NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar Jan 10 hinted at strong action in Punjab and said if perpetrators of violence believed that the government would tolerate innocent killings and violence they were mistaken.
Responding to observations by parliamentarians that the Centre’s talks with Sikh Akali party leader Simranjit Singh Mann had sent wrong signals the prime minister said a wrong impression if it exists will be removed within 24 hours
Shekhar said without being vindictive or tyrannical the government would not hesitate to take appropriate steps to establish the authority of the state and instill a feeling of security among all sections of the people.
About criticism of his talks with the Akali leader the prime minister said he had not talked to any Khalistan as there was no Khalistan. Sikhs have been waging a campaign to carve out an independent state by the name of Khalistan or land of the pure.
He said he had talked to Indian citizens and made it clear to Mann that the first duty of any government was to give a feeling of security to the people.
He said the contents of his discussion with Mann had been passed on to the leaders of all political parties.
He said he had no inclination to act in a clandestine or surreptitious manner. Everything would be done with the knowledge of this house and the people
Stating that killings of innocent people was condemnable in the strongest terms the prime minister said the government would take strong action against those who took innocent lives whether they were militants or security force personnel.
Referring to his recent talks with the Akali Dal leadership Chandra Shekhar said those whom I had talks with also agree that lives and property of the innocents should be safeguarded at all costs.
But some forces wanted to disrupt the thaw which has emerged following our meeting. Innocents were still being killed in Punjab he said.
If there is any complaint of such killings by the security forces the government would enquire into the matter and take action against the guilty the prime minister said.
He said precious lives had been lost in different parts of the country in the name of religion and called upon Sikhs and Hindus in Punjab to maintain the fraternal and harmonic relationship.
Stating that many serious wrongs had been committed during Operation Bluestar and the riots in 1984. Mr Chandra Shekhar called upon the Sikhs to forget the past and work for building a better future.
There is need to heal the wounds of the past. But death is death whether it has been caused by the police or by militants he said.
Recalling the history of velour and sacrifice by the Sikhs during the freedom struggle he said Guru Tegh Bahadur had laid down his life to protect Brahmins from Kashmir.
He urged the Sikhs to take lessons from the lives of the great freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh.
Earlier the president of the Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal Mr Onkar Singh Thapar presented a saropa to the prime minister and welcomed him
Article extracted from this publication >> January 18, 1991
