LUDHIANA: Akali leader Simranjit Singh Mann is annoyed with PHRO with its headquarters at Ludhiana. As is his practice, Mann deputed his party’s working committee member, Col Partap Singh, to criticize PHRO for its opposition to the Shekhar-Mann talks. Col Partap Singh, who is associated on one hand with Ram Jethmalani and on other with Justice Ajit Singh Bains’ PHRO, in a statement described the Ludhiana, based PHRO as a group of mischievous persons.
The PHRO had opposed the talks without creating a congenial atmosphere by such steps as releasing all political prisoners, arresting the culprits of the 1984 anti-Sikh carnage at Delhi and elsewhere, stoppage of fake encounters, rehabilitation of Sikh Army personnel, recognition of Punjab’s rights to its entire river waters and transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab. Only then should talks start; with militants. Mann’s working committee member described these conditions as mischievous. PHRO hit back saying that former Governor S.S. Ray and Rajiv Gandhi were behind the talks.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 18, 1991
