ROPAR: The Punjab Government came under severe criticism from Kamal Chaudhary, a sitting Congress (I) MP, for threatening to stop development grants to panchayats who have resigned on the directive of the militants. Talking to newsmen here, Chaudhary advised the Beant Singh Ministry to reconsider its decision regarding grants. He wanted the government to give top priority to “talk with those militant organizations which had rejected the Indian constitution,” He said the militants had several valid points “which needed to be redressed rather than suppressed. it was unfortunate, he added, that the government was not checking police atrocities on innocent people. He stressed the need for overhauling the police set-up to make it more human.
Referring to the fate of the Rajiv- Longowal accord, the MP said the Center should not be misled into announcing a Punjab package. Instead, outstanding issues should be settled with the neighboring state,
He was in favor of setting up big industrial units to eradicate un- employment amongst Punjabi youth.
The MP toured Ropar district for two days and addressed 20 public meetings in different villages.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 10, 1994
