Amritsar — In order to prove the authenticity of Mr. Harchard Singh Longowal’s_ controversial letter, stated to have been written by him from the Udaipur Central Jail, the publicity secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Mr. Gurmeet Singh Cheema, released Photostat copies of the letter to the press on Tuesday afternoon.
The letter, supposed to have been written by Mr. Longowal, does not bear any date. It does not say from where it has been sent and to whom.
The letter said that two young followers of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale came to Mr. Longowal a few hours after the start of Operation Bluestar and pressed him to declare a Khalistan. Mr. Longowal, the letter says, told them firmly that the Akali Dal did not support a Khalistan.
The Akali Dal never had any connection with Pakistan the letter added. Mr. Longowal regretted that the CPIM leader Mr. Harkishan Singh Surjeet had described the situation in a manner which created the impression that “‘the Sikhs are the agents of Pakistan.”
Mr. Longowal categorically stated that Bhindranwale never supported a Khalistan and had no link with Pakistan.
Mr. Longowal, according to the letter, said his Akali Dal never adopted a policy of extremism or supported it. The Akali Dal was and is to remain nonviolent and to fight for its rights in a nonviolent manner.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 22, 1985
