AMRITSAR; The proposed Akali march to Delhi was thwarted with the arrest of Akali Dal (Mann) president Simranjit Singh Mann and All India Sikh Students Federation President Jasbir Singh Ghuman on Nov.1 along with a large number of party men,
All the senior Akali leaders, including Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Parkash Singh Badal, Kabul Singh, SurjitSingh Barnala, Kartar Singh Narang, Manjit Singh were put behind the bars, They were all remanded to judicial custody for 18 days till November 18, when they will be produced before the Sub Divisional Magistrate Dharm Dutta.
According to party resources, Badal was earlier released at Pathankot, following a court or der. However, he was immediately rearrested.
Mann and his party’s working committee member Sarbjit Singh, were seen on a rickshaw by the police, outside Jallianwala Bagh, as it took a turn towards the Golden Temple complex. The party’s general secretary Ram Singh and Satbir Singh Chatti wind, district unit vice president were close behind in another rickshaw.
There was commotion as they attempted to run toward the Golden Temple complex as the heavy police force present there gheraoed them, they sat on a dharma on the road for some time before they were arrested,
Earlier, at about 8:30 a.m. the police arrested the AISSF president Jasbir Singh Ghuman, from the Akal Takht Ghuman raised a protest saying that it curbed his religious freedom. About eight policemen, in plain clothes physically lifted Ghuman and forced him out.
This incident disrupted the proceedings inside the temple and a large number of devotees had to leave, Akal Takht acting jathedar Bhai Manjit Singh condemned police interference in the religious affairs of the Sikhs.
He said the police compelled him to complete the bhog of Sri Akhand Path one hour before schedule,
Manjit Singh demanded a clarification whether the police had followed the instructions of the Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh or acted on their own.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 5, 1993
