CHANDIGARH: The Punjab BJP is against the proposed constitutional amendment bill seeking disqualification of candidates who Preach separatism and violence and is understood to have requested its high command not to support it.

The party’s state unit is said to be of the view that the bill, if enacted would con- tribute to the scuttling of the democratic Process in Punjab to which the measure is mainly meant to apply. The candidates have to pledge allegiance to the Constitution and unity and integrity of the country and this is a deterrent sufficient enough to guard against any untoward activity on their part later.

The measure would create unnecessary problems, for the Akali factions functioning within the ambit of the country’s political system though their demand for autonomy appears separatist. The constitutional a mend mentis bound to be interpreted in a partisan manner by the ruling party the BJP’s state leadership asserts.

The Punjab BJP had taken a different stand on the Punjab poll also and its central leadership, which initially wanted the polls to be put off later, agreed to the assessment of the state unit and gave whole-hearted support to the holding of elections as scheduled in April. Apart from the BJP, the Punjab CPI had also persuaded its national leaders to end boycott of the Punjab poll.

As the situation stands the support to the proposed constitutional amendment will come mostly from the Congress (1) and the CPI-M. The CPI has not yet made its stand clear on the issue. Almost all Akali factions and the AISSF (Manjit) contesting the Punjab elections are bound to oppose the will The opposing to the proposed bill also stems from the realization that it would strengthen the militants call for boycott of the poll. The Alkalis who have taken a definite stand on autonomy and incorporated it in their election manifestos may not be able to discard it at this stage. If they do, they would be branded as deviationists.

It is, however, not certain that the BJP high command would concur to the views of the party’s state unit on the proposed bill. The party has consistently been fighting against separatism and to say that it would discard one of the most important planks of its policy as an issue confined mainly to one state would appear irrational.

The Center will hold consultations with all parties in Parliament on the bill as its passage requires the support of two-thirds majority. It seems unlikely at the moment that any national party would oppose the bill thereby falling in what is termed as the Congress (I) trap and being listed as a supporter of separatism.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 19, 1991