WSN Service

CHANDIGARH: Punjab’s Akali groups appear to have finally opted for the Sikh ‘militant mainstream politics. Representatives of more than 30 groups who met at Anandpur Saheb on August 11 in are solution recognized militants as the main political force in Punjab.

The six-hour convention was sponsored by S.G.P.C. chief Baldev Singh Sibia. His Political initiative had the support of former S.G.P.C. chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra who remains a force to reckon with from among traditional Akalis.

The Sikh organizations represented at the convention included five Akali groups known as Akali Dal (Mann) Akali Dal (Badal) Babbar Akali Dal Akali Dal (Longowal) and Akali Dal (Panthic). Also present there were nominees of Damdami Taksal and human rights organizations

Major militant organizations -Babbar Khalsa International Akal Federation Mnalisian Commando Force (Panjwar) Sikh Students Federation (Bhai Daljit Singh) Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (Chandra) Khalistan Liberation Force (Bhai Budsinghwala) and Khalistan Liberation Army sent their messages to the convention in writing. Their views were read out and discussed at the convention.

Through a resolution the convention paid tributes to the martyrs of the Sikh struggle since 1978. It called upon Sikhs to be “amrit dhari” and “shastradhari” by April 1999 (The 300th anniversary of the birth of the Khalsa). Speakers at the convention dwelt at length on unprecedented repression launched by the government and decided to back the militant call for a two-day Punjab strike to paralyze official celebration of Independence Day on August 14-15.

The convention called upon Sikhs all over the world to hold prayer meetings between 8 am and 9.am on August 15 and recite “path” of chaupai saheb so that the Sikh struggle in Punjab acquired strength with the blessings of the guru.

Briefing newsmen after the convention Sibia said that it had been decided to jointly fight the State repression. A 30-member action committee comprising one representative each of the participant organizations had been set up to chalk out further course of action. The next meeting of the Sikh representatives will be held on September 1.

Sibia said that the convention also discussed the question of Sikh participation in the proposed elections or otherwise. He said no formal decision was arrived at on the issue. It is however believed that an overwhelming majority of speakers called for a boycott of the election as suggested by the five-member panthic committee composing Sohan Singh and others.

Sibia asked militant organizations to nominate an overground front so that the movement was carried forward under the banner of that organization.

Significantly senior traditional leaders with the exception of Gurcharan Singh Tohra did not participate in the convention. They were represented by junior functionaries The absentees included Parkash Singh Badal Simranjit Singh Mann and Amrinden Singh.

Observers said that Gurcharan Singh Tohra was the main force behind the pre-militant convention. He no longer has cordial relations with Badal although the two belong to the same party. Gurcharan Singh had serious differences with Badal and the ruling group headed by him on the party’s election strategy. It may be recalled the former S.G.P.C. chief had escaped an attempt on his life last year at the hands of the five member panthic committee associated with Dr Sohan Singh and others

The panthic committee at one time regarded Tohra as a stumbling block for the Sikh struggle and suspected him for collaborationist moves with Delhi. Gurcharan Singh moved fast to shed that impression. He started attending religions rites functions held in memory of those killed at the hands of the govt. It appears that the former S. GPC chief is acutely aware of Sikh history and the fate of those who came in conflict with Sikh struggle. Observers are therefore inclined to believe that he should be taken at face value and given a chance to prove his bona fides. That thinking appears to have guided the militant organizations to send messages to the convention.

For once it appears Gurcharan Singh has outsmarted both Badal and Mann by his well-timed political initiative. The two traditional Akali politicians will be hard put to promoting parliamentary causes at the expense of the Sikh struggle. In short Badal and his coterie stand isolated. Since Badal never confronts his opponents he is most likely to give an impression to the public that the convention had his blessings. It is however different that he will in practice try to sabotage the spirit of the convention.

The convention sent out a clear message to the Govt of India that the militants were the “main force” entitled to talk to the Govt for devising any solution of the Punjab problem. The message pre-empts any move by Delhi to hold over to covert negotiations with the Badal or Mann groups or with any other lesser group. More specifically Badal group’s political wings have been clipped. It can no longer enjoy the kind of leverage with the Delhi-controlled Punjab administration it enjoys at present with most Govt officers playing to the tunes of the Badal faction leaders.

It is also evident that the militant call for a poll boycott will now snowball into a major political movement. It will be difficult for Delhi to cope with this development. The Govt will have to start it all over again to locate another Longowal with certain amount of credibility among the Sikhs.

The new political scenario will obviously be to the linking of militants who have been facing the brunt of unprecedented repression at the hands of the State for several months now. It will be interesting to watch Delhi’s reaction to the new moves.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 16, 1991