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Mockery of justice
Omar’s laudable gesture |
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Loss of control Rein in the young on fast track FEW parents would like to see their children meet the fate that has befallen Chandigarh teenager Sukhmani Brar, charged with rash driving which resulted in the death of one young man and a schoolboy, Goldy, who was hoping to celebrate his sixth birthday on August 25.
THE LONGOWAL ASSASSINATION
“Badal’s lack of cooperation was the tragedy of the Accord”
THE RELUCTANT POLITICIAN
“Longowal was betrayed by
a treacherous Arjun Singh”
“Longowal was unhappy that Badal stayed away”
Sant Harchand Singh Longowal
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Mockery of justice
THE grant of bail to Ramalinga Raju, the key accused in the Satyam Computers fraud case, by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday is most unfortunate. Though Justice Raja Elango has given him bail on the condition that he will remain in Hyderabad city, depose before the investigating officers daily and give two securities of Rs 20 lakh each, the nature and scope of his crime did not warrant bail at this juncture. With his release, all the accused in the case are out on bail. Surprisingly, the Judge didn’t heed the CBI counsel and Additional Solicitor-General of India Harin P. Raval’s submission that Raju, if granted bail, could influence over 250 witnesses — mostly former employees of Satyam Computers — whom the prosecution planned to examine. Incidentally, it was on the same ground that the Supreme Court had rejected Raju’s bail petition on March 15, 2010. A Bench consisting of the then Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice Deepak Verma and Justice B.S. Chauhan ruled that it was rejecting his bail plea as “he is the main accused and is likely to influence the witnesses.” Unfortunately, the criminal justice system seems to have failed to enforce the rule of law in the country. There seem to be different laws for the high and the mighty and the poor. The VVIP treatment being extended to Raju at Hyderabad’s state-run Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) is common knowledge. On January 7, 2009, he was put in Hyderabad’s Chanchalguda jail with all comforts, including a badminton court specially opened for his use. But in September, he managed to shift to the plush NIMS for treatment of Hepatitis C. Raju is charged with the country’s biggest corporate fraud, involving over Rs 24,000 crore, but one does not know when he and his accomplices will be punished. The court proceedings have been stalled because of his reported illness. He has not even replied to the questionnaire sent to him at his NIMS address. There are reasonable apprehensions that the accused, with their powerful clout and influence, might take advantage of the loopholes in the law and circumvent justice. The case itself may drag on as the CBI has to wait for the responses to its letters rogatory sent to six countries — the US, the UK, Belgium, Mauritius, Singapore and the British Virgin Islands — seeking information on Raju’s bank accounts.
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Omar’s laudable gesture
Suspended head constable Abdul Ahad Jan, who threw a shoe at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at an Independence Day function, could not have thought that he would escape punishment for the serious crime he had committed. He was taken in custody immediately after the foolish act he indulged in, but today he is a free man. The Chief Minister has pardoned him, saying that “the holy month of Ramzan (fasting) teaches us to be compassionate and to forgive everyone”. Omar Abdullah’s stature has gone up by a few notches, whereas those who believed that they had got an opportunity to make political capital out of the incident have been silenced. Strangely, no political leader in the troubled state condemned the ugly behaviour of the frustrated person as if there was a conspiracy of silence. Coming to the level of publicly showing disrespect to the Chief Minister cannot end the Kashmir crisis. Those who have been throwing stones at security personnel for some time at every available opportunity must have also realised by now that such acts can take the state nowhere. What Jammu and Kashmir needs today, more than anything else, is the spurring of economic activity on a large scale. People must be given adequate employment opportunities, besides other facilities, to improve their quality of life. The demand for a political package from the Centre, as the Chief Minister mentioned during his August 15 speech on the lines of what those in the Opposition have been saying, cannot help redress the real grievances of the masses. Those who have been raising slogans of “azadi” are actually the enemies of Kashmir. This kind of behaviour cannot earn the sympathy of the rest of the Indians for the suffering people of Kashmir. The Centre has never given the impression that it is averse to granting more autonomy to the state in accordance with the constitutional scheme of things. But nothing will be possible if the people do not reject the separatists, whose agenda can lead to more trouble for Kashmir. Of course, there is need to do all that is possible to end the feeling of alienation among the people which has been visible during the on-going unrest in the valley.
