AMRITSAR: A new political Party “Shiromani Akali Dal” was formed by the All India Sikh Students Federation (Manjit) at a well-attended gathering near Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh in the city here, The new political party will be headed by Bhai Manjit Singh. Jasbir Singh Ghuman has been made the AISSF president.
The AISSF leaders announced that henceforth the federation would not indulge in politics and would concentrate only on reviving the Sikh tenets among the students in the educational institutions. Its political wing Shiromani Akali Dal would mobilize the masses and give a new direction to the community by fighting on democratic principles. The new Dal would procreate the ideals of Bhai Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and strive for “Khalistan,”
Speaking on the occasion, the leaders criticized the government for unleashing a reign of terror on the masses and claimed that hundreds of youths had been killed in fake encounters. The leaders also accused the traditional Akalis for betraying the people and not living upto their expectations.
The federation activists claimed that the Akalis were corrupt and that they had sold the interests of the community for their benefits. They said that the Akalis rather than uniting had formed their own groups, They added that the Akalis had been befooling the people and collecting money from them. But the money was not being used for Panthic activities. The leaders further said that the Akalis were power hungry who had resorted to bogus recruitment to show that they had a big following.
The leaders stated that taking the infighting among the Akali groups and the sad plight of the community into consideration, the new Akali Dal had been launched.
The leaders stressed that the federation had played a significant role in the Sikh politics since 1944. They said that after Operation
Bluestar the federation has been pursuing the policies of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and had been demanding an independent Sikh state.
Through a resolution the leaders stated that the federation would now be run under the name of the late Bhai Amrik Singh and the federation leaders would be accommodated in the Shiromani Akali Dal after they render their services as students.
Bhai Manjit Singh, the new president, said that the aim of the political party would be an independent Sikh state and for its achievement democratic means would be adopted.
He said that police rule existed in the state and the government was interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs. He cautioned the government that if it did not desist from its activities and did not withdraw security forces from around the gurdwaras, the party would launch an action-oriented program to get the gurdwaras freed.
He also accused the Center of not giving Punjab its share of water.
Through another resolution Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal a militant was declared the Jathedar of Akal Takht.
Glowing tributes were paid to the militants who had sacrificed their lives and their families were later honored amidst chanting of slogans, Banners eulogizing the sacrifices of the militants could also been seen all over the pandal.
Among the leaders who were present were Bhai Manjit Singh, Bhai Harminder Singh Gill, Bhai Gurtej Singh, Prof Suba Singh, Bhai Sarbjit Singh Jammu, Bhai Jasbir Singh Ghuman, wives of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Bhai Amrik Singh and a host of other second rung leaders.
The convention demanded that Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha should be released immediately. They were declared martyrs of the Sikh community, who had avenged the attack on Golden Temple
Article extracted from this publication >> September 4, 1992
