Punjab Sikh Lawyers Council welcomed the emergence of Shiromani Babbar Akali Dal as a positive development in Sikh politics but warned its leaders against leaning on Certain power brokers who effectively brought about the ruin of traditional’ Akalis headed by Simranjit Singh Mann.

The PSLC General Secretary Mohinder Singh Grewal in a statement here observed that the Babbar Akalis’ rise appeared to be aimed at filling a gap caused by the traditional Akalis.

What marginalized the traditional Akalis headed by Simranjit Singh Mann was their lust for power at the expense of youths and Punjab according to Grewal who ascribed their recent talks with the Chander Shekhar government to this base objective rather than the attainment of any honorable goal of the community.

Far from gaining anything Grewal added the recent Shekhar Mann talks provided an element of legitimacy to the tottering regime of the minority government. The very idea of entering into any serious dialogue with this government was extremely ridiculous. In fact the Brahaman-Bania establishment under the guise of holding talks had something up its sleeves: a conspiracy to denigrate Sikhs as a rigid community and to end up mounting yet another offensive against them not only politically but also militarily. This led to a major step-up in the Sikh killings.

Well-meaning organisations had given a timely warning to Mann against entering into futile talks which amounted to walking into a trap laid for the Sikhs Instead of insisting on creating a congenial atmosphere Mann held a secret 90-minute talk with Shekhar to reach what Mann himself later termed as his understanding. He did not explain the terms of the understanding. One important clause of this understanding obviously was to connive silently at the construction of S.Y.L. canal. Prior to the talks Shekhar had made a public statement in favor of digging up the canal while Mann maintained a total silence prior to or even after his talks.

Grewal asked the Babbar Akali Dal to outline its aims more clearly so that the public knew it was different from the traditional Akalis. Its leaders should also keep off certain well known power brokers who served as Mann’s “front men” and advised him in favour of holding the talks. These power brokers were also responsible for misleading a section of militants who created a stir in political circles by praising Chander Shekhar uninhibitedly.

The PSLC General Secretary also advised the Babbar Akalis to consider for adoption the goal of making Punjab self-sufficient in all spheres of production. He also stressed the need for more active measures to protect Punjab’s vital interests such as opposition to the S.Y.L. canal and flow of other channels out of Punjab.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 22, 1991