JALANDHAR: Babbar Khalsa International a militant outfit rejected the demand of Akalis for self-determination and said that they would not be a party for any dialogue on this subject.

In a policy statement issued by Mr Kulwant Singh Babbar press secretary of the organization he called upon Mr Simranjit Singh Mann to stop begging privileges under the parameters of the Indian constitution which has been consistently and purposely calculated towards harming the Sikh interests.

The Babbars believed that self-determination has a universal acceptability. [t cannot be termed as a political goal in any case. Self-determination was simply a device or method to determine something. What is to be determined is not clear? The organization asked Mr Mann if he consulted militants before the merger of the Akalis and fixing up goal of self-determination. They apprehended that Akalis led by Mr Mann would come down to the Anandpur Sahib resolution through self-determination.

Regarding the talks between the Prime Minister Mr Chandra Shekhar and Mr Simranjit Singh Mann held recently at Delhi the Babbars believed that it was an enacted drama conspired by the stooges of the government. Mr Mann should not rely on a bank which has no balance in the account. This reference was obviously to the extreme minority government of Mr Chandra Shekhar The militants made it clear that the Sikhs should not be mistaken that Mr Mann went to Delhi for a dialogue with the consent of the militants. On December 26 at Fatehgarh conference there were two stages one for militants and the other for the Akalis. While the latter authorized Mr Mann to negotiate with the Centre the militants reiterated their stand for Khalistan and did not authorize Mr Mann to talk of self-determination. It said the Babbars have nothing to do with the Mann-Shekhar talks.

Regarding amalgamation of the three Akali factions the press note says that their organization had been closely watching the political activities taking place overtly and covertly in the Akali Dal camps in the last few weeks The Akali leaders took advantage of our political childhood. We are now matured political freedom fighters and have attained the capability to deeply analyses the Akali politics and give it a turn according to the wishes of Sarbat Khalsa.

While rejecting the unity among various Akali factions it says that the present unification under the leadership of Mr Mann consists of large number of leaders especially of the erstwhile Badal and Longowal factions who were ministers in the state cabinet and stood for the Rajiv-Longowal accord This merged Akali Dal consists of those leaders who were responsible for Operation Bluestar and were party to the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib during the days of the Barnala Government The bulk of those in united Akali Dal are cowards manipulators and have suspicious antecedents with a record of lost credibility.

There is no dearth of traitor’s government stooges and leaders with Congress background under Mr Mann. Babbar Khalsa cannot digest and approve such kind of unity. We term this a unity of dishonest opportunist’s black-sheep’s betrayers and blackmailers of Khalsa Panth. We do not pin hopes on this amalgamation hence we reject it.

The organization asked Mr Mann how he would tolerate the presence of Mr Jeewan Singh Umranangal Capt Kanwaljit Singh Mr Tohra etc. in his party who have always fought against the militants and have jeopardized the rightful and religious struggle of the Sikhs

The press note warns Mr Mann that those who have joined his party have come for their political and physical survival because they were evidently faced with political extinction They are not sincere with him nor with the Khalsa Panth The organization made it clear that the unification of Akali Dals has made him the chief of obsolete leaders and fence sitters but not of the militants fighting for Khalistan. The press note warns that any attempt made by opportunists through Mr Mann to scuttle the present armed struggle would invite death penalty for them. The Babbars are of the conviction that the demand for Khalistan ts irrevocable and irreversible.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 1, 1991