Shiromani Akali DaI And Congress
Main Contenders In Punjab PolJ
Other Parties Count For Very Little
Tbe battlil of tbe bustings in Punjab bas begun in
real earnest, as filing of nomination papers and tbeir
scrutiny as well as witbdrawal of candidates are over.
The real bout is between
Congress(I) and Shiromani Akali
Dal. Of the other parties, CPI
and CPM have selected pockets
of influence. BJP's thunder as
saviour of Hindu interests has
been stolen by Congress(l) and
is now no more than a crippled
and maimed body struggling for
life. Sardar Randhir Singh
Cheema's faction, which, after
revolting against Baba Joginder
Singh, has decided to enter the
battlefield, will, at the most,
have a nuisancc value. Janta and
Republican parties are not a
force anywhere in the state.
Lok Dal has, wisely, chosen to
stay away, if only to avoid the
ignominy of crushing defeat.
Shiromani Akali Dal has
announced names of its candi"
dates for II Lok Sabha and 93
assembly seats. It is not contest"
ing the Ferozepore and Phillaur
parliamentary seats. Nine assem-
bly seats have been left for Janta
which has, however, annonnced
its resolve to fight in 25 consti"
tueneies. Akali candidates for
the remaining 15 assembly seats
had not been announced as we
go to the pre ...
Shiromani Akali Dal has
given assembly tickets to seven
Hindus and one Muslim. Mr
Ram Jathmalani, noted advocate,
was offered ticket for Lok Sabha
but he chose to stay away.
Negotiations with Mr Inder
Kumar Gujral, former union
minister and ambassador to
RUSSIa, and Mr Kuldip Nayar,
a journalist, did not fructify
Among the 93 Akali
candidates, for state assem"
bly, 21 are advocates,
23 graduates one engineer,
Sabha and 117 assembly seats
under its own flag. But its high
command has widded a big
cbopper. Eight of the 12 previous
and nine post· graduates. Rai members of Lok Sabha and 26
Sikhs, Ramgarhias Sainis, members of the dissolved state
Gujars and other c~mmunities assembly have been denied
have been given due representa- tickets. The Lok Sabha list has
tion. nine new faces and the assembly
list as many as 80 new men.
Congress(1) is ·the only party Fifteen women and 20 youth
which is fightmg all the 13 Lok have been given tickets.
Resignations Of Lol< Dal MLAs In
Haryana A Gimmick
Devi Lal Guilty Of Political Fraud And Criminal
. Offence"
Haryana unit of the Lok Dal stands isolated from
other opposition parties over Ihe approach and style
of the protest proposed to be launched by them against
the "injustice" done to their state in the accord signed
by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the late Sant
Harchand Singh Longowal on July 24 last.
Both Bharatiya Janta Party resignations in a symbolic
and Congress (J) have had gesture. They were Mr Devi Lal
second thoughts over the strategy and Dr Manga! Sain, leaders of
of asking their MLAs to resign Lok Dal and BIP respectively.
their seats. Their resignations were accepted
Mr J agjivan Ram has told by Speaker Tara Singh imme-
Lok Dal leaders, who called on diately, and the Election
him recently, that "resigning and Commission ordered by-elections
contesting elections again will for September 25.
serve no purpose." In fact, the This served as a damper on
opposition would emerge only as others. This also explains why
a loser. BJP and Congress (J) have now
Three BIP MLAs have told developed cold feet .
their party leadership that they But, in keeping with its
would not resign even if told to policy of bluff and blusler, Lok
do so by the party high Dal asked its remaining 20
command. They would quit the MLAs to submit their resigna"
party instead. tions. Seventeen presented them
In a bravado, all the opposi- in person to Speaker Tara Singh
tion parties, at first asked their on August 30 while those of
MLAs to quit. But later only other three were submitted by
two of them submitted their Mr Devi Lal.
. All p.rsons, Who were aligned
WIth eIther Zail Singh or
Darbara Singh groups, have been
Sl.dehned, . Because Congress(I}
~Ighbrass IS now convinced that
LI .was theIr internecine fight
whIch was at the root of the
Punja~ crisis: All those, who
had hnks WIth the extremists
ha ve also been dropped. In othe;
words, Congress(I) broom has
(Continued on last page)
.
. There is a big snag. These
resIgnatIons bear no date and are
therefore, invalid in law. If
Sardar Tara Singh rejects them
they would try to pose tbemselve;
as beroes. But, in reality, they
have duped the electorate with
deliberation.
