ALAMGIR (LUDHIANA): The Akali Dal (Amritsar) got a boost last week when a large number of activists belonging to the United Akali Dal, the Sikh Students Federation (MehtaChawla) and the Punjab Human Rights Organization resigned from those organizations and joined the former. ‘The prominent among those who joined the party included Dhian Singh Mand, former member of Lok Sabha and presidium member of the UAD. In fact, this party, owing allegiance to the Rode family of late Sant Jamail Singh Bhindranwale, suffered the biggest jolt in this step. Another of its six presidium members, Ajit Singh Bhangu, some presidents of its district units such as Harpal Singh (Bathinda), Mukhtar Singh (Sangrur), Tarlok Singh (Mansa) and Kuldip Singh Karyal (Ferozepur) and many others also announced their merger into the Dal formed under directions from Akal Takht jathedar Prof Manjit Singh.
Amrik Singh Muktsar and Sukhchain Singh Talwandi, general secretary and vice-president respectively of SSF, Jaspal Singh, and Ropar district president of PHRO (Bains), Jagmohan Singh Saini. Legal cell chief also announced their merger at a meeting organized in historic Manjit Sahib Gurdwara at Alamgir.
Disillusioned by their previous organization, they said they had realized that only the Amritsar declaration and its proponent party could steer the Sikh community a head of this juncture.
They were welcomed into tie party fold by three ad hoc committee members, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Jasmer Singh Bala by presenting them siropas.
‘They said with this step their detractors who alleged demoralization in the party had got a befitting reply. ‘Talwandi and Tohra called upon the new entrants to persuade other ‘Akalis also to follow the suit. They specifically mentioned former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and urged him to join their party by forgetting the past and assured that they had no grudge against him. They emphasized that only the united Akalis having patronage of the Akal Takht could succeed in their political aims. Hoping that more people would be joining its ranks, the Dal (Amritsar) further extended the date of its membership enrolment by 20 days up to Nov.20. The party, Jagdev Singh Talwandi announced, had decided to form a human rights wing to highlight cases of police excesses and highhandedness as well as to create mass awareness regarding the basic freedoms.
Jaspal Singh has been made in charge of this wing.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 4, 1994