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Loss of control
FEW parents would like to see their children meet the fate that has befallen Chandigarh teenager Sukhmani Brar, charged with rash driving which resulted in the death of one young man and a schoolboy, Goldy, who was hoping to celebrate his sixth birthday on August 25. And yet not many parents would stop their young ones from speeding or breaking other traffic rules since it is possible they themselves do so when cops are not around. The accident in the VIP area of the City Beautiful was bad enough, but the way the girl and her companions fled, leaving the victims to bleed, was worse. Such conduct is unacceptable and unpardonable. Timely medical help, perhaps, could have saved the precious lives. The role of the girl’s supposedly educated relatives has been anything but graceful. Instead of handing her over to the police when she returned home after causing the accident, they did not open the door to let in a police party. One Army officer related to her tried to shift the blame to a driver. And the police team very conveniently came back without arresting the suspect. It is given out that the girl left for Delhi and returned to surrender as the police coolly waited for her. Her delayed medical examination will help her fend off the reported charge of being drunk at the time of the accident. In no time she was out on bail. The handling of this case is likely to tarnish the cops’ image in an otherwise well-policed city. The number of fatal accidents in Chandigarh fell to 17 in 2009 from 135 in 2008 and 142 in 2007. It is well known how the police deviates from its usual style of functioning while dealing with VIP and well-off law-breakers. Small wonder, instances of rich brats violating the law and getting away with it are multiplying despite increased media pressure. Children will respect the law only if the grown-ups do. Sometimes bitter medicine is good for the patient’s long-term health. |
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Oh! how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes.
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THE LONGOWAL ASSASSINATION
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“Badal’s lack of cooperation was the tragedy of the Accord”
The Rajiv Gandhi government was looking desperately for a man who could restore peace to Punjab. Just 18 weeks into office, Rajiv was itching to make a mark. The brainwave to send a shrewd and well-heeled Arjun Singh to Chandigarh to steer the troubled state out of terror came suddenly to Rajiv. Sensing that the people were getting disillusioned with terrorist outfits and there was a groundswell of desire for peace to return, the first peace dove was released on March 11, 1985 when 8 prominent Akali leaders who had been arrested in the wake of Operation Bluestar were released from detention. These included Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Surjit Singh Barnala and Sant Harchand Singh Longowal. Those not released were Parkash Singh Badal of the Akali Dal and Gurcharan Singh Tohra, SGPC President, apparently because they were acting difficult. March 12 saw Arjun Singh being sworn in as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister. Little did he know then that a mere 24 hours later, he would be summoned to New Delhi by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and confronted with the challenge of pulling Punjab out of the morass into which it had fallen. Today, a quarter of a century later, Arjun Singh reminisces on how he was drafted for the job by Rajiv. He is fulsome in his praise of Rajiv as he goes down memory lane. Describing the times, he says: "There was the danger of alienating the entire Sikh community from India. Only a visionary like Rajivji could rise above his personal emotions and try to bridge the divide." Lauding Sant Longowal he says his firm commitment to peace was a major factor in the accord. "Sant was in politics by chance. He did not harbour any ill-will and was ready to sacrifice," he added with nostalgia. Says Arjun Singh: "The reason for the accord's apparent failure was our inability to grasp the opportunities given to us by Rajivji. He went to the farthest possible extent that any Prime Minister could go and in this effort he had the firm commitment of Sant Longowal. Their combined efforts at least brought peace to Punjab but the political gains expected from it could not materialize." Blaming the failures on the political leadership of the time in the State, he said it was not ready to take the same risks that the Prime Minister had taken so it fell short. He said Mr Badal was the foremost Akali leader but for some reason he chose to keep out of the accord inspite of his (Arjun Singh's) best efforts. Asked whether he sees the danger of revival of terrorism in Punjab, the once-formidable Congress leader says this possibility cannot be brushed aside since "a section of Akalis is prepared to go to any length for meeting their political ends." Asked if he had a message for the people of Punjab, he said "The future of India now belongs to Punjab provided the people act with restraint." Arjun Singh, who will be 80 in a couple of months is a pale shadow of his former self. He talks haltingly and is careful not to pull punches as he hedges and weighs every word in his characteristic, low profile way. He fights shy of the media and blames the trend towards sensationalism for his disillusionment. He agrees to this writer's plea for answering a few questions on the Rajiv-Longowal accord after deep thought. The old warhorse has, however, not lost his ability to play with words.
