LUDHIANA: Leaders of four militant organisations asked the Prime Minister Mr Chandra Shekhar to convene a special session of the Lok Sabha and discuss the question of Khalistan before talking to the militants.
In a rejoinder to the statement of Mr Chandra Shekhar at Chandigarh the leaders Bhai Gurbachan Singh Manochahal Dr Daler Singh Bhai Gurjant Singh Rajasthan and Bhai Sital Singh Mattewal in a statement on the letterhead the Panthic Committee asked the Prime Minister to stop maligning the militants They alleged that he was making such statements to bring forth the Akali leaders and wanted to hold elections in Punjab to put acid on the demand for Khalistan.
They welcomed the statement the Prime Minister for talks but at the same time said that he should prove his strength in Parliament. The statement suggested that the Prime Minister should first seek the view of the parties supporting him (the Congress (I) and the ATADMK) and other political parties including the BJP the Janata Dal and the Communists in Parliament then form a joint panel of all parties and the militants would also set up their panel for talks.
But the militant leaders asserted that the talks would be held only in Geneva.
The statement pointed out to the Prime Minister that the entire nation must support your policies as you are in a thin minority and we have no guarantee that all parties will support you.
The statement said the militant organisations had already cautioned Mr Simranjit Singh Mann against the designs of the government and on the right to self-determination was granted to them by the Gurus and they had always determined their rights without any fear and greed. The Gurus did not seek any permission from Mughal emperors Jahangir and Aurangzeb.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 25, 1991
