CHANDIGARH: After keeping a low profile for more than a month a powerful section of the militants has resurfaced with a fresh code of conduct. This time the targets are the banks in Punjab which have been warned to ensure that cash deposits are not transferred outside the state.
The militants followed up their 14-point directive by killing two senior Punjab National Bank officials in Ludhiana earlier this week. Bank employees have been on strike and clearing houses have refused to transact business for the last three days
Several bank unions have demanded adequate security But that is a tall order keeping in view the fact that there are thousands of employees working in hundreds of bank branches all over the state. The directive has been issued on behalf of four powerful militant outfits the Khalistan Liberation Front (Bud sing wala) Khalistan Commando Force (Panjwar) Sikh Student’s Federation (Daljit) and the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (Sangha) They have directed the banks not to follow the orders of pawns of Delhi which are detrimental to the interests of the people living in Khalistan.
In their list of directives the militants have warned that they are drawing up dossiers on all those bank officials who are working against the interests of Punjab and its people. They will be awarded punishment at the appropriate time the statement warned. The militants have fixed September 1 as the deadline for all banks to completely switch over to Punjabi which they say must be accorded a status similar to Tamil in Tamil Nadu.
Bank officials have been told to give preference to farmers Dalits laborers small businessmen and poor city dwellers for loans. These loans they say should be given without causing harassment the militants have gone on to warn bank officials to think twice before giving loans to Punjabi Hindus. Preference must be given to Sikhs they say while cautioning against giving loans to those Sikhs working under the dominance of Hindus.
Banks have also been asked to ensure that loans involving big sums are issued only after ensuring that the money will not be misused in a manner detrimental 90% reservation for Sikhs and other minorities in promotions and appointments. Bank employees who have not studied Punjabi till matric or do not consider Punjabi as their mother tongue have been asked to leave the state by September 1.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 16, 1991
