CHANDIGARH: No major Indi4 political party has questioned Prime Minister Chandar Shekhar’s so called political initiative on Punjab although a few parties thought it appropriate to bring on record their opposition to the concept of self-determination voiced by Akali leader Simranjit Singh Mann.
Both Congress(I) and the B.J.P. which together represent the core Hindu public opinion have let it be known that they are one with the Chander Shekhar government the initiating a dialogue with Mann (actively backed by the Panthic Committee represented by Dr Sohan Singh and others). The C.P.I. too, supported the government and made it clear that it was Not Opposed to the initiative itself.
Indications actually are that Shekhar before writing formally to Mann inviting him for a meeting on Dec 27 not only approached him informally, but also held discussions with Parkash Singh Badal and leaders of the Longowal faction. Consequently, both Akali groups lent their support to the talk’s idea and authorised Mann in that respect when the three factions held a congregation at Amandpur Saheb. Delhi would like the three groups to merge only if -Mann responds to its plans.
Experienced observers believe that Congress (I) leader Rajiv Gandhi with former Punjab Governor S.S .Ray actively supporting him prepared the outlines of the entire business of talks, handed it over to intelligence agencies which brought round the already willing Prime Minister.
Immediate objective appears to be to prepare possible options in the event of the developing Gulf crisis spilling over to the subcontinent. That implies even a limited war with Pakistan, The Punjab option includes efforts aimed at neutralizing a vast section of Sikhs through the device of dialogue. At the same time the Army could be assigned an active involvement in the civil affairs of the State on a scale that could be bigger than the operation Wood raised so that any resistance to the Indian war effort is promoted. The new operation may even involve aerial bombings of the border districts after pulling out Hindus.
Diplomatically the dialogue idea is meant to instill confidence in the Indian Sikh troops that nothing unusual is in store for the Sikhs in Punjab in the event of a war with Pakistan. Intention also appears to be to discourage Pakistan entertaining thoughts of Sikh support in any critical eventuality.
Incidentally, Indian Commerce Minister Subramanium Swamy’s visit to Kabul and his meeting with Afghan President should also be viewed in the context of the emerging Gulf crisis and the need for a Possible Indo-Afghan nexus against Rawalpindi.
Mann’s ready response and the support extended to him by the Panthic Committee must have come to Delhi as a pleasant surprise because the Indian Government did not have even to release any of the Sikh detainees much less meeting other demands, Thus one view not charitable either to Mann or to the Panthic Committee is that while traditional Akalis in the past squeezed some concessions Mann could not before he went to the table, ~
The Centre including of course Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress (I) and other Hindu fundamentalist parties would be too happy to reach an understanding with Mann approximately to the effect: do not come in clash with us on matters of immediate relevance although we do not mind you’re harping on self-determination or any such other slogan. In other words, even if elections are held in Punjab and Mann assumes power he will not have to touch certain matters vitally important for Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi such as the water issue.
No wonder Mann’s memorandum to the Prime Minister talks of illegal transfer of water to other states but does not indicate the wrong done to it by stopping all supplies. Instead, the memorandum hints at the demand for the less of water and on his part, the Prime Minister made no bones about his determination to complete the S.Y.L. Canal for Haryana come what may hinting visit to Haryana just on the eve of sending the invitation for talks to Simranjit Singh Mann.
It is interesting to know that the Mann memorandum has been drafted by Gurbir Singh and a few others who were in the forefront of the signing of the Rajiv-Longowal accord in August 1985. Strangely, while the Panthic Committee some time ago warned all those who brought about the Longowal accord did not offer any critical comments on the Mann memorandum particularly relating to the water issue.
The fact is that Mann is getting increasingly involved in the Punjab administration recommending this officer for this post and that officer for that post just as the Centre allowed chief protagonists of the Rajiv-Longowal accord to give their preferences on the eve of the government’s assumption. In this manner Delhi wants to blunt and negate any revolutionary thinking emerging in Punjab that would together dispense with the administration foisted on Punjab from the Union Capital, demands of self-determination notwithstanding.
Meanwhile, killing of Sikh youths continues unabated. If anything, it has been stepped up. The Prime Minister who believes in the theory of talk soft, act hard punctuates the killings by occasionally remarking that bullet is no answer to the Punjab problem.
CHANDIGARH: People of Khanna in Ludhiana district and at Kurali in Ropar district observed a strike to condemn the police for killing a truck driver at Khanna and a bus conductor at Kurali. A CRPF patrol party fired at a group of bus conductors who were proceeding to their village near Kurali killing one of them Tarlochan Singh on the spot and injuring Baljit Singh and Amarjit Singh. At Khanna a truck driver was killed reportedly by gunman of a Congress (I) leader of Ludhiana for his failure to give way to the Congress (I) leader’s car. People encircled the police station to protest against the killing whereupon the police imposed curfew in the town,
Article extracted from this publication >> January 11, 1991
