CHANDIGARH: Akali leader Simranjit Singh Mann’s promise to unfold a new programme for his party has proved elusive.
He had announced his plan to make public the “ultimate programme” in the wake of a report of killings of six innocent farmers by the Indian Army on February 26 in Amritsar district.
Mann first said he would announce the new programme “within 48 hours” if the Government of India did not withdraw the Army from Punjab and recall Governer Malhotra. He refraimed from making public any such programme. Instead he said he would do so on the occasion of Hola Mohalla congregation at Anandpur Saheb on March 1. On that day he said a meeting of Akali leaders would be held where after the promised programme would be made public. Even while a meeting did take place at Chandigarh the Akali leader did not stick to his word. Instead he said the new programme would be released at the congregation of last rites of the six farmers in Amritsar district held on March 7. But no such announcement was made as Mann and a few others were restrained from going there by the police. Now ina statement made at Chandigarh on March 13 Mann said the new programme would be unfolded on the occasion of Baisakhi on April 13.
Observers recall that similar tactics were adopted by late Sant Harchand Singh Longowal while he ran the ‘dharmyudh’ morcha at Amritsar from 1982 to 1984 He would promise a ‘new program’ for Sikhs but would postpone every time until he surrendered to the Army during ‘Bluestar’.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 22, 1991
