CHANDIGARH: Akali leaders who were released from jail this week have sent confusing signals. It is hard to make out what they really stand for. Are they committed to the pro-Khalistan resolution passed at a panthic convention on the occasion of “hola mohalla” festival at the instance of certain second-rung leaders of half a dozen organizations? Was the resolution drafted after consulting them? Or was the resolution a mere tactical move to put Pressure on the central government {0 release them? These and many Other questions arise as one analyses their utterances from behind the bars For instance Parkash Singh Badal in an interview to Hindu a Madras Dals as well as undergrounds youths. It is the “last opportunity” available to the Center to devise a solution to the Punjab problem. He left the interviewer in no doubt that the Akali Dal would prefer a solution based on autonomy for Punjab. In other words he is willing to come to terms with Delhi on a political arrangement short of Khalistan.
Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Simranjit Singh Mann too issued a statement from jail in Sangrur district and released it through Iqbal Singh Tiwana a spokesman of Akali Dal (M). They demanded a Vatican-type status for Amritsar city. They said the question of whether Chandigarh or some other city should serve as Punjab’s capital could be settled only after the leaders have been released. For the present Punjab’s claim to Chandigarh stays intact. The two leaders also said that no one would be allowed to destroy the Babri Masjid. They asked the Indian chief of staff to personally take care of the Masjid and deploy a Sikh regiment and men of the Punjab Armed Police to protect the shrine. The national integration council team should personally visit the site and assess the situation. This team should also include Simranjit Singh Mann and Parkash Singh Badal.
Referring to chief minister Beant Singhs statement that security provided to Akali leaders would be withdrawn Mann has been quoted as saying that while he personally never sought any government security by making such a statement the chief minister had merely exposed his mind that he does not regard Akalis and Sikhs as citizens of India. The two leaders asked the U.N Secretary General to provide U.N. security to Sikh leaders
Referring to the creation of new districts the two leaders said that the Sikhs would not be satisfied. They would be satisfied only with the formation of an independent Sovereign Sikh state. The two leaders congratulated Pritish Prime Minister John Major on his “historic victory” They criticized the Indian judiciary for letting down Justice Ajit Singh Bains by declining to give any relief to him
The statement if read in its totality makes it clear that the Akali leaders are speaking anything but the language of Khalistan according to political observers Mann is evidently willing to be a Part of the national integration council of the Indian government.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 24, 1992
