CHHAPAR (LUDHIANA): The Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh, said that the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, was behind the assassination of the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Harchand Singh Longowal seven years ago.
Addressing a huge political conference organized by the state Congress(I), at the annual Chhapar Fair here, the chief minister stated that after the murder the residents of Longowal village were so incensed that they did not allow Tohra even to sit near the deceased body or accompany the funeral procession, Tohra, as a result had to beat a hasty retreat to save himself from the public.
The Beant Singh also alleged that Tohra, later, called the killer of Longowal as a ‘martyr.’ In the same breath, he alleged that Akali leaders like Parkash Singh Badal and Tohra had never condemned the killings of innocent persons by militants. Beant Singh said he was very much present at the funeral and placed a wreath on the body of Longowal on behalf of his party. The chief minister reiterated his appeal to the militants in Punjab to lay down arms and promised to forgive them and help in their rehabilitation. He said every month, a big industrial unit would be set up. It is proposed to recruit 10,000 new teachers, The upper age for government jobs has been raised from 35 to 37 years and 7000 youths were recently recruited to police force. He assured loans to youths to set up new units, reacting to frequent condemnation of the police force by these leaders, he asked why did Simranjit Singh Mann, president of the Shiromani Akal Dal (Mann), join the police and later became SSP at Faridkot. He charged Mann with killing seven Mhangs during his tenure as an SSP.
The conference was also addressed by Industries Minister Karam Singh Gill, Gurcharan Singh Galib and Jagir Singh Dard, MLAs Malkiat Singh Birmi and Darshan Singh Brar.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 25, 1992