Who does not know that "
date is very essential on a.
document ?
These Lok r -. leader~
wanted to become .olartyrs by
applying, as they odoY, a drop of
blood to their finger-tip.
We cannot ignore another
serious aspect. Mr Devi Lal
submitted to assembly speaker
the resignation of one Congress
(1) MLA, Rao Nihal Singh.
Later, the Rao denied having
ever submitted the resignation.
If his signature was forged
then it is a criminal offence and
a piece of politica! fraud, for
which Mr Devi Lal cannot escape
contmgent hablhty and punish-
ment. However, if Rao Nihal
Singh changed his mind on his
own, it is a different matter.
 THE " SPOKESMA N" WEEKLY
"United" Akali Dal Now In Shambles
As Many Defy BoycQtt Plan
Talwa'odi Ousted From His .Own Faction
The so-called "united" Akali Dallies dismembered.
It has turned out to be·a few days wonder.
From the very outset it was
just a conglom~ration of diverse
elements who were united in
their ire ag.inst either Sant
Harchand' Singh Longowal or
SGPC President Gurcharan
Singh Tohra . Thore was no
Ideological bond among them.
They did not have good of the
community in their minds. Only
perso nal ambitions swelled in
thei r chests.
Now under the impact of
elections to Punjab assembly and
Lok Sabha, their house of cards
has failen apart . Maj ority of its
top leaders have risen in revolt
agaiMt Baba Ioginder Singh's
decision to boycott the poll and
have decided to enter the fray.
Iathedar Jagdev Singh Talwandi,
who was the brain behind the
induction of Babaji into politics,
now has been shown his place.
. And his game of exploit ing
Babaji's name, who had some
.hallow as father of Sant Jarnail
Singh Bhindran wale, to down
Sant Longowal is up.
Former Punjab Development
Minister Atma Singh walked into
Babaji's parlour merely to give
vent to his rage after ha ving been
defeated by Sardar Tohra in the
contest for SGPC presidentship
last year.
A handful of others tIed
themselves to Babaji's apron
strings in the vain hope tha t he
was a rising star and their own
fortunes wo uld soar skyhigh
under his patronage. Now all
must be rueing the day.
Jath<dar Talwandi has been
ousted from his own faction
which has been revived and
Sardar Randhir Singh Cheema
has taken over his throne.
Significantly, this decision -was
taken at a meetmg which, among
others, w.. attended by Sardar
Jagjit Singh, brother of Sant
Bhindranwale and son of Baba
Joginder Singh.
Did all this have Babaji's
blessings?
A new parliamentary board
has been appointed and the list of
party candidates for the poll was
due to be announced during the
weekend.
UAD General Secretary Surat
Singh had threatened "stern
French Version of Gurbani and
Bliai Vir Singh's Poetry
Co-authored by Prof. Michel
Delahoutre and Prof. Harbans
Singh, the latest French book-
Anthology of Sikh Religious
Poetry-provides a brief account
of Sikh Gurus and selected saintG
for the benefit of French- knowing
people.
Brought out on the occasion
of "Festival of India" currently
being he ld in France, the book
has been rightly described by
critics as a ring-side window on
Sikhism. It is devoted to four
principle studies i. e. i) History
of the Sikh religious movement;
ii) Guru Granth Sahib; iii)
Comparative study of Sikh
religion; and iv) the modern
interpretation of Sikhism by the
renowned master poet, Bhai Vir
Singh . Prof. Delahoutre described
Bhai Vir Singh as the modern
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2 9th September. 1985
action" against all those who
defy the boycott plan. It remains
to be seen how this threat is
implemented. Expulsion of the
rebels will be meaningless.
Most significant is that Sardar
Harbhajan Singh, the uncle of
AIHndia Sikh Students Federa-
tion General Secretary Harmin-
der Singh Sandhu, has fi led his
nomination papers. His example
has been emulated by many
others. It was the AISSF which
forced Baba Joginder Singh to
announce the boycott of the
elections. If these people could
not convert their own near and
dear ones to their line of thinking,
how could they hop' to influence
the electorate or the Sikh
masses?
interpreter of Sikh faith, poet of
beauty, the bard of nature, the
defender of man and his freedom
and the philosopher of life .
