PATIALA: Akali Dal (Mann) President Simranjit Singh Mann has claimed that Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal and SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra, have held “secret” parleys with Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and arrived at some understanding.

Talking to newsmen here Saturday, he said either these Akali leaders or the Prime Minister should spell out that what understanding had been arrived at between them about Punjab and the Sikhs. The people had the right to know about these “secret” deliberations.

He severely criticized Tohra for not issuing a white paper on Operation Bluestar despite himself declaring to do so and for violating his “vow” taken during a Sikh Conclave at Anandpur Sahib on September 1 that he would not seek any office. Tohra, he said, should clarify whether the SGPC would issue the white paper.

Mann advised Tohra to convene a special general house meeting of the SGPC to condemn the deployment of the army in Punjab and to adopt a resolution in favor of the demand for a sovereign Sikh state.

Referring to the recent statements of Tohra pleading to boycott the forthcoming elections in Punjab, Mann said the call had no morale validity “unless Tohra resigns and then gives the Sikhs a new program”.

When asked to comment on the all-party meeting held at Delhi on Thursday, Mann said the government was not the Punjab problem and had been holding meetings with “irrelevant, irresponsible and non-serious” leaders. Leaders like Rachhpal Singh, Buta Singh, Mahant Sewa Dass Singh and Jiwan Singh Umranangal, who attended the meeting, had no “credibility” among the people in general and the Sikhs in particular, he said.

Now when the government had offered to hold talks with the militants he said negotiations should also be held with the Panthic Committee (Dr. Sohan Singh) and its allied groups, the Jaffarwal faction and Babbar Khalsa international.

Asked whether he would respond positively if called by the Center for talks he said, “no comment, please”.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 20, 1991