NEW DELHI: Buta Singh, the Union Minister for Civil Supplies, said last week, that he never tendered an apology for ‘operation blue star”, but for disobeying certain written instructions issued to him by the high priests regarding the reconstruction of Akal Takht

He said that he had taken the Chief Minister, Beant Singh, into confidence, before presenting himself before the high priests to take the punishment as a humble Sikh. “I did not compromise the ruling party’s position in any manner,” he added. He was responding to the charge that he had by his action supported obscurantism and fundamentalism, which; the Congress was fighting under the leadership of Beant Singh. The controversy has been revived following Buta Singh’s induction into the Government and presentation of a “Saropa’ to him by the SGPC. during his recent visit to the Golden Temple.

The chief ministers’ camp has not taken kindly to the honor conferred on the Union Minister by the SGPC and accuse him of entering into a clandestine deal with the SGPC Chief, Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Reacting sharply to the charge, Buta Singh’s supporters point out that it was Beant Singh and his loyalist, Surinder Singla. MP, who had publicly welcomed Tohra’s re-election

Buta Singh said that Congressmen should be happy at his reception in the Golden Temple. it was a sign of his increasing acceptance among the Sikhs and the reduction in the community’s anger against the ruling The Union Minister said that he was advised by the Prime Minister on the eve of Cabinet expansion to sort out his differences with the chief minister. “I spoke to Beant Singh on the telephone from the Prime Minister’s house and in Rao’s presence to reassure him that he would lend full support to the chief minister. The latter responded by blaming certain self serving elements for causing misunderstandings between us.” he added.

Buta Singh said that he would stand by his commitment to the Prime Minister. “I have buried the hatchet. It is for Beant Singh to do the same.”

Senior Akali leader and ad hoc committee member of Akali Dal (Amritsar), Simranjit Singh Mann, has criticized the Akali leadership for honoring the Union Minister, Buta Singh at the Golden Temple. Talking to the media persons here, he said the Akali leadership was splitting in two factions – one with Bharatiya Janata Party leanings and the other with Congress. Mann said that it would be a disaster for the Sikh community and the Punjabis.

He said the Akalis should stick to the principles of Akali idealism.

The ad hoc committee member said that at present, the Sikh leadership was dominated by the Jat community. This trend should also be curbed by the Akalis and due representation must be given to the downtrodden and the section of the society including the Muslims and the Christians.

Mann said the Punjab Police was projecting him as a Hindu basher and to turn away his following among that community.”

Article extracted from this publication >> February 24, 1995