AMRITSAR: Sikh groups are pulling in different directions on the proposed elections to the Indian Parliament and the State Assembly to elect Punjab representatives even as the Government of India is keeping a close watch on the developments within the Sikh fold.
Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar ended the guessing game on Punjab last week by officially announcing his government’s firm intention to hold the long delayed poll the election commission of India withheld actual dates even after it announced the time-table for the remaining states. Evidently the government is not too certain about the political stand of the dominant Sikh groups. It appears to be in contact with several underground organisations to know their mind and to convince them the need for letting a violence-free poll to be held.
As expected the newly set up Babbar Akali Dal reacted to the poll plans of the government by stating it would stay away from the poll in the present situation Babbar Dal chief Kartar Singh Narang said Sikh would not enter the electoral arena until the Indian Army was withdrawn from Punjab black laws were repealed and the thousands of Sikhs detained by the government were freed. Addressing a religious congregation at Bir Baba Budha Saheb in Amritsar district Narang said participation in the poll process in the present conditions would deliver a severe blow to the Sikh Struggle.
On the other hand Akali Dal headed by Simranjit Singh Mann said his party would participate in the election on the issue of freedom for Sikhs. He made this announcement on the occasion of Baisakhi festivities at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district Mann expressed doubts about the government of India’s intentions on the elections issue and said that it was still uncertain
The Panthic Committee Dr Sohan Singh and others through hand bills at Talwandi Sabo declared its intention not to join the election program under the present constitutional set up which the committee said had been used to oppress the Sikhs. The committee asked Sikhs to boycott the elections there was no confirmation of the Panthic Committee stand. WSN was told that a policy statement would be issued in a day or two.
The two other panthic committees associated with Manochahal and Zafarwal did not comment on the election issue. Manochahal in a significant move announced recognition to the All India Sikh Students Federation headed by Bhai Manjit Singh as his group’s political arm. Bhai Manjit Singh has not so far made known his electoral plans.
The Mehta-Chawla faction of the AISSF also kept quiet on the election issue and instead called for sewing up Khalsa Panchayats in all villages as a step towards establishing a parallel government.
Mann who earlier had announced his plans to boycott the election said his working committee had a meeting on Saturday night at Talwandi Sabo to authorize him to revoke the boycott decision Consequently Mann said he had a plan now to join the electoral battle on the issue of freedom for Sikhs.
PTI adds from Delhi: Multi-faceted efforts are on to build up a viable force in Punjab so that the coming elections in the state could bring peace and normalcy official sources indicated here Tuesday.
Chandra Shekhar and minister of state for home affairs Subodh Kant Sahay are in close contact with major militant and political groups in the state to gauge their response to the holding of elections
These groups include the ones functioning as political parties like the Akali Dal factions led by Simranjit Singh Mann and Prakash Singh Badal.
A second set of people who are interacting with the centre are being described as those in the shadow region These are not directly involved in militant activities but are in close contact with them
The third group has been described as those representing the sections of militants such a: Panthic Committee faction: headed by Gurbachan Singt Manochal and Wassan Singh Zafarwal. Elements of the Sohar Singh faction of the Panthic Committee which is opposed to elections as they don’t recognise the Indian constitution are also in touch with the government.
The sources said the current Status of the talks was only exploratory.
The response was so far good.
The sources said on Baisakhi day two parallel congregations were held at Talwandi Sabo in Bhatinda district and claimed that no pro Khalistan slogans were raised.
Even the Sohan Singh faction was restrained and their behavior was on expected lines.
The sources were hopeful that all the major factions would agree to participate in the electoral process. Even the Sohan Singh group may field individual candidates in the hustings and their opposition would be purely technical.
The sources said unity among the various Akali groups was very fragile and not really working.
Even Mann who once claimed to exercise authority to hold talks on behalf of the militants is no longer their accepted representative. Baba Joginder Singh who has links with the Zafarwal faction of the Panthic Committee and Gurij Singh once close associates of Mann is no more with him.
Mann’s utterances were being viewed as those of a politician enlarging his constituency.
The centre is making contact with Sikh leaders through nationalist minded leaders and religious leaders or sants. Young leaders of all shades of Opinion are strongly in favour of the elections the sources said.
The sources said the government initiative to hold talks was prompted by its thinking that insurgency starts where politics ends
Failure of politics in Punjab whatever be the reason has resulted in protest action which has degenerated into violence. Foreign support has also played a key role in the deterioration of the Situation can be retrieved only through political action the sources said.
Several factions have been urging Chandra Shekhar and Sahay to contest elections from Punjab. Their contention is that the struggle in Punjab is not against India but for justice.
Chohan approached LONDON<Jagjit Singh Chohan a protagonist of Khalistan the separate state demanded by Sikhs in Indian Punjab Monday said he had been approached on behalf of _Chandra Shekhar for a dialogue with Sikh militants on the Punjab problem PTI reports.
An aide to Chandra Shekhar telephoned him a couple of days ago to apprise him of the initiatives the prime minister had taken in an endeavor to create an atmosphere for opening a dialogue with the Sikh militants Chohan said.
The Khalistan protagonist who is currently heading a faction of the Khalistan outfits in the UK said he favoured exploratory talks on the Punjab issue between the government and representatives of different groups of the Akali Dal militants in Punjab and separatist Sikh organisations outside India
The telephone talks centered round the governments keen desire to solve the Punjab problem and the possible response of the Sikh militants in India and abroad.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 19, 1991