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THE RELUCTANT POLITICIAN He had a premonition. " I have nothing to lose. There is no one to cry for me after I am gone," he declared before leaving for New Delhi to sign the accord. The present Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala remembers him reflecting, " I will be failing in my duty if I am unable to restore peace and normalcy to Punjab". The assassination, arguably, turned the tide. Public opinion in Punjab began to favour the ballot over the bullet, setting in motion a chain of events that led to a popularly elected government in the state. If Barnala is to be believed, Longowal was a reluctant politician. In 1977 when Parkash Singh Badal decided to vacate the Faridkot seat in the Lok Sabha and return to Punjab, the party felt Longowal was the ideal candidate and announced his name. But the candidate was nowhere to be found. Barnala remembers travelling to various places, including Karnal and Rishikesh, to look for the missing candidate. But he was not to be found anywhere, forcing the party to nominate Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, who went on to win the seat. Harchand Singh Longowal was the moderate face of the Akali Dal even during the 'Dharam Yudh Morcha' and was steadfast in his commitment to peace. Arrested from inside the Golden Temple complex during Operation Bluestar, he remained in Jodhpur jail for 10 months during the period that witnessed the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the anti-Sikh riots that followed. Released from prison in March, 1985 Longowal's first step was to call on the families of people who were killed during Operation Bluestar and in the violence that followed Mrs Gandhi's assassination. It is not clear who took the initiative but the newly appointed Punjab Governor, Arjun Singh, established contact with Akali leaders and seemingly succeeded in thrashing out the main grievances of the community. It was he who suggested a meeting between Akali leaders and the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. There was, however, no consensus. While Longowal consulted members of the Akali core group, some of them warned him about the consequences. Longowal himself was undecided and apparently sought divine directions from the Guru Granth Sahib. Two prominent members of the core group remained elusive. Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Parkash Singh Badal refused to be a party to the consultations and did not respond to the messages sent to them, forcing the Sant to go to New Delhi without them. The Rajiv-Longowal accord was signed on July 24, 1985. Three days later, the accord was endorsed by both Badal and Tohra. In August simultaneous elections to the Assembly and to the Lok Sabha from Punjab were announced but three days after the announcement, Sant Longowal fell to the assassins' bullets. Had he lived on, would the course been very different ?
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“Longowal was betrayed by a treacherous Arjun Singh”
For Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister and Patron in Chief of the Shiromani Akali Dal, the July 24 Rajiv-Longowal accord was nothing but a part of a treacherous plan the Punjab Governor Arjun Singh had engineered for his own political rehabilitation. In the execution of his plan, Arjun Singh got support of those who wanted to wrest power in the State by encashing the sacrifices thousands of Punjabis had made during the "dharma yudh morcha." "These were treacherous plans of Arjun Singh that forced Sant Harchand Singh Longowal to sign the infamous accord with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He had his own political agenda, as he wanted political mileage out of the accord. He was keen to leave Punjab to return to mainstream politics. His desperation to leave was apparent, as he knew nothing would come out of the accord, " Badal told The Tribune in an interview. "The results are all before us. Except for the river-water issue, now no one is talking about transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab. Why is no one talking about implementing the Rajiv-Longowal accord," he asked aloud. "We had forewarned Sant Longowal. Our apprehension that he would be cheated into the accord has ultimately come true. Did Punjab or Sikhs gain anything out of the accord except for losing great souls like Sant Harchand Singh Longowal? "Soon after the invitation from Rajiv Gandhi came, there was a meeting of the inner group of the Shiromani Akali Dal where besides me, Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, Balwant Singh, Surjit Singh Barnala and Gurcharan Singh Tohra were present. It was decided not to accept the invitation and instead send a polite refusal saying that Punjab, after going through so much of bloodshed and trouble, must be offered something substantial to come to negotiating table. "But Arjun Singh prevailed upon Sant Harchand Singh Longowal to go to Delhi to meet Rajiv Gandhi. At that time also we warned the Santji that he would be cheated. It was treachery on the part of Arjun Singh. I do not blame those who wanted to wrest power by using the Sant.” "I do not want to get into any controversy. In case those blaming me for staying out of the accord do not stop, I would be forced to expose them and their treacherous plans," said Badal maintaining that before leaving for Sherpur after meeting him and Gurcharan Singh Tohra at his Chandigarh house, Sant had admitted that he has been "cheated into signing the accord. "We sought cooperation and wanted all to join hands to get justice for Punjab by contesting the elections. We both not only promised him our complete support, but also offered to work whole-heartedly for the panthic unity in the September 1985 elections," said Badal, who is heading to Longowal to participate in the 25th death anniversary function of Sant Harchand Singh
Longowal.
