CHANDIGARH: Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann has jumped into the poll arena. He would contest the Lok Sabha election from Sangrur,
His candidature was announced by Sucha Singh Chhotepur, chairman of the party’s Parliamentary Board. The entry of Mann has added a new dimension to the sangrur seat as Akal Dal (Badal) has fielded former Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala from there. Chhotepur said that it was Bamala who, as Chief Minister, had ordered the police entry into the Golden Temple complex after the Khalistan declaration by the militants, He said the police entry had virtually justified Operation Blue star. Mann would go to the people on this issue.
Mann would rise neither the Khalistan issue nor the Amritsar Declaration which demands confederation of the states,
Mann was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Tam Taran in the 1989 election but did not take oath as the three feet sword he carries barred his entry into the Parliament, said now the party had directed him not to insist on carrying the sword if he is elected.
He said both the Congress and Barnala had done great harm to Punjab. He said apart from ordering police entry into the complex, Barnala was able for the construction of Satluj Yamuna link canal, which is to carry water to Haryana from the Punjab rivers, Its construction was stopped after the gunning down of its chief engineer by the militants in 1990.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 3, 1996
