While the people are confused over the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee polls being held after a gap of 17 years, the security agencies are concerned because many of those who have filed their nominations are either former extremists with TADA cases pending against them or their relatives. The security agencies, in fact, got the wind of this development from the recent intelligence reports prepared on the basis of the interrogation of the arrested terrorists and the documents seized from them. The reports revealed that a secret “plan” was afoot to shift the focus of the extremist movement from active militancy to influencing the affairs of the Sikhs through participation in political and religious organizations by extremist elements,

In June, the Jalandhar police had arrested Iqbal Singh, a topnotch activist of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) from Phillaur. During Interrogation, he revealed that BKI chief Wadhawa Singh had deputed him to spearhead the revival of militant activity in India. He was nominated operational commander for Punjab and ad joining states and assigned the task of opening up a dialogue with over ground pro militant organizations. At present on bail, he has filed his nomination papers for the SGPC polls as an Independent candidate from the 82 Jalandhar constituency.

Among the other candidates with known extremist leanings are Dr. Sohan Singh, the Khalistan ideologue and member of the first Panthic committee formed in 1986. Facing charges of sedition, he is a candidate from the Mohali seat. Karamjit Singh, said to be an activist of the Khalistan Liberation Force who had attempted to kill Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 by hiding himself in the bushes at the Rajghat in Delhi, is also a candidate in the polls. Swaranjit Kaur, an Akali Dal candidate for the Jalandhar 82 constituency is the wife of the Panthic Committee member Amreek Singh and mother of slain Babbar terrorist “Tanny” Harbans Singh.

Even Kuldip Singh Wadala, an Akali leader gave a hint of this secret “plan”, when he revolted against the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leadership and quit the party. He alleged the party was not giving due representation to “constructive aspects” of militancy on its policies. He said that he had noticed this shift in the extremist thought during his three month tour of North America and Britain. He said that extremists abroad were of the opinion that the movement could not be handled properly in absence of a political approach. It was this realization which had prompted them to enter the mainstream political and religious organizations, he said. According to estimate about 7 to 8 percent of the 1,750 candidates who have filed nominations have extremist background. The final picture, however, is expected to be clear after the withdrawal of nominations on September 24. However, senior police officers say that all the candidates irrespective of their backgrounds are being offered police protection during the election period, a field officer has been asked to prepare a list of the candidates with extremist background.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 25, 1996