NEW DELHI: Various political parties have criticized the attitude of the Union Government toward political parties on the question of Punjab elections.

In a statement issued here S.R Bommai President of the Janata Dal sad it was strange that the rally of various. Akali Dal who had boycotted the Punjab pol was subjected to police charges particularly when the Congress (itself had pursued the policy 0 boycott of Punjab polls and had gloated over its election strategy.

Bommai said this was again i glaring contrast to the Governments sympathetic attitude toward the BIPs recent “ekta yatra”.

The small band of BIPs “ekt yatris” were transported from Jammu to Srinagar by Indian Air Force plane and their flag hoisting ceremony at Lal Chowk was closely guarded and protected by Army men with curfew clamped around Lal Chowk. A guard honor for the BIP yatrs and lath blows for the Akalis was a contract he added.

Bommai said on the top of it all came the report that the Janata Da candidates for elections in Punjab were being detained in police stations to prevent their campaign and pressurize them to withdraw from the contest to help the Congress (I) nominees. Through such discriminating treatment to different parties the Government was destroying its democratic credentials and undermining the very credibility of elections in Punjab he said.

Mohinder Singh President and Jaswinder Singh Virk General Secretary of the Delhi unit of Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) also condemned the house arrest of Simranjt Singh Mann and the lathi charge on other senior leaders at Ludhiana

They said the policy of intimidation of Akali leaders for not allowing them to put forward their point of view in favor of poll boycott in a democratic and peaceful manner will not work and this will ultimately prove dangerous for the unity and integrity of the country The recent acts of the Government of not even allowing the peaceful meetings of workers and putting senior leaders under house arrest has clearly given an indication that it was frustrated and desperate due to the favorable response for poll boycott among masses.

These leaders sad that about 40 human rights organizations in India and abroad were being informed-of the Governments fascist undemocratic unconstitutional and dual policy.”

Article extracted from this publication >> February 14, 1992