AISSF chief warns Talwandi
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Dec 19 — Notwithstanding the "ceasefire" announced by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, his protege, Mr Harminder Singh Gill, president, All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), has threatened Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, president, disciplinary action committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal, and other members of the committee that they would be gheraoed if they acted in a "partisan way and indicted Mr Tohra".

Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Gill said the onslaught against Mr Tohra by the Chief Minister's camp would not be tolerated. He alleged that the BJP and the bureaucracy whom Mr Tohra criticised from time to time were behind the "conspiracy to isolate and humiliate" him.

Mr Gill appealed to the Akal Takht chief to mediate between Mr Tohra and Mr Parkash Singh Badal. He said Bhai Ranjit Singh should issue a directive to the leaders to stop quarrelling in the larger interests of the Panth".

The AISSF chief expressed concern that while the DAC had issued a show-cause notice to the senior-most leader of the SAD, no action had been initiated against ministers, and SGPC executive members who had issued "derogatory" statements against Mr Tohra.

Mr Gill said Mr Tohra was a mass leader and enjoyed considerable respect among the Sikhs. The "humiliating" statements by ministers like Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Mr Chiranjilal Garg, Mr Sucha Singh Langah, Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Dr Rattan Singh and Mr Resham Singh Riar were "unwarranted".

In a two-paged letter to Mr Talwandi, the AISSF leaders — Mr Gill, Mr Karnail Singh Pirmohammad, Mr HS Purewal, Mr Bhagwant Singh Sialka, Mr Baldev Singh, Mr HS Naag and Mr Manjit Singh Tarn Taran — said Mr Tohra's suggestion to the Chief Minister that he should appoint a working president of the SAD was in the right spirit. In a democratic set up, such suggestions helped streamline the party.

The AISSF leaders alleged that the action against Mr Tohra was initiated after a "secret pact" with the BJP as the SGPC president had taken a firm stand on Udham Singh Nagar and other issues. The leaders praised Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, Union Minister, and Mr Ranjit Singh Barnala, Cooperation Minister, for remaining "neutral".

Sounding a note of warning, the AISSF leaders said the SAD would face defeat more humiliating than the one at Adampur if the situation was not remedied.

Mr Gill, however, pointed out that efforts were afoot to bring about a truce between Mr Badal and Mr Tohra.