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“Longowal was unhappy that Badal stayed away”
" He was very happy and excited after his meeting with Tohra and Badal," remembers Barnala. He was elated at the unity achieved and instructed Barnala to call on another Akali leader, Hari Singh Zira while he himself proceeded to Sherpur (Sangrur). " That was the only reason that held me back or else I would have accompanied him," he said. Sant Longowal was attacked when he was addressing the Istri Akali Dal conference at Sherpur. His personal security staff were all busy having their lunch at the house of one of the meeting organisers. They did not expect an attack on the Sant in Sangrur, where he was very popular and his home turf. Six shots were fired at him. The first bullet felled a person who was attending the meeting. Two other bullets hit Sant Longowal, who was rushed inside the Gurudwara. But the assailants followed and shot him again. One of the three assailants was killed in retaliatory fire but the remaining two managed to escape. Barnala recalls that months earlier when Sant Longowal accepted the invitation to meet the Prime Minister for talks, he was nervous about his lack of formal education. "Rajiv Gandhi has lived and studied abroad," the Sant worried, " how will I be able to converse with him ? We had to tell him in jest that Rajiv Gandhi was just like a driver with the difference that he flew planes," remembers Barnala. The pep-talk helped. In New Delhi, as Barnala waited outside, Sant Longowal had a one-to-one talk with Prime Minister Gandhi before aides were called in. "There were celebrations in Delhi over the Accord. Both the Houses of Parliament ratified the Accord the same day. On our way back, we were stopped at various places in Haryana and Punjab and the people congratulated the Sant for his historic initiative.” Tohra and Badal, however, kept themselves away from Sant Longowal, alleges Barnala. "Efforts were made to persuade both Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Parkash Singh Badal to join the consultations on issues to be raised with the Union government. Special messengers were sent to both of them before the July 24 meeting. But none of them responded," says Barnala. While keeping themselves away from the Rajiv-Longowal talks, Tohra and Badal also maintained a distance from the Sant and his core group. On August 19, they stayed away from a meeting of the district jathedars, former legislators and members of Parliament held at Longowal in Sangrur. The meeting was convened to take a decision about participating in the elections that had been announced on August 17. Since Punjab was left out of the general elections held earlier, it was decided to hold the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together. But both Tohra and Badal endorsed the decision on August 20. Supporting the need for "Panthic unity", both of them also appealed to all Sikh organisations to stay united and defeat the "anti-Panthic forces". It was after securing their endorsement at Chandigarh that Sant Longowal left for Sherpur on that fateful day. " I received the news of the attack on him from Punjab Governor Arjun Singh. I immediately left for Sangrur and on the outskirts of Sangrur, caught up with the convoy of Arjun Singh, who gave me the grim news that Sant Ji was no more. On reaching Sangrur, Arjun Singh received a telephone call from Rajiv Gandhi and he handed over the receiver to me. Rajiv was very upset and his voice choked as he conveyed his condolences," remembers Barnala. Both Tohra and Badal were greeted with hostile slogan shouting when they reached the Civil Hospital from where the body of the slain Sant was being taken to Longowal village for cremation. Posters and banners appeared all over Punjab warning people of against attending the 'Antim Ardas' and 'Bhog' of the Sant. " In spite of these threats, over two lakh people turned up for the Bhog," reminisces Barnala, who was appointed the acting head of the Shiromani Akali Dal. But the job left unfinished by Sant Longowal had to be carried forward. People gave the Shiromani Akali Dal a thumping majority in the Vidhan Sabha and the party bagged 74 seats in a House of 117. The Akali Legislature Party elected Barnala as its leader and he became Chief Minister of Punjab. Militancy, however, escalated and Barnala soon found himself at odds with the Centre. President’s rule was imposed within 21 months. It was only in the mid-nineties when militancy collapsed that normalcy returned. |
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Sant Harchand Singh Longowal 1950 : Initiated into active politics 1969 : Elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha 1975 : Spearheaded movement against Emergency 1980 : Elected President of SAD on August 19 1984 : Arrested during Operation Bluestar 1985 : Released from Jodhpur Jail in March 1985 : Signed the historic accord with the PM on July 24 1985 : Assassinated at Sherpur on August 20 Post-assassination Surjit Singh Barnala elected acting president of Shiromani Akali Dal SAD wins two-third majority in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in the September election Barnala sworn in as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal opts out of the government Capt Amarinder Singh assumes charge as Agriculture Minister Balwant Singh given the Finance portfolio Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa not included in the ministry
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LESS than a month after he signed the historic accord with Rajiv Gandhi, Harchand Singh Longowal was gunned down on August 20, 1985. His assasination was a major turning point in Punjab’s history. It slowed down the peace process, divided the Akalis and escalated militancy. Now 25 years later The Tribune speaks exclusively to three key players about what really went wrong.
P
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should have been with him on that fateful day," recalls Surjit Singh Barnala at his official residence at the Chennai Raj Bhavan where he is serving as governor. Barnala says that on the morning of August 20, 1985, there was a meeting between Longowal, Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Parkash Singh Badal. The two core committee members had missed a meeting at Longowal the previous day, sending out confusing signals and it was important to put up a united face in view of the elections which had been announced. The Akali Dal had taken a formal decision to participate in the election at the Longowal meeting.
1932 : Born at Gadirani ( Sangrur)