CHANDIGARH: The Punjab BIP president Madan Mohan Mital on Saturday condemned the resolution adopted at a conclave of six Panthic organizations at Anandpur Sahib on the occasion of Hola Mohalla. The resolution demanded a Sikh sovereign state; Mital said the Indian nation would have to counter this dangerous dimension of Punjab politics.
Blaming this development on the Congress (I) the BIP leader told a news conference here that the ruling party had thrown the moderate Akalis in the lap of militants. He said the BIP would hold a series of rallies in Punjab in May to educated people about the threat to the nation. The Akalis he said should reconsider their demand as they were a major force in the state which should be channeled for the prosperity of its people Mittal said the sharp increase in killings after the installation of the Congress (I) government in Punjab had belied the hopes that restoration of popular rule would set things in order. Knowing fully well that hollow promises would only accentuate the situation the Congress (I) leaders at the Central and state level went on speaking at random about some package which never came It was regrettable that the Congress (I) plenary at Tripurati had failed to give any firm direction to solve the problem.
He said that although the Congress (I) was the only party which exploited communalism for partisan ends its leaders played to the gallery at Tirupati by blaming this menace of the BJP. It was known for all that the Congress (I) had joined hands with Muslim fanatics in the country for political gains.
Jagadish Monga general secretary of the Punjab BJP present at the news conference told newsmen that the party would enroll about two lakh members in the state by the end of May as a prelude to its organizational elections. The party would have units in all the 117 blocks. The process would be completed with the election of the state president in September he said.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 1, 1992
