THE use of the title “Muni” with your name is a bit inappropriate, don’t you think? It is my understanding that a Muni must have and display the qualities of honesty, courage and wisdom. You appear to have abandoned all of them for the sake of cheap publicity and politics of expedience. Your politics of expedience causes me some concern because you have chosen to direct your efforts both against the Sikhs and me. Let me cite just a few examples from the chain of your lies. You have made publicly known that at the beginning of this year you had met me in London; that you had discussed with me the possibility of various solutions in Punjab; and that i had given you to understand that I was willing t6 abandon my stand for a sovereign Sikh nation for personal gains in the Punjab political scene. Then you want to misinform the people of the world that Manochahal, a member of the Panthic Committee, had been bought out by some ‘one very powerful and that this fact was in your personal knowledge. You then employed your considerable talents and resources for deceit in discrediting Singh Sahib Bhai Jasbir Singh by making statements to the press that he had worked out a compromise with the Government of India for his release from the prison. Most recently, you have spread the baseless lie that you met me again in Bangkok and that I enquired from you as to what you were doing about by rehabilitation in Punjab. The fact is that you and I have never exchanged even three words of greeting either face to face or over the telephone. The question of discussing with you anything serious does not arise for you have neither the authority to negotiate nor to make any binding offers. The fact also remains that Manochahal has not been bought out by anybody and that fact is in my personal knowledge.

All that your lies do is to spread confusion everywhere. And this confusion is not good for you or the Sikhs or the New Delhi regime. You must know, and your masters in New Delhi. I have seen no reason to accept any compromise on that issue for the last two decades and there is no reason to do so now so now either. It is more than clear that your masters in New Delhi are not even looking for peace in Punjab. You should know that they want to use the unrest in Punjab not only against Pakistan, across the border, but also against the various nations within the Union of State that is India and to enrich a few at the cost of millions as is evident from the Bofors deal.

Whatever be your game and whatever your relations with your masters in New Delhi, if you genuinely seek any solutions, why don’t you start an open dialogue with the people most concerned with the situation instead of going, about in a clandestine manner? Talk to the Sikhs from an open podium. Let them tell you loud and clear what they feel and what they are looking for, If you are prepared to do that I am willing to create a platform for you here in London. Bring anybody with you from the Jain Baradari, the Government of India or the international comity of nations. Let there be an open and honest discussion that is only way to find solutions for problems that have no secret basis.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 13, 1988