Amritsar — The Akali Dal president, Mr. Harchand Singh Longowal on Thursday offered to quit office in the interest of the unity of the Sikh “panth.”’

The party office said in a press release here that Mr. Longowal made the offer during talks with the Sikh head priests here on Thursday morning.

The head priests, however, urged him to continue in his post, party sources said.

Mr. Longowal also met many senior Akali leaders to take stock of the situation in Punjab before deciding on the future course of action for the acceptance of its demands.

Mr. Longowal told the head priests that he was ready to make any sacrifice to ‘‘unite and restore the prestige’ of the Sikh Panth and was even ready to work like a “‘soldier.”

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 29, 1985