BATHINDA: The Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh, on Feb.21, threw a spanner in the ongoing Akali unity talks by stating that his party would consider to approach the Election Commission to bar the Akali Dal from contesting elections in case the Akal Takht Acting Jathedar forms a new party..
Beant Singh said that his party would take up the matter with the Election Commission if need be, as per the provisions of the Peoples’ Representative Act.
The comments of the Chief Minister have assumed significance in wake of the likelihood of the Takht Acting Jathedar, Manjit Singh, dissolving the Akali factions to form a new party at Amritsar soon.
Earlier, at a public meeting Beant Singh said the government would take strong action against the organizers of the coming “Khalsa march” if it took a political turn.
He said his government was apprehensive of the real aims of the pro- posed march being organized by the Damdami Taksal as the Akali Dal (Badal) had decided to take part in it. He alleged that the same Damdami Taksal was once headed by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Gurbachan Singh Manochahal. The Taksal was responsible for breeding militants, he added. He deplored that Parkash Singh Badal has also decided to join the march.
He warned the people to be vigilant against the two Akali Dals. The Akalis during the past five decades of Independence had failed to learn either how to govern or how to build a healthy political party, he said.
Addressing a public meeting, Beant Singh said the government would not allow Damdami Taksal to organize a march under cover of religion as such marches in the past had paved the way for militancy and bloodshed.
He said the government was not interested in interfering in gurdwara elections and was bound by the Gurdwara Act of 1925, which could be repealed only when the Sikh masses
want so.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 3, 1995
