TALWANDI SABO (BATHINDA): The Akali Dal president Mr Simranjit Singh Mann said here on April 14 that the election’s in Punjab would be fought on the issue of sovereign and independent Sikh State.

Addressing the Baisakhi Day congregation in the Takht Damdama Sahib complex Mr Mann echoed the demand of the militants for Khalistan and declared elections would be fought on the issue. He repeated the statement of Sant Bhindranwale that religion could not be protected without capturing state power. He said he had raised the demand for self-determination in the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister to determine whether the Sikhs favoured slavery or freedom

He reiterated that the sovereign Sikh state would act as a buffer between India and Pakistan. He said the militants had won the victory in the sense that even the Prime Minister had declared that he was prepared to discuss the Khalistani issue while earlier all those who uttered this word faced action.

However he said the target would be achieved only after a complete unity of various groups working for that aim we want Khalistan as being demanded by the militants he said. He felt the present struggle needed a proper direction while agreeing with the demand of the militants for Khalistan he differed on the strategy and tactics and said he was for freedom through votes. He said the Akali Dal and a history of peaceful struggles. He said peace would prevail in South-East Asia only after the establishment of Khalistan.

Mr Mann declared that after capturing power his party would order the release of all detainees including Mr Harjinder Singh Jinda and Mr Sukhdev Singh Sukha charged with the assassination of General A.S. Vaidya All the black laws would be withdrawn and action taken against the officials responsible for killing people in fake encounters and repression.

He lambasted the Congress (I) the BJP and the two Communist parties for opposing the Sikh raj. He said the Congress had history of going back on the promises made to the Sikhs. He regretted that the government had gone back even on holding elections in the state

Pandemonium prevailed immediately after Mr Mann stood up to address the conference and he was booed and heckled by the armed militants present on the stage. Mr Mann made futile efforts to restore calm and then sought the help of Mr Jasbir Singh Rode and others. He was allowed to speak after about 15 minutes.

Immediately before Mr Mann addressed the gathering a statement giving a call for the boycott of elections was read out. The Panthic Committee described the elections as a sugar-coated pill. The Panthic Committee favoured the setting up of a coordination committee under the Damdami Taksal chief Baba Thakar Sin; to study the poll issue. The Panthic Committee expressed its determination to continue the struggle for Khalistan Saying it had no faith in the Constitution.

Through another statement Mr Paramjit Singh Panjwar Mr Daljit Singh Khalsa Mr Gurjant Singh Budsinghwala Mr Rachhpal Singh and Mr Sukhdev Singh. Babbar representing five militant outfits supporting the Panthic Committee (Dr Sohan Singh) called upon the to set up panthic panchayats;

A In a separate statement the Panthic committee (Zaffarwal) Mr Baghel Singh Chief Dashmesh Regiment and Mr Rajinder Singh Mehta president Sikh Students Federation also gave call for Khalsa panchayats.

Earlier the executive committee of the Akali Dal which met at Bathinda on Saturday night authorised Mr Mann on the issue of participation in elections and deal of the Sikh nation.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 19, 1991