CHANDIGARH: That the current Akali moves for unity have Delhi’s blessings was indicated by Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal here last week.

When a newsman brought to Devi Lal’s attention that the Badal faction had “surrendered” to militants by offering to merge his Dal with the one headed by Simranjit Singh Mann, the DPM shot back: “It may be your view with which we do not agree”.

Devi Lal first ridiculed all Akali Dal group subscriber “Where is the Akali Dal? There are small groups known after individuals such as Simranjit Singh Mann, Prakash Singh Badal, Master Tara Singh and, of course, that sarkari Dal called Mahant Sewa Dass’s Pheruman Dal”.

These were Devi Lal’s carefully chosen words for, he tried to conceal his traditional amity for Badal. He evidently equated all Dals so that the public in Punjab did not view the Badal Dal as a proCentre outfit. Then Devi Lal proceeded to welcome the Akali unity moves and said: “Let them unite as one group. A united Akali Dal could wrest all concessions from us.”

It may be recalled that Devi Lal had met his Akali portage at Teja Khera village in Sirsa district on July 25 for several hours to devise for Prakash Singh Badal his group’s strategy visa is Akali Dal (Mann), a fact Devi Lal himself confirmed is a Press interview.

Meanwhile, Akali Dal (M) working committee at its meeting at Moga formed a three member group comprising Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Captain Harcharan Singh Rode and Bhai Ram Singh to hold unity talks with other Akali Dals. On its part, the Akali Dal (Badal), too, formed a, three member committee consisting of Captain Amarinder Singh (a relation of Mann), Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Kuldip Singh Wadala to respond to Mann’s move. Badal in a statement asked Jathedar Tota Singh of Akali Dal (Longowal) to set up a committee of the group for talks.

Surjan Singh Thekedar whom Badal earlier authorised to talk for unity with the Mann faction gave up the job and announced his decision to join the Mann group without any fanfare. Mann who toured Ludhiana district last week praise Thekedar in the same way as the former had praised Sukhdev Singt Dhillon, a Longowal group leader, who earlier in July announced his decision to join the Dal (Mann).

Article extracted from this publication >> August 3, 1990