Kapurthala — About 24 prominent Akali leaders including legislators, members of the SGPC and district jathedars have called in a resolution for total unity of all factions of the Akali ranks and asked Mr. Longowal, Mr. Badal, Mr. Tohra and Mr. Talwandi not to hesitate to even sacrifice their offices to achieve panthic unity. The resolution was adopted at the meeting held here on Sunday. Mr. Ujjagar Singh Shekhwan, senior vice president of the Akali Dal presided. Briefing the newsmen on Monday Mr. Shekhwan said the meeting approved the Atma Singh formula which envisaged setting up of a panel of five representatives, comprising two members each from Longowal and Talwandi groups and one from AISSF. He said this panel should be empowered to negotiate with the Centre and any decision taken by it should be acceptable to all Sikhs and anyone opposing such a move would be considered as an ‘‘agent of the Congress (I).
While condemning the murderous attack on Mr. R. L. Bhatia, AICCI general secretary, it held the Congress (I) responsible for it.
The meeting also called upon the Prime Minister to pardon all the military deserters by reinstating them to their original postings. The meeting condemned the desecration of the Golden Temple complex by the police and Para military forces on the night of April 1920 and termed it as “a direct attack by Government on the Sikh religion.”
Article extracted from this publication >> May 10, 1985
