LUDHIANA: Mr Simranjit Singh Mann President of the Shiromani Akali Dal said here Jan 18 that the entire Sikh community stood united on the demand for right to self-determination.
Addressing a meeting of member of the district committees and four zonal committees set up to make preparations for the January 26 rally at Ludhiana Mr Mann said he had no Just for any office. He had presented the case of the Sikhs in the right perspective quoting the Constitution and international laws.
The Union Government had been put on the defensive as the demand for right to self-determination fell within the frame work of the Constitution.
He said if some people were not satisfied he was ready to recall the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister under Article 51 Mr Mann said he had given up the membership of Parliament for the sake of the Sikhs and not for personal gains.
The Akali Dal chief assailed the deployment of the army in Punjab and said the army had now started setting up schools and providing health services to the people. These acts were done by occupational forces. This was not a good trend and if it continued the Sikhs would have to live in a military cantonment in Punjab he said.
He said the army must be withdrawn from Punjab and the January 26 rally would give a program for the same.
Mr Mann said Mr Harcharan Singh Rode would be in charge of stage discipline and moblization of workers for the rally.
He called upon the circle Jathedars to bring 20 trucks of workers each for the rally Mr Parkash Singh Badal former Chief Minister speaking on the occasion called upon the worker to mobilise the people for the rally as this would make or mar the future of the Sikhs.
The meeting was addressed among others by Mr Ranjit Singh Brahm pura Mr Harcharan Singh Rode Bapu Tarlok Singh Mr Charanjit Singh Walia Mr Ajit Singh Hundal Mr Sucha Singh Chhotepur Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa Mr Tota Singh and Mr Gurdev Singh Badal.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 25, 1991