For the purpose of transla-
tion, Prof. Delahoutre has
selected the famous poems of
Bhai Sahib which have direct
bearing on interpretation of
Gurbani. He acknowledges
courtesy of Bhai Vir Singh
Sahitya Sadan for full coopera-
tion in this venture and indicates
"Bhai Vir Singh Abhinandan
Granth" and "Bhai Vir Singh-
The Sixth River of Punjab" as
the source material for selecting
English version of Bhai Vir
Singh'S poems for French
translation. French-knowing
readers wi ll surely welcome this
collection.
7th September, 1955
HAPPE'lINGS OF 4TH JT.JLY
(All editorial)
Ramkrishan Parmhans well
said that wben a woman
studiously drew a long veil ovec
her face, there was usualiy
something shady Md fishy a bout
her. More often than not, she
had an ungly, repulsive face. And
when a Government seeks to veil
certain acts of its agents and
doggedly resists an inquiry into
tbem, it is a manifest proof
that the Government
its ugly skeleton in
has
the
cup board which cannot stand
close scrutiny or the blaze
of public view . The Punjab Gov-
ernment an d the Centre are persis-
tently resisting a judicial inquiry
into the Amritsar happenings of
4th Iuly. Tbis attitude forces an
average man to conclude that
either the happenings took place
with the approva I of the two
Governments or ·tbe two
Gover,nments are too much
interested In the delinquents 'a nd
cannot bear tbe idea of their
being subjected to the glare of a
judicial inquiry or that the two
Governments would not be above
re-enacting the same sort of
drama, and that consequently,
the~ would not damp. the
SPIrIts of Government officials
who may be employed fo r a
similar purpose again. The
public is free to deduce such
conclusions in the face of
Governmenr's refusal to hold a
judicial probe in the hateful
bappenings of 41h July.
Nor would Governmenl hold
an inquiry to ascerta in how
much truth tbere was in Bhim
Sa in 's and some other wiseacres'
insinuati ons Ihat the Akalis were
in league with an enemy country
or tba t tbe M orcba had been
designed on tbe pa Item of the
Rebellion of 1857, for verily it
w,,~ launched Oil the do) on
wh ich the '57 ' rebellion had
started! These reck"' s charges
were hurled by a Chief Minister
and some other supposedly
responsible people r What shall
one say of these delightful
people? Bow could Ihe Sikhs
respect Sachar and Kairon aDd
those like them .who spoke so
r~ck less ly . an d senselessly,
blddmg adIeu to sanity an d
decency 7 But this is PUDJab and
nothlDg could be sur prising from
the wise men of the East.
 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 3 9th September, 19~L

$-~--------------~
A THOUGHT FROM GURBANI
tI , Of all the lights in the courtyard
The best ligbt is tbe ligbt of God in tbe beart.
$
il
Ii -Guru Arjan Dev
~~~~~~~~~~~~~..;pp.~~~
Vol. 35 Price :
No.2 Re. 1/-
NEW MESSIAH
More than 10 lakh persons, who thronged to
Longowal village in Sangrur district on September 1,
to attend the Bhog in memory of Sant Harchand Singh
!;ongowal, proclaimed to the entire world that not only
Punjab but the whole of India had lost a new 'messiah.
There were men, women and children of all age groups;
there were Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Jains,
Buddhists and Parsis, folIowing different faiths but
united in the last prayer for peace to the soul of the
departed leader; there were rich and poor, high and low
. castes, ministers and ordinary run of masses, scholars
and the uneducated, landlords and labourers. They
had assembled to pay homage to the man who, in
eonformity with the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, asked
people to eschew violence, hatred, and revenge; who
preached love and amity among all, especially Hindus
and Sikhs; who held aloft the torch of fellow-feeling
and tried to show us the new way out of the long, dark
tunnel; and who tried to convince all that only with
love and cooperation and by sharing weals and woes
together could we under in an era of prosperity and
happiness.
Those, who rejoiced at Sant Longowal's foul
murder or branded him as a "traitor" to the Panth,
must now realise how wrong they were and how isola-
ted they are from the popular feelings. Traitor is he
who feathers his own nest at the expense of his com-
munity. The Sant had no son, daughter, son-in-law or
brother for whom he could indulge in manoeuvres to
amass wealth or heap favours; he was an embodiment
of selfless service and self-abnegation. Traitors are those,
who, for their own ends, put self before the community
and ditched the entire Panth for self-aggrandisement or
a few crumbs of pelf and power.
'1 Guru Gobind Singb's
Concept of Nation
'I
By : Dr. Wazir Singh
In the poetry of the Dasam
Granth, one finds numerous
references to the commurlities
and nationalities of the world.
