CHANDIGARH: The Union Home Ministry continues dictating the Barnala Balwant Ministry despite the virtual collapse of Punjab Accord. The militant takeover of the Akal Takhat Kar Sewa is disturbing Delhi more than what violence did in the past. Balwant Singh was called to brief him and to work out a strategy to dislodge the Present organizers of the Kar Sewa. The center first leaked out the Balwant-Nehru talk but later denied. The intention of this was to tell Surjit Singh Barnala to behave a good guy or in the alternative face the Prospects of being replaced by Balwant Singh as Chief Minister.
The denial was issued to keep up the posture that law and order being the State Subject, Center has no interest in interfering to reports the army has been re-deployed along the Indo Pak border and boundaries with Himachal and possibly with Haryana have been sealed. The campaign built up in Hindu Press reminds off one of the pre-operation Blue Star drama enacted by Mrs. Gandhi. B.S.F. is being replaced at the borders by the army for deployment around the Golden Temple Complex to lend support to. the Balwant led Sarbat Khalsa being readied to take over the Kar Sewa An announcement should be expected soon from Delhi that Kar Sewa is an exclusive Sikh concern and that Delhi has nothing to do with such religious matters. Delhi seems to have arrogated to itself the power to decide the Sikh leadership question be Cause more than Kar Sewa it is the leadership ‘that is at stake for the Balwant Barnala Group. The difficulty with Delhi is that it is refusing to recognize the plain fact that ground has been allowed to shift from under them.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 8, 1991
