CHANDIGARH: The panthic committee comprising Dr.Sohan Singh, Bhai Harmohinder Singh Sultanwind, Bhai Satinderpal Singh, Bhai Daljit Singh and Bhai Shahbaz Singh in a statement circulated here has framed an elaborate code of conduct for militant groups with a view to revamping the Khalistan movement The committee evidently held detailed consultations among senior underground Sikh leaders including the three generals who head different militant organizations.
The committee said that it itself would issue statements pertaining to policy matters on the Khalistan movement and on other current affairs affecting Sikhs, It would also comment on internal differences, if any, between various groups, election matters and call for strikes. The committee also issued guidelines regarding owing the various actions. In the future, statements owning responsibility for any action taken would be made by chiefs of the three major militant groups working under the command of the panthic committee along with the area commander concerned. Those owing responsibility for any action taken would be required to explain all Length the reasons behind the action and if on an impartial investigation it was discovered that the action was not justified, even the area commander would have to apologize to the public and compensate we affected party suitably. Neither the name of the panthic committee nor of the Sikh Students Federation would be allowed to be used. On purely local matters, the area commander alone would issue statements on his own name The name of the general of the organization concerned could be used only after consulting him. The committee also finalized a code for advertisements about bhog ceremonies. No bhog advertisement could have more than two insertions in a newspaper. Under such advertisements, only one name of either the area commander or the head of the militants group would be given after due consultation, There will be no restriction on the Sikh public to insert advertisements as they like. The language of the advertisement should be appropriate, No militant Singh should be shown associated with any individual. Nor such advertisements should mention the name of the incident along with the party because such a practice undermines the status of the martyr, No advertisement should be issued in the name of the panthic committee or any of its members.
The panthic committee deprecated the tendency to mention a long list of names of militant Singhs paying homage to a martyr or owning responsibility for any action taken, This practice sends wrong signals about the militants who are projected as publicity seekers for their own selves and reflects undue arrogance. This trend is bad and it undermines the glorious struggle the militants are leading. More stress will be laid on anonymity which will, in fact, be to the benefit of the struggle.
The panthic committee also said that militant groups should pay greater attention to larger political issues affecting the Khalistan movement rather than wasting their energies on small, party and unimportant or purely local matters which should preferably be left to the local Sangats to handle. In certain cases, selfish elements take advantage of their proximity to militants and persuade them to indulge in local-level controversies which should be shunned in their manner the opportunist Clements try to derail the movement with its larger aim.
The panthic committee also pointed out that it was the product of the Khalsa Panth and that the Committee should not be associated with one other other member because the status of all its members is equal. Thus, the media should not mention the panthic committee headed by this or that person.
The committee asked the media to ignore any statement issued by any militant group which does not conform to the code set out by the panthic committee. These directions apply to the panthic committee and the militant organizations working under its command. The committee also warned the media against distorting or ignoring the committee’s statements, otherwise, appropriate action would be taken against the media.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1992
