Splinter Akali factions form joint front against Badal

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, AUG. 5. At least, three splinter factions of the Shiromani Akali Dal and some rebel leaders as well as legislators, today joined hands to form the `Panthic Morcha,' which while remaining equidistant from the ruling Akali faction and the Congress, would contest the next elections to the State Assembly under one symbol, united leadership and a common agenda.

An announcement to this effect was made during a joint Press conference at the Chandigarh Press Club, which was addressed by the chiefs of the All India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD), Mr. G. S. Tohra, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Mr. Simranjit Singh Mann, Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic), Bhai Jasbir Singh Rhode and senior dissident legislator, Mr. Ravi Inder Singh.

Interestingly, Mr. Ravi Inder Singh has already been projected as the candidate for the post of the Chief Minister, by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which also plans to contest all the Assembly seats. Mr. Kuldip Singh Wadala, who heads the Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic), was conspicuous by his absence.

Baba Sarabjot Singh Bedi, who heads the Sant Samaj would be the convenor of the Morcha and was empowered with the right to administer, remove impediments and provide the Panthic religious direction to the new conglomeration. The `sacked' Jathedar of the Akal Takhat, Bhai Ranjit Singh, who was present on the occasion, pledged all support to the new organisation. The morcha would soon announce its 11 member executive body and would organise its first joint public function at Fatehgarh Sahib on Monday.

The development is viewed as major milestone in the process of polarisation of forces on the eve of the elections in the State, which are due by February next year. While it grants currency to various fringe elements, the constituents of the new Morcha argue that they had created the `third alternative' for the people. However, some analysts opine that through their unity, the leaders of these groups had actually created a platform from where they can easily strike a bargain with the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal.

Mr. Tohra told the mediapersons that all the constituent Akali factions would, however, maintain their individual identities for the time being. He said that the new morcha would contest all the 117 seats but was open to alliance with like-minded parties especially the Lok Morcha at the national level and BSP. He said that Panthic Morcha was in consonance with the desire of the people who wanted to get rid of the corrupt, inefficient and nepotism driven rule of the present dispensation and were opposed to the return of the Congress, which was responsible for Operation Bluestar, riots of November 1984 and other evils in the system due its rule for nearly 40 years.

Regarding the agenda of the morcha, Mr. Tohra stressed that it would seek the settlement of the pending territorial and river waters disputes of the state, ensure transparency, decentralisation and clean administration while maintaining peace and communal amity in the State. As top terrorist leader, Wassan Singh Zaffarwal and Khalistani ideologue, Dr. Jagjit Singh Chauhan, had returned to India at the behest of the present ruling party, with a predetermined design, they would not only be denied admission in the morcha, but would be opposed if any other political party fielded them as candidates, Mr. Tohra added.

Responding to a question, Bhai Ranjit Singh said that trial of Wassan Singh Zaffarwal was a farce as all evidence against him had been destroyed by the present Government. He said that it would be impossible for any future Government to proceed against him.

Baba Bedi and Bhai Ranjit Singh said that the effort behind the formation of the Panthic Morcha was to revive the Panthic agenda of the Shiromani Akali Dal, which was created under the aegis of the Akal Takhat in 1920. They said that at the Moga conference in 1996, Mr. Badal in his quest for power had changed the very nature of the party, converting into a Punjabi party, instead of being a representative of the Sikhs.

They said that the new morcha would strive for strengthening unity among the Punjabi people, by maintaining the Panthic identity of the Akali Dal. Both denied any political ambitions and said that they would provide religious guidance to the new organisation.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : Orissa Govt. blamed for declining quality of
           river water
Next     : Mann to oppose hanging of Rajiv assassins