The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, November 10, 2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

M A I N N E W S

Centre likely to intervene
P.P.S. Gill
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is looking with considerable concern at the developments on the SGPC presidential election, scheduled for November 12.

It is toying with the idea of intervening, if need be, to resolve the on-going feud between the Akali factions and also between the SAD-led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the Congress government without seeming to be interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs.

According to informed sources, the Home Ministry is examining the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, to find ways and means of effective, yet, indirect intervention in the continuing tug-of-war between the Akalis and the Congress. The ministry is weary of any action that may be construed to mean direct interference in the affairs of the SGPC. ‘’It can not remain a mute witness’’, say sources.

There are reports that SAD leaders, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, today met the Union Home Minister, Mr L. K. Advani, in New Delhi and apprised him of the situation following a crackdown on Akali workers owing allegiance to Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the developments, including the ‘’intimidation’’ of SGPC members and his party workers/supporters by the police in the run-up to the November 12 SGPC election. They have reportedly suggested to Mr Advani that the Centre can intervene without appearing to be obtrusive under Section 72 (sub clause 3) of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.

The SAD is not willing to be seen as a votary of the positioning of Central observers for the SGPC presidential election, yet, it is keen that some sort of ‘’intervention’’ must be there to ‘’discipline’’ the state government, which is ‘’coercing’’ the SGPC members to vote in a certain manner, vis-a-vis in favour of the ‘’other’’ Akali faction that has the backing of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Mr Ravi Inder Singh.

It is authoritatively learnt that the Centre also has been viewing with concern the use of ‘’state power’’ in purely religious organisational matters. Reports reaching the Union Home Ministry through Central agencies are, in fact, looking at the SGPC elections from a different angle; beyond November 12. These reports give enough indication that the situation, slowly but surely, is turning ‘’explosive’’ and the scenario is quite disturbing in Amritsar and elsewhere with both sides, the Akali factions and the Congress bending their sinews to win the prestigious SGPC election.

The Golden Temple complex has been turned into a fortress with the positioning of the police and the city is under siege. Observers say that one course or option with the Centre is to assess the situation (either through the District Magistrate or suo muto) and deploy paramilitary forces to act as a “counter-weight’’ to the ‘’intimidating’’ presence of the state police, in uniform or plainclothes.

There are also apprehensions of pro-Badal SGPC members being ‘’delayed’’ en route to the venue, Teja Singh Sammundari Hall.

As a consequence of the developments in the past few days, there is panic in the SAD circles, anguish in the public and utter confusion in the state administration. Several police officers and bureaucrats, on the condition of anonymity, have confided in TNS that what was happening in the state was ‘’undesirable, unfortunate and uncalled for’’ and it may prove counter productive for the Congress. It could even mean political downhill slide for Capt Amarinder Singh. His partymen are also gunning for him.

Several questions have also been raised as to what the Congress government will gain from the present gameplan either way, whether the Badal or the Tohra faction wins. One thing is certain. Politics is deeply entrenched in the religious arena and the two make a deadly mix. The Akalis feel that the government is hiding behind this shield to cover up its non-performance. There are also reports that several vested interests in police and politics, who enjoyed the best of life during militancy, were wrongly advising the government. Such people did not realise the fallout of such a situation after November 12.

Questions are also being raised over the manner of ‘’disqualifying’’ five SGPC members by the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission. They have gone to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in appeal. Confusion also prevails over whether their entry too will be banned to the venue of the election.

The overall situation, as of now, is not ‘very good despite government claims and assurance that the SGPC poll would be ‘’fair, free and without fear’’. A fear psychosis persists in the state.

Badal approaches Centre; may airlift men
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Balasar (Sirsa), November 9
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said today that he had pleaded with the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to make necessary arrangements for safe passage of SGPC members to Amritsar from various locations in Haryana and Punjab so that they could cast their votes in the SGPC elections to be held on November 12.

“Though the maintenance of law and order is a state subject but when it is being disturbed by the state government itself for its vested interests, the Centre should intervene to save Punjab from going back to the black days of terrorism when it suffered a lot,” said Mr Badal, who has been fighting a “war” against the Congress government from his farmhouse located here, while talking to TNS.

He said the only fear of SAD leadership was that how the SGPC members would reach the Golden Temple at Amritsar to cast their votes when the Congress government had unleashed reign of terror and has started committing atrocities on the kin of SGPC members.

When asked how the SGPC members, now staying put at various farmhouses in Sirsa district and Rajasthan, would be taken to the Golden Temple by him if the Central Government did not come to help them, Mr Badal kept mum.

However, reliable sources revealed that an aircraft could be used to transport SGPC members to Amritsar. It was discussed at meetings held by Mr Badal with groups of SGPC members at different places.

The sources said as per the plan discussed in the meetings, first the members would be taken to Delhi by road and then they would be taken to Amritsar in an aeroplane. Whether the SAD would arrange a chartered plane or use the routine flight of various airlines could not be known.

The sources added that the SAD leadership had arranged for about 150 seats in an aircraft. The SGPC members would land at the Rajasansi airport. From there, they would be taken to the Golden Temple to participate in the SGPC elections to be held in Teja Singh Samundri Hall in the shape of huge procession.

Mr Badal pointed out that the SAD had approached the judicial system of the country for ensuring free and fair elections of the SGPC. He added that members of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission had also been playing foul with them.

However, almost all members of the SGPC, who have been staying put in various farmhouses, said in one voice that they would prefer to die like a martyr than to leave Mr Badal. They said come what may, they would reach the Golden Temple and would cast their votes.

While claiming that SAD workers would remain peaceful, he alleged that the Congress government had endangered the peace and law and order situation in Punjab. If any violence took place in Punjab, the Congress government would be responsible for it.

When asked what would be the reaction of SAD activists and SGPC members if they were stopped from entering into the Golden Temple, he said nobody would tolerate the heinous crimes being committed by Capt Amarinder Singh and his police force.

“Those who are taking help of the Congress government to install their own man as president of the SGPC, known as parliament of Sikhs, should think where they are taking Punjab to, Mr Badal said.

He claimed that the people of Punjab would not have any faith in the democracy after seeing all what was happening in Punjab and what was being done by Capt Amarinder Singh. The people were not being allowed to fulfil their moral and religious duties. The Congress government had proved worse than Mughals and British, he said.

“No one can fight with the police and no one should fight with it. The police had been managing the affairs of the state as it had been working as a puppet in the hands of Capt Amarinder Singh. I have no proper words to explain the situation”, said Mr Badal.