CHANDIGARH: Union Commerce Minister Arun Nehru in connivance with BJP and certain Akalis are suspected to be planning resuscitation of the Punjab Assembly dissolved in 1987.
According to persistent talk here, the plan is to install leaders supporting the Rajiv Longowal accord including Badal, Amrinder Singh and others. The Center finds the political perspective uncertain and disturbing should elections be held in November. It does not rely on Mann whose group has a better chance at the polls, at the same time; difficulties seem to have cropped up in enlisting the support of the Congress I for another extension of Central rule which requires amendment to the constitution. A ‘way out envisaged is the revival of the assembly and for that purpose the judiciary is being used as a tool. A writ petition is pending before the High Court for the purpose. This was filed soon after the assembly was dissolved by Dal-L men Manjit Sigh Khaira and Capt Amarjit Singh. The petition is currently being heard by a full bench headed by Justice J.V. Gupta. He is a well-known RSS man.
The center went out of its way to make Gupta the Chief Justice a few weeks ago. Delhi appears to be banking on Gupta to pull off a rare stunt in India’s history.
Longowal advocates quoted instances of Pakistan that dissolved assembly could be revived. It is said that Tamil Nadu Governor Barnala broached the subject at a recent Governors meeting at Delhi and tried to enlist support.
Gurcharan Tohra and Amrinder Singh are said to be in touch with speaker of the Punjab assembly Surjit Singh Minhas as well as Arun Nehru.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 17, 1990
