DELHI: A controversy has arisen on the deliberations of a meeting between cabinet subcommittee on Punjab and opposition leaders to take measures to resolve the Punjab problem. The Congress I version of the meeting said a broad agreement has been reached at the meeting that a national consensus should’ be evolved to resolve the Punjab tangle within the frame work of Rajiv Longowal accord. The Janta Dal leader Prof Madhu Dandavate denied it and described the official version as misleading.

In a statement issued here Dandavate here said that most of the Representatives of opposition parties have clearly stated that subcommittee has convened the meeting without any specific and concrete proposal to solve the Punjab problem. The government attitude towards the panchayat and assembly election was also criticized by several members. The meeting proved to be ritual. According to the official version the meeting recommended that an all parties campaign against terrorism and countries disintegration should be started. It was added that suitable mechanism should be provided to redress their grievances.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 12, 1989