CHANDIGARH India: The Akali Dal (L) presented a ‘memorandum against the recently enacted “black laws? To the President on November 17, the memorandum was signed by 20 lakh citizens.
Announcing this here, Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala said in a statement that a large number of party leaders, including MPs, MLAs, members of the party’s Executive Committee, members of the SGPG, Presidents of district units of the party, sat in dharna at the Boat Club that day to focus public attention on non-implementation of the Punjab accord.
Other issues highlighted by the party included its demand for the release and reinstatement of Army deserters, prosecution of those guilty Of the November, 1984, riots rehabilitation of victims of the November riots and innocent killings in Punjab.
Meanwhile, four party legislators, namely Mr. Baldev Singh Mann, Mr. Surinder Singh Dhuri, Mr. Prem Gupta and Mr. Ranjit Singh Balian, criticized the extension of President’s rule in Punjab. What the State needed at this juncture, they said in a joint statement, was a popular government and not a bureaucratic dispensation.
They lashed out at a UAD MP, Mr. MS. Gill, for supporting the extension of President’s rule in the State. Mr. Gill’s support to the Centre’s move in Parliament, they said, had exposed the UAD’s“blatant disregard” for democratic institutions and tack of political maturity.
‘The Akali Dal (L) legislators described the UAD march against police pickets around the Golden Temple complex as “fake” and said the UAD was acting in connivance with the Ray administration, The postponement of the UADs “action programme,” they said, had exposed the real face of the party. They demanded restoration of popular government in Punjab.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 27, 1987
