AMRITSAR: Senior leaders of four major political parties Friday criticized the continuous meddling by Pakistan in India’s internal affairs.

The leaders, who represented the Janata Dal, Congress I communist party of India (CPI) and Marxist (CPI-M) held a meeting here and criticized the war like hysteria unleashed by the government and some political parties in Pakistan and the training and arms supply to Punjab freedom fighters.

The meeting called upon the people of Punjab and Amritsar in particular to unitedly face the challenge from Pakistan as they did in 1965 and 1971 during the Indo Pakistan wars.

The meeting further decided to hold a demonstration here on February 14 to protest against Pakistani interference and their support to militants.

The meeting, which reviewed the law and order situation in the border region, decided that an all-party delegation of senior leaders be sent to prime minister VP Singh, Punjab governor Nirmal Mukherjee and other central leaders to apprise them of the serious situation in the border districts.

It was of the opinion that free and fair elections were possible only after peace and normalcy retuned fully so that people could exercise their franchise without fear of violence.

It further felt that no administrative changes be made in Punjab under the pressure of militants.

The meeting urged the federal government to adopt effective means to contain the secessionist movement.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 16, 1990