LUDHIANA: The Union Minister for ‘Civil Supplies, Buta Singh, for the first time on Nov.2, hit out at the two month old Harcharan Singh Brar Government in Panjab charging it with utter failure on the militant front.
Talking to media persons here, Singh deplored that Brar had so far not taken any steps to check extremist and fundamentalist forces he observed that both these types of forces were active in the border state and, in particular religious, political and social fundamentalists were raising their head again and posed a grave challenge to the country.
Buta Singh, who was here in connection with the bhog ceremony of his deceased wife Manjit Kaur, said the acid test before the Brar ministry ‘Thursday was as to how it deals with the forces which had claimed the life ‘of its predecessor Mr, Beant Singh.
He urged him to snuff out the separatist and their supporting elements ‘ruthlessly.
At the same time, he admitted Mr. Brar has been in office for too short a time and clarified that he was her not to issue him any certificate of his performance. Significantly, Mr. j Singh’s nephew, Mr. Joginder Singh Mann, who has been Kept out of the ministry by Mr. Brar, was also present in the press conference.
Mr. Buta Singh, in an oblique defense of the controversial god man Chandraswamy, said the latter was not being shielded from being arrested. He maintained that the law of the land would take its own course and if the godman deserved to be incarcerated, he would be.
He observed that the former Internal Security Minister, Mr. Rajesh Pilot, was merely trying to take political mileage by demanding Mr Chandraswamy’s arrest. Had he wanted him to be put behind the bars, he could have done it while in that ministry, Mr. Singh remarked. He alleged Mr. Pilots timed against the godman was based on a misconception that the latter had put up and financed an independent candidate against his wife Mrs. Kama Pilot during an Assembly election in Rajasthan.
Asked if the controversy was not impinging on the image of the Congress in view of general poll round the corner, he snapped that Mr Chandraswamy was not in the party and his name should not be tagged to it.
Earlier during the bhog ceremony of his deceased wife, a large number of loyalists of the late Mr, Beant Singh turned up in good strength. Appears in the absence of recognition from Mr. HS. Brar they are tilting towards Mr. Buta Singh hoping him to emerge ‘as a rallying point in the state.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 10, 1995
