CHANDIGARH: A congregation organized by the local Singh Sabha on the occasion of the 154th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, on June 27, asked the Punjab Government to stop digging of the Sutle Yamuna Link (SYL) canal until a settlement of the river waters dispute came about.
In the nine resolutions moved by Naurang Singh, senior vice president of the Singh Sabha called for resolution of the dispute on the basis of the Riparian law and appealed to all political parties in state to take a united stand on the issue as had been done by the Tamil people for the Krishna Cauvery waters.
It criticized the delay in transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab despite repeated promises in accordance with the Rajiv Longowal accord.
The congregation urged the Center to reexamine the entire gamut of the center state relations to provide maximum autonomy to the stales.
It also appealed to the Akali factions 16 unite under one banner. The Akalis being the great political force in Punjab should also send signals to the Central Government for a dialogue to solve the problems confronting the state and the country, it added.
Setting up of the Punjabi Academy in Chandigarh, grant of nightfall place to Punjabi language in the Administration and educational institutions, besides suitable amendments in the Punjab Official Language Act, 1967, and punishment to erring officers.
Expressing concern over the killing of Sikh youths in fake encounters, the congregation asked the government to try the offenders in open courts, It also urged the SGPC to setup a printing press with modem technology to start an English newspaper immediately.
Desecration of Golden Temple and Akal Takhtduring ‘Operation Blue star’ and demolition of the Babri mosque at Ayodhya came in for severe criticism.
Former Bihar governor Mohammad Yunus Saleem who spoke on the occasion, said everybody in the country was feeling insecure as the Indian society had been divided on religious lines. He held the ruling hierarchy at the Center responsible for failure to establish rule of law.
Dissident Congress M.PJagmeet Singh Brar said it was regrettable that those speaking in the interest of Punjab were being dubbed as anti-nationals, AMRITSAR: Punjab police chief K.P.S.Gill believes that nine top Sikh militant leaders are now in Pakistan and they are living in different houses under tight security. Talking to newsmen here, Gill said that Bhai Wassan Singh Jaffarwal had been asked by the Pakistan authorities to leave.
Article extracted from this publication >>July 2, 1993
