CHANDIGARH: The All India Sikh Students Federation (Manjit) has given a call to various Sikh organizations to jointly launch a peaceful mass movement for the independence of Sikhs.

Addressing a news conference here Harminder Singh Gill and Majoragit Singh is organizing secretary and senior vice president respectively said an independent Sikh state was the only Solution to the Sikh problem as it was no longer confined to territorial or river water issues and the Center had not left any other option open.

They appealed to all those fighting for the achievement of a Sikh state to unite calling for coordination between militant and peaceful movements. The AISSF (Manjit) will shorty organize a convention at Amritsar to chalk court a program for launching a mass movement.

The federation leaders said that for a long term political solution the Center must restore the confidence of the Sikhs by accepting five of their demands before inviting militants for talks on the agenda of Khalistan. The Center must publicly apologize for Operation Bluestar and withdraw security forces from around the Golden Temple complex. Other demands include unconditional release of all detainees punishment to those involved in the November 1984 rots withdrawal of Army and paramilitary forces from the state and repeal of all the black laws. Gill said holding elections alone would not solve the problem.

He said the Akalis and the AISSF (Manjit) had given a be fitting reply at the Saturday meeting to the efforts of the govt to divide the Sikhs by declaring that elections would be held before February 15. Whole the way had been cleared for Panthic unity the meeting had also evolved an effective strategy  to counter the antiSikh policies of the Center.

Gill said the AISSF (Manjit) would strictly implement the decision to be taken by the five member action committee regarding elections after the poll nonfiction

He lambasted the Akali Dal (Kabul) leaders including the former chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala and Amarinder Singh for playing into the hands of the center and said it was time for these leaders to participate in the ongoing struggle and extend full cooperation to the action committee.

Gill also lashed out against the Shiromani Gurdwara Praban dhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra for taking contradictory stands. Gill held him responsible for the present situation

UNA The Himachal Pradesh Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. Vidya Sagar while welcoming the decision of the govt to curb expenditure has decided to forfeit privilege of a vehicle entitled to him as a minister and also said that he would restrict his touring.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 17, 1992