LUDHIANA: The former Director General of Police, Punjab, Mr.K P.S. Gill, has called upon the Akali leaders to quit politics so that Punjab was Spared repetition of turmoil in future.

Addressing a public function organized to bid farewell to him in his home town here, Mr. Gill said these leaders should sit at home and recite Prayers. Pethaps, this could redeem the loss suffered due to “terrorism,” he added.

Mr, Gill who departed from practice to make a scathing attack for the first time, however, refrained from identifying these leaders or their party; He cautioned that if they continued to follow their old policies, Punjab might again fall on bad days.

Speaking in chaste Punjabi, the just retired super cop asserted that terrorism was not a Sikh phenomenon and it was started by some people for their Leadership.

According to Mr. Gill, despite his successfully curbing terrorism, he had ‘One regrets that there were still people in Punjab who did not want to accept the reality and condemn the gory happenings of the dark decade as bad. He $aid it was all the more reprehensible that those leaders claimed themselves to be Sikh leaders and representatives of the Sikhs. Hence, he observed that whosoever called himself a Sikh must undergo penance.

Exposing the dubious nature of self-proclaiming Sikh leaders who gave birth to “terrorism,” Mr, Gill disclosed that they themselves were so scared Of the developments that they got their personal security tightened several times as the danger increased and would often approach him with requests to beef up the security. On the other hand, pointing to dignitaries seated on the dais, Mr. Gill said the Congress, the Bhartiya Janata Party, CPI and CPM fought militants steadfastly and boldly. “We could not have achieved the success, but for their contribution,” he observed. He further said that the sacrifices of Punjab policemen were also behind his success.

‘The controversial former police chief turned down the offer of the BJP MLA, Mr. Satpal Gosain, to join his party since the government had retired him unceremoniously. “I have always tried to help the weaker side and I don’t think your party is weak,” he quipped, adding that he would be glad to accept the assignment given to him when the BJP comes to power. Recognizing Mr, Gill’s contribution in restoring peace in Punjab, a number of speakers expressed resentment over the way he was packed off, The Lok Sabha member, Mr. Gurcharan Singh Galib, BJP MLAS, Mr. Gosain and Mrs. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, journalists Jagjit Singh Anand and Mr. Jatinder Pannu were among those who pleaded that Mr, Gill’s services must be utilized by the center to tackle militancy in Kashmir and that he be appointed the governor there. They cautioned against complacency even in Punjab.

More than a dozen business and professional associations felicitated Mr. Gill at the function organized by Ludhiana Citizens Council. The Punjab Assembly Speaker, Mr. Hamam Dass Johar, who eulogized Mz, Gill’s role in the state, however, defended the government, saying Mr. Gill was retired after giving a number of extensions and maintained that everybody must retire one day.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 7, 1996