AMRITSAR: Akali Dal (Mann) president Simranjit Singh Mann appealed to United States President George Bush to prohibit the entry of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the then Home Minister Buta Singh into that country,

Talking to newsmen here he said under the US law, “any person responsible for genocide could not enter that country”. He alleged that Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Buta ‘Singh had been responsible for the killing of a large number of Sikhs in India and these killings were still continuing to give the National Front Government a “bad name.”

Mr., Mann said he would write to the US President in this regard and hoped that Mr. Bush would “honor his request”.

Regarding his personal security arrangements Mr. Mann said he would not accept any Government security despite threats handed out to Akali and AISSF leaders from militant organizations.

“Since I do not trust Government security I will arrange for my own protection,” he said.

Regarding the “cracks” which had recently appeared in his party, he said he would not yield to pressures from within the party over the composition of the working committee which was formed on January 16. All sections within the party were taken into confidence before the formation of the committee and have been adequately represented, he said.

On charges leveled against him by “suspended” party MP Rajdev Singh he said there were no henchmen of former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badai in the party working committee. “I have inducted Mr. Sucha Singh Chottepur into the committee as a member whereas those leveling the charges had made him general secretary of the party,” he added.

Referring to the murder of AI‘SSF general secretary Harminder Singh Sandhu, Mr. Mann said he was surprised and had no reason to believe that militant organizations were responsible for the killing. He described the press statement about militants owning responsibility for the killing as a “totally false.”

“I will try and meet those who had owned responsibility for the murder after checking the authenticity of the statement,” he said. He however refused to divulge further details.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 2, 1990