PATIALA: The Chief Minister Mr. Beant Singh has visualized an active role for the army in Punjab in view of the killing of some Army personnel by suspended militants last evening near Payal and the deteriorating law and order situation in the stat.
Talking to newsmen at Sangrur on Saturday on the occasion of the inauguration of Rs. 52 lakh veterinary polyclinic Beant Singh said that militant outfits had become more hostile after elections and had been resorting to mass killings desperately to destabilize the popularly elected government.
He said that master of militants cross the border were not inclined to Punjab poll and when it was held peacefully despite threats of militant sand boycott of the Akalis the Pakistani masters have pressured militant outfits to escalate violence in Punjab to achieve their nefarious game.
“Beant Singh asked militants to remember the ideals for which Guru Gobind Singh had created “Khalsa” and said that they (militants) are Killing innocents while the Guru wanted to protect them The Chief Minister cautioned the Sikh Community that if the killings by militants did not step in the next few years then the entire concept of Khalsa created by Guru Gobind Singh was moot. He said that the Army or paramilitary forces alone could not protect the people or bring normalcy in the state and now it had become imperative for them to rise against the prevailing militancy and to defeat evil designs of our enemies The Chief Minister exhorted militants and misguided youths surrender arms on the auspicious day of Baisakhi and assured that the government would take all necessary stops for rehabilitation. Replying to another question. Beant Singh made it clear that no area of Sangrur district would be merged in the newly created district of Mansa and that more districts could be created.
The Chief Minister declared that the shake-up of Punjab administration has become necessary after the assembly and assessment of the performance of bureaucrats and police officers.
Replying to a question by a newsman Beant Singh said that the pension scheme for working. A journalist was under active consideration of his government on the pattern adopted by some sates of the country.
On the demand of the local Congress (I) legislator Jasbir Singh that the covering of “Gendanallah which was started some years ago should be completed early Beant Singh announced that it would be completed before the next rainy season and assured adequate financial resources if needed for this purpose.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 17, 1992
