CHANDIGARH India: Badal Akali Dal has decided to launch a mass scale struggle to press for the acceptance of Punjab demands. S. Parkash Singh Badal President of the Akali Dal declared at its Working Committee meeting in Chandigarh that if Center failed to accept Punjab demands by September 25 then the struggle on a mass scale would be launched and support of other organizations would also be solicited. He refused to identify other organizations but said that dialogues were continuing with other organizations on the minimum acceptable program.
After his release from Delhi Thar jail this was the first party meeting. He said that he could not say whether other organizations would join the struggle or not but he indicated that negotiations were going on with All India Sikh Student Federation (Bhai Manjit Singh Group). His participation in the convention of the Federation at Amritsar on September 20 confirmed this impression
He said that details about the demands and the agitation would be made public after consultations with other organizations. The: meeting was attended among others by S. Gurcharan Singh Tohra S. Surjan Singh Thekedar and S Sukhjinder Singh. The leader of the Party’s legislative group Capt. Amarinder Singh was not present as he was away to Calcutta.
Through a resolution it was said that to create unity in the Panth Barnala must quit as his government was no longer Panthic nor it enjoyed majority support in the Assembly. Center has fished him on Punjab to serve its political objectives. Criticizing the functioning of the government the resolution said that it had failed to give clean administration to the people. No section of the State was satisfied with the administration. Replying to a question Mr. Badal said that his party would negotiate with other organizations con the basic five issues; foremost among these are the issues of the release of Sikhs detained in Jodhpur jail and rehabilitation of the army deserters. His party will also agitate for the withdrawal of Article 249 he said. Referring to dialogue with the Center he asserted that he did not have any dialogue with any Central leader in Delhi. He described the publication of news to this effect in certain papers as a bundle of lies. He said that Akali Dals confrontation with the Center was on principles and the question of compromising principles does not arise.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 26, 1986
