JALANDHAR: The Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) while flaying the Shriomani Akali Dal for its unconditional support to the Bhartiya Janata Party has termed the mandate in favor it he traditional Akali leadership as short lived’ which can not deter the radical elements from pursuing their goal set by late Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Rajinder Singh Mehta and Amarjit ‘Singh Chawla, president and general Secretary of the federation, while addressing press conference, here, last ‘week Said that extending unconditional support by the SAD to the BJP in anti-Sikh political organization on one hand and taking the support of Bahujan Samaj Party on other, is itself paradoxical which reveals that the traditional leadership is totally Unprincipled and power hungry, and fever pursued the Sikh aspirations during the past 49 years. On the other hand they alleged that these Leaders struck a deal with a communal party like BJP which was first to welcome the Operation Blue Star and terming, the Anandpur Sahib resolution, seeking more rights to the states as “anti-national.” They said that instead of supporting BJP the Dal should have supported the regional parties seeking more rights to the states, Referring to the defeat of local leaders like Simranjit Singh Mann and Jagmit Singh Brar, Mehta said that it was unfortunate as both the leaders ‘were fighting for the long pending demands of the state. But the debacle is provisional as the people will be forced to change their view point as some of the SAD leaders will be able together issues concerning the people Of the slate solved in view of the forthcoming SGPC elections, They said that the SSF has got itself registered with the Gurdwara Election Commission, in addition to this a meeting of the party executive will be held at Jalandhar on June 9, he said.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 22, 1996