Simranjit Singh Mann
President Shromani Akali Dal
23/4/90
Shri Nirmal Mukarji
Governor
Raj Bhavan, Punjab,
Chandigarh.
My dear Shri Mukarji
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
You are well aware of our constitutional stand regarding your, direct rule. As you know you do not hold an elected office and to nominate any person for your advisory body would mean that we give your office legitimacy. As per the constitution your rule cannot extend for a certain period of time. Yet despite your assurance to me and the press you yourself have recommended prolongation of central rule, for six months to begin with, but God and you only know how much longer. The sikhs were great freedom fighters and fought for a democratic process. We opposed rule by nominated councils during the British period. Our party fails to understand under which provisions of the constitutional law or democratic precedent you are asking us to send you our recommendations for this Advisory Committee. We also fail to understand why the Prime Minister who holds such an exalted office has made such a recommendation when he himself appreciates that Governments must be run by the elected representatives of the people. At least that is a basic necessity in all democracies. South Africa is an exception where the majorities are not allowed to elect their representatives. That system is called apartheid. Unless you explain the constitutional provisions and let me have some precedents from other functioning democracies of the West about such advisory committees, I am afraid I will not be able to send you any recommendations for to do so would be unconstitutional and undemocratic and my party would bestow on you a semblance of legitimacy if we went along with you. I hope you will appreciate the fact that your rule has become unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegitimate and as a popularly elected representative of the people you will take my advice and push your police and paramilitary forces back into the barracks and the bureaucrats must begin attending to their files.
With regards.
Yours sincerely
Simranjit Singh Mann