The motivating spirit behind its
compilation, Guru Gobind
Singh, makes repeated mention
of the peoples inhabiting various
regions and countries, the
languages they speak and the
rites and custonis they follow.
"The Persians, the Jerangis and
the colourful men of France, the
instrumentalists of Makran, the
dwelleq of Bhakhar, Kandhar
and Ghaur, the Gakhars and the
Gurd ~zis" are counted among
those who sing praises of the
divine Spirit. Mention is made
of Ptlrabfs of the eastern pro-
vinces, Hingula of the H imalayan
region, Gurdezis and yogis, the
Arabs and tbe French, Kandharis
and Kureshis, people of the
West, Marathas, Dravars and
Telugus, Bengalis of Bang,
Jerangis of Europe, kings of
Dilli , Rohella~ of Rohel khand,
Mftghelas of Maghdl:l, warriors
of Bangash and B"ndhelkhand,
Gurkhas and Chinese, Manchu-
rians and Tibetans . Listed among
languages and dialects are the
Arabic, Torki and Persian;
Pehlavi, Pushto and Sanskrit:
Deshbhakha and Deva-Vani.
Employing an abundance and
aflluence of words of the
same species, in stanza after
stanza, Guru Gobind Singh not
oniy creates a spell-binding effect
on his reader, but floods him
with information about the
multiplicity of the variegated
human life and culture. He
compliments his Lord thus:
Here Thou art a heavenly
singer a matchless instru·
t
battlefield. Some devote them-
selves to Ihe study of Logic and
become experts of Nyaya; some
study the Yajurveda, and some
others the verses of Brahm.;
here some people read the book
of Patanjali (Yogashastra), there
tbe book ofK.nada (Vaisizes"lzika
. Darshan); and there are others
who seek the treasures of know-
ledge in all the 'fourteen
regions'.
Such depiction of the
diversity of people's culture
illustrates Guru Gobind Singh's
image of the comlDurllties inhabi-
ting Asian, West Asian and
European countries of the late
seventeenth century world. It
further iIlustra tes his image of
the nationalities inhabiting the
Indian sub-continent . The
Moghuls had been trying to
unify and enlarge the empire.
which touched ils peak during
Aurangzeb's regime. There were
still states and territories which,
though outsid e the Moghul
empire, fo rmed part of Bharat-
varsha . An Indian State in the
modern sense of the term was
not in exi5tence in those days.
Howeva, some sort of territorial
Iod ;a, with definite Indian
tradi tions, was there . Thi!S con-
sciousness of the territory and the
spiritual and cultural history of
the people had engendered in
the native population a sense of
nationali,m, strong enough to
mobilize resistauce to the
eXpansionist ambitions of the
Moghul rulers.
It is evident from the refe-
rences contained in Guru Gobind
Singh's poetry that the concept
of a nation in the 'political'

mentalist. a Yaksha, the sense had not yet crystallized

The assassins must also feel ashamed now because wise, and there a snake, a during his days . In fact, the poli-
they stand condemned by the lakhs who attended the ghost or a goblin. cies relating to domestic or
Bhog and by crores of others who eulogised the Sant's Here Tbou art a Hindu external affairs of the successive
services to Sikhs, Sikhism and the country. These hand- dwelling, in silence, upon Mogbul governments were
ful of men, who were either hired for the job or who the Gayatri and there a neither based on national princi-
Turk shouting out your ples nor dictated b y nalional
mistakenly felt inspired on their own, have finished the call to prayer. interests. Generally the class and
Sant in his earthly form of flesh and blood but they communal interests or the
have not stilled, and can never still, his sermon of Now ThOll art in arms, now motives of the territorial expan-
compassion, sweetness, good of all humanity and dwelling u pon knowledge, sion were involved in the deter-
political reconciliation; this clarion call shall continue to now feeding on air, now a mination of policies. We can
companion of beauty hardly speak of the Hindus of
reverberate through the length and bre:ldth of this land. Now Thou art the speech of northern and southern India and
Such renegades are there in all climes and communities. angels, the goddess of lear- the M uslim settlers in the
But if these murderers thought they were serving their ning, then the goddess of country, during the Mughal
faith or community, they are sadly mistaken. Guru power and death; now period, as one nation. Even in
Gobind Singh had taugh~ us not to harbour ill-feeling blue-hued, now white. the West, enthusiasm for the
-(Akal Us/ali) "national' state took roots after
against even the enemy on the battIefield; his arrows Tbe readcr is 1 afforded an the French Revolution, and
had golden tips so that anyone, wounded by them, insi -ht into the wealth of know- gathered momentum during the
could arrange for his medical care; he had hailed Bhai led;' and information of detail nineteenth century, when symbols
