M A I N   N E W S

SAD MLAs to court arrest 
Badal submits memo to Governor
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 23
The Shiromani Akali Dal President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today led a delegation of party MLAs to Punjab Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to the Governor, Lt-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd.).

It listed the high-handedness of the Congress government, targeting Akali workers and supporters with a view to “defaming’’ them publicly using the Vigilance Bureau as an instrument.

It is the gruesome murder of Akali leader Gurdial Singh Sidhu and six others in Bhikhiwind on Sunday last that has spurred the Akalis to take recourse to this step.

The five-page memorandum, interestingly, is not signed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, but has the signature of the secretary of the party, Mr Iqbal Singh Tiwana.

The memorandum gives the background of how the civil administration has “abdicated” its responsibilities, how the state has been handed over to the police, how the process of political conciliation has been replaced by confrontation, how such a situation may lead to social tensions and law and order problems for which the blame would lie with the state government. It sought action on four points: Put an immediate stop to the reign of repression let loose on leaders, workers and sympathisers of the SAD and its allies; stop the spree of registration of false cases against political rivals of the ruling party in general and of the Chief Minister in particular; stop the Chief Minister from issuing highly irresponsible and inflammatory statements, which are vitiating the atmosphere in the state; and re-establish the rule of law and restore civil liberties and human rights.

Earlier in the day, the party’s Political Affairs Committee that met at Guru Kalgidhar Nivas to take stock of the political situation in the state concluded that “police raj’’ was all pervasive, where political scores were being settled through statements obtained under pressure from persons arrested by the Vigilance Bureau to net Akali leaders and defame them.

Briefing newspersons on the decisions taken, Mr Badal said MLAs and SGPC members would mass court arrest in Chandigarh on June 11 to protest against the government “excessess’’, including the throttling of democratic means and norms in elections. From Malout to the Municipal Corporation elections, the story was the same — rigged elections.

He reiterated that the Minister, Mr Gurchet Singh Bhullar, representing the Valtoha assembly constituency, from where Gurdial Singh had unsuccessfully contested against him in February, should resign.

Mr Badal lamented that since the Chief Minister had himself given a ‘’clean chit’’ to his colleague, how could investigation be expected to be fair. The case must be given to the CBI, he demanded.

‘’This is gross injustice particularly, when viewed in the context of a letter written by Mr Gurdial Singh to the Governor and the Additional Director-General of Police, Security, way back in March. It was stated that his life was in danger and that he and his family should be given security. Even the name of the Minister concerned, who is alleged to be involved, was mentioned in that letter, he added. The committee reiterated its full faith and confidence in the party President.

On the coming panchayat samiti and zila parishad elections, Mr Badal said these would be fought on the party symbol. He, however, expressed apprehensions that the police ‘’danda’’ would again be wielded to influence and intimidate voters, as had happened in the Malout and Municipal Corporation elections. The party MLAs, who met after the meeting of the Political Affairs Committee, were also briefed on the situation in the state. The party has decided to ask all MLAs to declare their assets.

He named Mr Balwinder Singh Bhundar and Capt Kanwaljit Singh as party spokespersons and Mr Manpreet Singh Badal as in charge of the publicity wing.

All MPs and MLAs have been asked to attend the bhog at Algon Kothi on May 28.