CHANDIGARR, India: In a bid to pre-empt the split in the party, which the Akali dissidents had planned to formalize on June 22nd. The Akali Chief Minister and the party President, Mr. Sugit ‘Singh Barnala, had summoned the general house of the Akali Dal at ‘Amritsar two days earlier and also filed a petition before the Speaker for disqualification of the 23 dissident MLAs. Mr. Barnala said that the party delegates will meet ‘on June 20th at Teja Singh Samundri Hall at Amritsar to discuss the Panthic affairs, the Punjab situation and the proposed transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, Meanwhile the breakway Akali group has announced the delegate session of the party will be held at Amritsar on June 22nd to elect a new President in place of Mr. Sunjt ‘Singh Barnala. The announcement was made by the senior leader of the group and former Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal. A decision to this effect was taken at meeting of the MLAs, MPs and District Jathedars belonging to the group at the residence of Parkash Singh Badal at Chandigarh, The ruling party is now heading for a formal split. recover an unsaved file in word 2011 Twenty seven members of the Punjab Dissident Akali party parted company with the ruling party and obtained recognition as a separate group from the then House Speaker Mr. Ravi Inder Singh. The strength of the ruling party was reduced to 46 in the house with an effective strength of 115. Mr, Parkash Singh Badal told a press conference that the Barnala government had lost their confidence. He maintained that it was the break way group which the real Akali Dal were. The Sikh support to this group has been proved. The group would hold series of conferences to educate the people about its policies and mobilize for the delegate session. The former Chief Minister reacted sharply to the attack on the group by the ruling party, He regretted that the group was being branded anti-panthic and pro-militants, He also discovered responsibility for certain announcements made at recent conference at Manji Sahib, In fact, the mere presence in the conference did not mean that they were party to all that was said there, He reiterated the demands for general amnesty for all those arrested in the wake of Blue Star Operation and the reinstatement of the army deserters who he said had left the barracks under an emotional strain. If these steps were taken, the former chief minister said, the Punjab problem could be solved and violence controlled 1am convinced that at least 95% of the people’s problems will be solved. The dissident leader criticized Barnala government for not doing anything tangible for the youth. No efforts have been made to bring them back to the mainstream, Condemning to ruthless use of the methods against the militants, he said, if Operation Blue Star, achieve nothing how come they hope to achieve results by deploying CR.P.F and BSF in the border districts. The mil tents have to be dealt with sympathically and with understanding, ‘Mr. Parkash Singh is being mention by the break way group as the likely president of the party.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 20, 1986
