AMRITSAR: Attempts by certain quarters to make human rights a poll issue by bringing up the disappearance of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra fizzled out with Khalra’s wife Paramjit Kaur stepping out of the race for contesting from Tam Taran parliamentary constituency.

The strategy of members of Khalra action committee headed by Balwinder Singh Jhabal to organize a procession and then take a “directive” from the sangat to field Paramjit Kaur from Tam Taran virtually failed when the post procession congregation held by the action committee in Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha was hijacked by “un invited” spokesman of Damdami Taksal Bhai Mohkam Singh and Rajinder Singh Mehta, a president of ‘one of the factions of All India Sikh Students Federation,

The Khalra Action Committee had given a call for procession from village Khalra near Pakistan border to Bir Baba Budha Gurdwara. The pro cession, however, failed to get a good response, Even Khalra’s wife refused to accompany the march saying she ‘was reciting Gurbaniat the Akal Takht to seek the release of her husband. Khalra was kidnapped from his residence on September 6 last year.

The procession was led by human rights leader, Justice (retd) Ajit Singh Bains and by the time it reached the gurdwara, the organizers had realized that it may not be possible to clinch the issue, Manjit Singh Manwan, an associate of Damdami Taksal took control of the stage and raised slogans culogizing the late Sant Jamail Singh Bhindranale. The members of Khalra Action Committee who had organized the March were allowed to speak for a few minutes and they too avoided seeking of any “directive” from the sangat

Bhai Mohkam Singh had, however, offered to give Parliament ticket to Paramjit Kaur from the panthic council. The Khalra Action Committee had planned to field Paramjit Kaur as an independent candidate with the hope that sympathy wave would blow the wind in their favor. The Tam Taran constituency has a history of giving unprecedented mandate in favor of Simranjit Singh Mann when he was released from jail in 1985 and tried his luck from that seat, » The political observers felt that it would have been unwise to field Khalra’s wife in the election. Whether she would have won or lost, in any case the Casualty would have been the. Khalra case, Paramjit Kaur, however, said that if she is given support by all factions, she may think of contesting the election. The members of Khalra Action Committee had also criticized Akali Dal leadership for ignoring the sacrifice of Khalra.

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 3, 1996