CHANDIGARH: Several Leading Sikh militant leaders addressed a media conference at Anandpur Saheb on the annual “hola mohalla” occasion. These leaders included Bhai Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala of Khalistan Liberation Force Bhai Parmjit Singh anjwar of Khalistan Commando Force Bhai Rachhpal Singh Chhandran of Bhindranwale Tiger Force Bhai Harmandar Singh Sultanwind of Panthic Committee Bhai Gurdip Singh Heran Bhai Rajbir Singh Jassi Bhai Jagrup Singh Bhai Ajmer Singh and Dr-Rajbir Singh.
The media meeting of such well known Sikh underground leaders atone place has caused many an eyebrow to be raised. The proceedings of the event appeared in the Punjabi Tribune. Political circles are discussing the aim of the militant leaders in getting together and airing their views on several current issues. The meeting is being interpreted as a challenge to the authority of the Indian slate. All the leaders safely escaped after the media conference.
The media leaders main thrust in their political statement was on forming panthic panchayats for running local democratic institutions of Sikhs independent of the Indian state. The panchayats could either be formed straight away or after contesting the officially-organized poll proposed to be conducted by the Punjab government after a few months. No militant would like to be elected to these panchayats. Only those with genuine sympathy for the Sikh movement should be returned. There should be no factionalism.
The formation of the panchayat should be based on persuasion and reason rather than coercion or force. No militant should interfere with the functioning of the Panchayats. All decisions by the new panchayats should invariably be taken in the presence of Guna Granth Saheb. The militant’s should be approached only to have the decisions enforced. Even murder cases should be settled at the panchayat level.
The Panthic Committee and other militant leaders appreciated the success of the Khalsa Panth to boycott the recent election. The militants neither called upon village panchayats lambardars and other village leaders not to approach any minister for any matter nor should they allow them to come to villages. A complete social boycott of the Beant Singh cabinet should be affected.
The militant leaders further said that they would have no contradiction with Akali leaders so long as they follow a correct political path.
It was stated that a coordination committee of all major militant organizations would soon be formed. They said that the aims of the Babbar Khalsa and the Panthic Committee are identical.
The militant leaders deplored the conduct of the Bahujan Samaj Party by participating in the recent lection and said that by doing so the party had drifted away from the Sikh fold although the Sikhs tried their best to bring them nearer. Even at this stage they should resign their seats and repent at Akal Takhat However the militants made it clear that they were opposed to the killings of Dalits The militant leaders were friendly towards the media persons and they distributed grapes to them as token of their affection and good.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 3, 1992
