Question: With the installation of a popular government the response may not be that big. Do you agree?
Mr. Mann: No the response from the panches and sarpanches will be good as police repression has increased and the sarpanches are being humiliated.
Beant Singh has surrendered his authority to the Punjab Police Director-General K.P.S. Gill and given hima free hand. He cannot become popular with an unpopular program. When the Chief Minister surrenders his authority to the police what justice can the common man expect? Question: Do you think your goal of an independent sovereign Sikh state will become reality.
Mr. Mann: “It is possible to achieve the goal because international events have given a new tum to the Punjab situation. With the fall of Najibullah in Afghanistan India does not have friendly rulers while Pakistan on the western flank has no enemy. With stability coming to Afghanistan the Punjab problem will move towards its logical conclusion. The formation of a sovereign Sikh state will act as a buffer between Hindu and Muslim countries.
Question: But the local population is not fully with the demand for an independent sovereign Sikh state unlike in Afghanistan where the local population was with the militants. There was no killing of innocent persons in Afghanistan nor were there kidnappings and extortions.
Mr. Mann: The local population is with the Akalis. To achieve the goal; the militants will have to exercise stricter control over their cadres and not allow lootings extortions kidnappings and killing of innocent persons.
Question: Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra SGPC chief has sought the merger of all Akali factions and formation of one Akali Dal to achieve an independent sovereign Sikh state.
Mr. Mann: I am making strenuous efforts for the unity of all Akali factions. I went to see Baba Thakar Singh head of the Damdami Taksal in this connection. But he was sick and no discussion could be held.
I have deputed Jathedar Surjan Singh Thekedar a senior leader to talk to Parkash Singh Badal Gurcharan Singh Tohra Baba Joginder Singh Jagdev Singh Talwandi Kartar Singh Narang and Bhai Manjit Singh about the unity of these factions and they will report within seven days.
Ranjit Singh Brahampura general secretary and Lakha Singh have also been asked to meet the leaders for unity.
Sucha Singh Chhotepur and Charanjit Singh Walia general secretaries will mect the leaders of the two Sikh students federations led by Bhai Manjit Singh and Rajinder Singh Mehta respectively. The office-bearers of my party have already submitted their resignations to me. We will try for unity and give a solid program.
The leaders of the Bharau Kisan Union led by Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and Balbir Singh Rajewal will also be contacted and we will bring them on one platform.
Question: Do you think the Center will find a solution to the Punjab problem? –
Mr. Mann: The Center is not sincere about solving the Punjab problem. The Prime Minister had stated that the issue would be solved within two months of the elections. He has not done anything. The best thing is to call the militants and the Akali Dal for a round table conference and give us an independent sovereign Sikh state in a graceful manner.
Question: What have you gained and what have you lost with the boycott of the elections in Punjab?
Mr. Mann: We have gained honor dignity self-respect with the boycott of the elections and given a trust to the sovereign Sikh state movement. We have avoided civil strife and fratricidal war.
There have been no losses. We have gained everything by respecting the Sikh sentiment and given a stunning blow to India’s policies towards Punjab.
Question: There is migration of Hindus from Punjab because of the killings of innocent person’s extortions and kidnappings.
Mr. Mann: We assure our Hindu brothers that this is a temporary phase.
The Government itself is involved in these incidents of killing kidnapping and looting.
The Akali Dal (Mann) chief, Mr. Simranjit Singh Mann has said in an interview with ‘Tribune’: “We can only operate within the democratic framework and achieve an independent Sovereign Sikh state through peaceful means. We have already boycotted the election in Punjab and boycott was total. The present government is non-representative.”” He told The Tribune:” The shortcomings of the present government will be to our advantage For example, it wants to give river waters to Haryana and Rajasthan by cutting the share of Punjab. ‘The two are not riparian states and have no claim on the Punjab river water.
The government is also depriving Punjab of its natural resources as it is buying wheat Rs 280 per quintal whereas the same is being sold for Rs 500 per quintal in Maharashtra. The call for boycott of the mandis has received unprecedented response from farmer. Now we are seeking resignation of panches and sarpanches. We are confident that they will resign en-masse.”
Article extracted from this publication >> June 5, 1992
