Manochahal (Amritsar), June 27
Change no more flows from the barrel of a gun in Tarn Taran — once known as ‘mini
Khalistan’. The ballot has replaced bullet. The areas which had responded to the boycott of elections during the February 1992 Assembly elections is humming with poll related activities in the countryside.
The entire family of militant leader Gurbachan Singh Manochahal, self-styled chief of the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTFK). who was killed in police encounter at Ratoul village during militancy has put its resources to win the panchayat election in this village. While the younger brother of Manochahal, Mr Tarlochan Singh is contesting the election of a panch, his (Manochahal’s) widow Ms Dalbir Kaur and her children have been campaigning hard even though two days are left for the day of polling.
As many as 1227 persons were killed in encounters while 1191 civilians died in indiscriminate firing in the Tarn Taran police district during militancy. Tarn Taran which was carved out as a police district for being hot bed of militancy 277 police personnel were also killed in those days.
District police chief, Narinder Bhargav said that more than 100 villages of the Tarn Taran were considered ‘very sensitive’ where extra police force had been deployed.
Ms Dalbir Kaur Manochahal talking to The Tribune said that her family wanted to serve the people by bringing change in the present set-up of the panchayat. To a question, she said there was a time when her husband took to the gun, but with the passage of time the ballot had come as a greatest weapon to bring change in any democratic set up. Recalling old days, she said it was good luck that her family members had survived as they had went into hiding during terrorism otherwise they would have been killed in a police encounter. “Now, good days are ahead as normalcy has returned to the state and villagers are leading normal life”. Mr Tarlochan Singh Manochahal is contesting for the post of a panch with the Congress-supported candidates.
Mr Baldev Singh ‘Fauji’ brother of one of India’s most wanted militant, Parmjit Singh Panjwar, self-styled chief of the Khalistan Commando Force (who has taken shelter in Pakistan) said that his cousin Mr Jagbir Singh was contesting the election of sarpanch in Panjwar village. When asked that his brother had believed in the politics of ‘bullet’, he quipped that it (panchayat election) was a village-level politics and they wanted to serve the people in this way only. Similarly, Lakha Mararh, of village Mararh near Harike, Balwinder Singh Tharhu alias Bohru and many other militants who had surrendered before the police during terrorism had been taking keen interest in the panchayat elections.
