CHANDIGARH: Simranjit Singh Mann, president of Sikh Political Party Akali Dal Feb 11 said the four Panthic Committees should unite and militants should accept the government’s offer for holding talks with them with the provision of setting up of a free safe passage zone for their coming out of hiding.
Addressing a press conference here, Mann said that a response from the militants must go to Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, for any fruitful results.
Response from the militants is a must, he said.
Mann said political morality demands that the militants respond to Chandra Shekhar’s’ offer to hold talks. Politically an answer must be given to the prime minister on the negotiating table where it must be ascertained whether he (the prime minister) is wrong or night, Akali Dal president said.
He said another important requirement was that the four Panthic Committees headed by Dr Sohan Singh, Bhai Wassan Singh Zafarwal, Bhai Usman wala and Bhai Gurbachan Singh Manochahal, should unite and come under one platform as has been done recently by various Akali Dal factions.
Mann said The Panthic Committees should join hands together and chalk out the issue to be taken up at the talks with the center.
I never told the prime minister that I can bring in the militants for the talks, Mann said adding that he had only said that the militants are an important constitution in any effort aimed at finding a solution to the Punjab problem. i can mediate if both sides want me to do so, he added.
Asked to why the militants were not responding to Chandra Shekhar’s’ invitations, Mann said because the militants are in the woods and sugar cane fields. But Mr Chandra Shekhar’s’ assurance of providing a free safe passage zone for the militants to come out should help the militants reach the negotiating table, he added.
Replying to another question as to whether it was worth while holding talks with Chandra Shekhar as his position as prime minister itself was shaky, Mann said Chandra Shekhar is the constitutional prime minister and responses must go to him.
He said efforts were on at the federal level to bring in Rajiv Gandhi as prime minister. It will be disastrous for Punjab if Gandhi comes back to power he said adding that a section of the Akali Dal Pro-Congress (I) elements would also revolt against him (Mann) when Gandhi came to power.
He declined to identify the Pro Congress (I) elements within the Akali Dal. I am keeping a watch on the suspicious elements in the party, he said.
Referring to the criticism of the Akali Dal’s stand on the gulf-war, Mann said the party wishes to state that the Akali Dal condemns the annexation of Kuwait by Iraqi forces as it violated international law and the party is against alleged genocide of people by Saddam Hussain who used poison gas against his own people.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 15, 1991
