AMRITSAR: The Panthic committee, headed by the chief of the Bhindranwale, Tiger Force of Khalistan, Baba Gurbachan Singh ‘Manochahal, asked the Akai to come together and extend support to the militants struggle to achieve their defined goal.

In a communiqué, meant to be used at the Panthic congregation at a just concluded Shahidi Jor mela at Fategarh Sahib, the Panthic committee said the Akali and AISSF factions have no locus remide to taken any decision for the community.

‘Making an oblique reference to the Akali Dal (M) and the AISSF (Manjit), the Panthic committee said these forces should not have any illusions regarding their role in the Sikh struggle though they had the support of the militants in the past.

Responding to the governments offer for a negotiated settlement of the Punjab tangle, the Panthic committee said it was ready for negotiations if the agenda was Khalistan and the talks were held in a neutral country like Switzerland.

PRELUDE TO TALKS: The government delegation for such talks should have the approval of Parliament and the overcome should be binding on the Indian government. The government should also liberate the Golden Temple complex from the security force, release all the militant under trials from jail and punish the guilty officers of the 1984 riots and the police officers guilty ‘of engineering fake encounters as a prelude to such talks.

‘The Panthic committee believes that the Sikhs struggle hinged on the militants and anybody opposed to militancy was an enemy of the Panth.

“The Akalis of different hues who often raise the banner of Panthic unity and pledge to carry on the Sikh struggle in a peaceful manner were not contributing anything towards the main objectives of a Sikh nation, said the committee, On the ‘contrary such elements dissuade the youth from joining the struggle by spreading the disinformation that a sovereign Sikh state won’t be financially viable and be detrimental to the economic interests of the Sikh ‘community.

‘The committee has directed the ‘Akalis to wind up their out it’s and sought rehabilitation of their workers by engaging them in the Welfare of the families of the lain militants. The Akalis would have complete freedom to exist after achieving the goal but no Panthic political party can be permitted to operate at this juncture, said the statement.

‘Accusing the Akalis of duplicity, the Panthic committee alleged that they always safeguarded their ‘material and political interests but ‘maintained a public posture that the outcome of the negotiations between the militants and the ‘Union government would be acceptable to them,

‘The committee said the basic tenet of the Sikhs that religion and politics are inseparable has been used to their advantage by the ‘Akalis. Religion is supreme and can’t be subservient to politics but the present day politicians, including Akalis, have used religion to promote their political and ‘economic easier.

NASIK: Nine persons were killed, ‘seven of them on the spot and seven ‘others seriously injured in a collision between a truck and a van at SavaldeFaia, near Shahada in Dhule district of the western Indian state of Maharashtra at around 1000 hrs Tuesday.

‘According to a report received here Wednesday, the truck was proceeding from Shahada to Dondaicha and the Matador van was coming to Shahada from Shirpur.

The names of the six victims identified are Sanjay Ramsing Girase (Amoda), Gambhir Ahire (Tara), Bhagwan Borase (June Bhamate), Eknath Wadali (Karjat), Yadavrso Bagul (Karjt) and Namdeo Bhika Patil (Ojtar Kharpe).

The injured were admitted to the ‘Dhule civil hospital.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> January 17, 1992