AMRITSAR: The powerful all India Sikh Students Federation (Manjit faction) was heading for a split following a revolt by many of its senior leaders, who submitted their resignations due to differences with the federation’s president Manjit Singh.
The President had expelled organizing secretary Rajinder Singh Mehta and summoned an emergency meeting of the organization here last week to discuss the crisis.
The revolt in the organization was triggered by the resignation of Mehta at a press conference at Jalandhar.
In a written statement, Mehta had accused Manjit Singh of having a “hand in the assassination” of AISSF general secretary Harminder Singh Sandhu at his residence here on January 24,
About 10 senior leaders, including federation’s vice-president Baldev Singh Hotian, joint secretary Amarjeet Singh Chawla, executive member, Jugraj Singh and district president of Amritsar, Delhi, Jammu and Gangangar regions, announced their resignations on Thursday at a press conference at Sandhu’s residence.
The dissident leaders announced that they would summon a meeting of federation activists here in a few days to evolve their next course of action.
They said they had sent their resignations to the Damdami Taksal Chief, Baba Thakar Singh, instead of President Manjit Singh.
Amarjeet Singh Chawla said, “we do not consider Manjit Singh as President as he is encouraging fratricide war in the federation ranks, besides, he has failed’ to follow the basic ideology of the federation especially over the policy on contesting elections.
He said Sandhu and other senior leaders opposed contesting elections to the lower house. of Parliament, state assembly and other bodies while Manjit Singh had favored it.
Chawla said the dissident leaders took this step after consulting senior Sikh leaders, including the Damdami Taksal Chief, Baba Thakar Singh.
He, however clarified they would continue to serve the organization as they had submitted resignations from their posts and not from the organization.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 23, 1990
