at sabotaging the BSP movement and were being done under planned conspiracy by a force other than militants, Kaith added.

A condolence meeting will be held at Nurmahal on March 8 in memory of those killed and Kanshi Ram, BSP chief, Punjab MLAs and MPs of the BSP, Samaj and SC/BC categories that BSP will raise their issues inside and outside the Assembly and reminded Beant Singh, Chief Minister that the Punjab problem was a Sikh problem and merely an issue of Chandigarh and water. Peace will include Punjab till Sikh grievances are redressed, he added.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 13, 1992