M A I N   N E W S

TRIBUNE SPECIAL
Chohan meets Chandra Shekhar
Expresses loyalty to ‘Bharat’
Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

Bhondsi (Gurgaon), August 23
The self-styled president of the non-existent Council of Khalistan, Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan today met former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar here and expressed his loyalty to the country and supported the movement to bring back the mortal remains of the last Hindu Emperor, Prithviraj Chauhan,from Ghazni in Afghanistan.

Dr Chohan, who met Mr Chandra Shekhar at his ashram, confirmed the development to TNS. He said he had made a courtesy call on Mr Chandra Shekhar. Dr Chohan had called on Mr Chandra Shekhar in London during the heyday of militancy in Punjab. Incidentally, he was alleged to be guiding the Khalistan movement from London.

This week he met the RSS chief, Mr K.C. Sudarshan too at the RSS office in Jhandiwala in Delhi and explained to him his concept of “Khalsa Raj”. It was a marathon meeting with the RSS chief, the sources said.

According to sources, Dr Chohan explained to Mr Chandra Shekhar the concept of the Khalsa Raj saying “Khalsa” meant the pure ones and this connotation was above any religion. In effect, he had been espousing for the rule of the pure and enlightened ones. He said the concept of the “Khalsa Raj” was the same as the idea of “Ram Rajya” and rule according to “dharma”. These concepts had nothing to do with any particular religion.

Dr Chohan, who was considered to be the main ideologue and brain behind the Khalistan movement told Mr Chandra Shekhar that he swore by the unity and integrity of the country.

He said he had gone abroad for self realisation and had undergone two years’ training of the soul and metaphysics in the ashram of the well-known NRI, Mahesh Yogi. He had no desire in life now as he had got all what he wanted. Now he would like to serve the people of the country and fight for its honour and dignity.

Setting out his agenda he said he supported the movement launched by the Samraath Prithviraj Foundation to bring back the mortal remains of Prithviraj Chauhan. The foundation’s chairman, Capt Vikram Singh also accompanied him to Mr Chandra Shekhar. He described Prithviraj Chauhan as the last “Bharatiya Samraath” and stressed that he would use his links with the ruling Taliban militia in Afghanistan for bringing the mortal remains. He also emphasised that the mortal remains would be given burial at a ghat of the Ganges. He lamented that the country had forgotten its sense of responsibility towards its emperor.

In his 17th invasion in 1149, Mohammad Ghori defeated Prithiviraj Chauhan in the battle of Terai (the areas now known as Teraveri, falling in Haryana). The emperor was blindfolded and taken as prisoner to Ghazni as a war memorial by the conqueror. The emperor shot deat Mohammad Ghori in his own durbar in Ghazni at the insinuation of Chand Bardai. Chand Bardai was the royal poet in the court of Prithiviraj Chauhan. Thereafter, both the emperor and Chand Bardai reportedly committed suicide. The emperor was buried near the tomb of Mohammad Ghazni, which also has the tomb of Mohammad Ghori. According to reports, it is now a part of the tradition in Afghanistan that those who pay visit to the tomb of Mohammad Ghazni and Mohammad Ghori first descerate the place where the emperor’s mortal remains are buried. This development came to light during the crisis arising out of the hijack of an Indian Airlines plane which landed at Kandhar, near Ghazni in Afghanistan. It was then that the foundation launched a countrywide movement to impress upon the Central government to bring the mortal remains of the emperor.

The issue was also raised in Parliament. The ones who raised the issue were Mr Chandra Shekhar. The government made a statement that it had no concrete proof of the mortal remains buried in Ghazni, though it would further investigate into the matter. The government also made it known to the leaders of the foundation that there was difficulty in solving the issue as it did not have diplomatic relations with the ruling Taliban militia in Kabul.

According to well placed sources, Dr Chohan is also contemplating visiting Nimrana (a place in Rajasthan bordering Rewari district in Haryana) where the last descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan settled.