SAMALSAR(FARIDKOT):The Shiromani Akali Dal, headed by Parkash Singh Badal, ha questioned the theory of “human bomb” in the Beant Singh assassination ‘on August 31.
The “premature” statement by DGP, KPS Gill has raised eye brows and even Union Home Minister S‘B. Chavan had grilled the DGP for reaching a conclusion when a high-level probe was going On into the assassination.
After the political conference held under the banner of “save Punjab, remove Congress” organized by the Akali Dal here, senior Akali Dal leader Kuldip Singh ‘Wadala said the assassination of Beant Singh seemed to be a part of ‘a bigger conspiracy hatched by a government agency for some ulterior political motive.
The theory of “human bomb” had many loose ends and the police had given contradictory statements on this issue.
It may be mentioned here that the Akali Dal chief, Parkash Singh Badal, had already demanded proper investigations into the bomb explosion so that people could get right information. Wadala alleged that the Punjab police had not provided adequate security to Badal who was one of the most vulnerable targets in the prevailing situation. He, however, hastened to add that the Akali Dal did not want to highlight this issue as it might give wrong signals. “We did not face any threat from the “boys” as they had already announced that they won’t indulge in infighting, However, there was definitely a greater danger from some agencies which could go to any extent for obvious purpose.
During the five hour long political conference, this correspondent noticed chinks in the security of Badal. A number of other leaders expressed surprise over the presence of fever security personnel at the venue of the conference.
Two personal security guards of Badal, however, were keeping a constant vigil on the bulletproof Ambassador car of the Akali Dal President.
Akali leaders said that even after the head of state like Beant Singh, who enjoyed the “Z plus” security, was made a target by making use of chinks in his security, the police seemed to have failed to learn any lesson from the ghastly incident.
They expressed surprise that though two former Chief Ministers, including Surjit Singh Bamala, were present at the conference, the people were allowed to come very close to the venue. There was no check on the frequent intermingling of the crowd with the leaders.
However, an official of the Punjab police, talking to this correspondent, said that Badal was provided two Gypsies as escort vehicles. But the Akali leaders said that the condition of one of the Gypsies was very poor and it needed immediate repairs.
Earlier, addressing the conference, Badal said the Shiromani Akali Dal had launched a decisive battle to oust the “corrupt” Congress government from the stat and the Center with the active support of likeminded parties. He accused all successive Congress governments of meting out step motherly treatment to Punjab and its people.
The Union Home Minister, S.B. Chavan, had categorically asked the new Chief Minister, H.S. Brar, to induct only those ministers who did not have a “tainted” un age. Brar could choose only four ministers of that calibre. This showed that the old Cabinet was full of corrupt ministers, he alleged. Badal said that the Shiromani Akali Dal’s ‘save Punjab, remove Congress” campaign would be historic. Surjit Singh Bamala while speaking on the occasion, urged the Punjabis to be prepared for removing the Congress in the next elections. He said that in the previous assembly elections in some States, the Congress had tasted “big defeats” and its days were numbered even at the Center as the general election was in the offing.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 15, 1995
