MULLANPUR: For the first time, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann), Simranjit Akali Dal (Mann), Simranjit Singh Mann, has demanded the creation of Khalistan,

Addressing a meeting of Akali workers in preparation for the August 30 Panthic rally here, Mann declared that the Sikhs would be satisfied with nothing less than Khalistan and shall continue their fight till the attainment of this goal.

He defined that the boundaries of Khalistan would touch those of Pakistan, China and Hindustan. In reply to a question, Mann said that Khalistan was another name for an independent, sovereign Sikh State, 2

When Mann spoke of Khalistan at the workers meeting held inside a gurdwara, prominent among those present included former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former education minister Basant Singh Khalsa, former minister Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Youth Akali Dal president Amrik Singh Aliwal and Sardul Singh Barundi of Baba Akali Dal. The Akali workers greeted this demand with slogans of raj karega Khalsa.

The SAD (M) chief expressed apprehension that the government might ban the August 30 rally to be held at Manjit Sahib gurdwara at Alamgir. “We are prepared even to die for that rally and shall make it a success,” he asserted appealing to the public to attend the rally in large numbers.

 Criticizing the present state government, he observed that Beant Singh is out to tum Punjab into a fascist state by enhancing the role of the Army and the police and putting curbs on the press against highlighting instances of police brutality. He appealed to the people to prepare lists of police and Army officers who were indulging in repression and assured that when the time comes, his party would register cases against such officials.

The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Parkash Singh Badal, disclosed that he was getting in touch with leaders of national opposition parties to invite them to visit Punjab and witness al | first hand instances of inhuman police brutality. He said he had | already contacted former Prime Minister Chander Shekhar in this regard and he has accepted the offer but the date of the visit is yet to be decided.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1992