M A I N   N E W S

AISSF to gherao CM, ministers
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

PATTI, Sept 2 — The All-India Sikh Students Federation led by Mr Harminder Singh Gill has decided to gherao the Chief Minister and ministers during their visits to various districts with the support of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal if the Punjab Government fails to get the “genuine” demands of Punjab and Punjabis conceded by October 15.

The SHSAD and the AISSF both have announced that a mass movement will be launched to oust the Badal government which has failed to come up to the expectations of the general public.

These announcements were made by Mr Harminder Singh Gill, president of the AISSF, here today at the 56th anniversary of the federation. Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President, SHSAD, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, Mr Sukhjinder Singh, both former ministers, Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, former vice-president of the SGPC, Mr Prem Singh Lalpura and Bhai Manjit Singh were present.

In a significant statement, Mr Tohra said he would not contest for the post of President, SGPC, election for which is scheduled for November. Neither any candidate of his party was likely to contest for the post. He, however, said his party would oust Bibi Jagir Kaur and the SAD during the general election of the SGPC scheduled for next year.

Replying to a question, Mr Tohra said he would like to field a common candidate of like-minded parties for the Sunam byelection to defeat the SAD and the Congress.

Mr Tohra said the SAD (Panthic), the SAD (Democratic), the SAD (Amritsar), the CPI, the CPM and the BSP wanted to defeat the Congress as well as the SAD-BJP ruling coalition as these parties had done much damage to the state. He said the ruling SAD-BJP combine had set a record in corruption. Asked if there was any probability of forging Panthic unity at this juncture, he said the chances were remote as the Akali Dal led by Mr Badal was no more “Panthic”.

Mr Tohra said if Mr Badal was seriously thinking of making the SAD a party of common workers, he must field a candidate who had made sacrifices for the Panth. He said the decision of Mr Badal to field the son of Union Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa showed that the party had no respect for the sacrifices of its members.