Ghanaiya as his "true disciple" when he was accused the Guru passes sed. He finds like national flag and national
of serving water to the : wounded among enemy ranks. some people reading the Kok- anthem, national language and
schooling, national holidays and
Because his fight was over principles and not against Shastra. others studying the
code of ethics; some are gOlDg heroes came to be evolved. The
individuals; How can these assassi-ns then eall themselves through the Nyaya-Shastra, preceding centuries, both in
as "true Sikhs" ? others are learning the rules of India and the West had knoWD
 THE "sPOKESMAN WEEKLY" 4 9th September, 1985

nationalism of an ethnic type. eVIl' and 'a source of appalling The Guru invoked the valiant Gobind Singh's concept of Time,
For instance, Jews were a nation danger' in the present set-up of and fearless aspect of the its true significance as an event
though scattered over distant the world. supreme power, as well as furni- in the historical and cosmological
lands. They were bound by com- shed his followers with volumes perspective becomes aU the more
Another feature of the Indian of heroic literature, in order clear. According to his philoso-
mon sentiments and beliefs, natiounlism of earlier times was
rather than by a common State. its pre-occupation with the imer- to inculcate in them the virtues phy of Time, 'all events are
Their members, wherever they nal affairs of the country. Indians of valour and wisdom. subject to time', i.e. they are the
were, formed one cultural group; were concerned with the way of creation of historical process;
they represented a distinct life that prevailed inside their The Guru seems to have been 'only one Event is Eternal or
national character in the lands of territory, and with the defence of acutely conscious of the need of Timeless', i.e. not subject to the
their domicile. Even in the it. No foreign influence of con- leadership a nation hal. His creative proce&s. This view is
present age, Indian or Chinese quest could completely curb the whole effort to organize the repeated several times in the
or Americans abroad represent spirit of nationalism. It appeared 'Khalsa', the select band of Dasam Granth. For instance-
their respective national patterns time and again, under the leader- disciplined saint·soldiers, with
of Hre; although in many cases, ship of Rana Pratap, and Shivaji, an executive council of 'five Tn Time did Brahma assume
chosen ones' at its hand, was a form,
people of one national origin and Guru Gobind Singh. During
settled in another part oi the the days of British expansion, clearly directed to this end. The In time did Shi va come down
world, gradually come to be it arose in the form of 1857 war Khalsa was designed to give the below,
absorbed by the State that of liberation. Yet, seldom an nation lead in social and political In time did Vishnu reveal
accepts them. affairs, as also in moral and himself,
attempt was made at imposing spiritual regions. An inexhausti-
Factors and elements that the Indian way of life on the ble source of inspiration and Of Time is aU this wondrous
eombine to create civilization are non-Indian neighbours by force. enlightenment was also placed show.
practically the same as help in Nationalist fervour was confined at the disposal of the nation, in (Chaupai, Trans. S.S. Sekhon)
producing a basic social group or to the upholding of the dignity the form of the Adl Gran til
a national unit. History of of an unbroken continuity of installed as the Guru. Thus the If the wondl'ous show of the
national formations and history culture, even by the use of Indian people were fortified by a world, with all its events, all its
<If civilization are not incongru- violence. As Guru Gobind Singh book as their guide, a workable places and all directions are the
<IUS. The ethos and mores of the wrote in the Z aJarnama addressed pattern of organization and creation of Time, and if powers
Indian people that survived the to emperor Aurangzeb : leadership complete with a code like Brahma and Vishnu, Shiva
upheavals of ages and furnished of conduct and a set of principles and Yogis, angels and heavenly
When an affair is past every beings, all were created in the
historical continuity to Indian other remedy, and institutions. The Guru was
eivilization, put the stamp of a careful enough to provide a course of Time and are subject
definite nationality on the Indian It is righteous indeed to symbol for the nation too-in to Time, then nations also come
people. National spirit, in this unsheath the sword. the form of Khalsa (the double- and go, civilizations rise and
fall, cultures appear and dis-
~~~~t't'the ~~~;te's ~~h~~;,ia~~ The nation need strength of
arms not for the sake of subjuga-
edged sword) which not only is a
source of courage, but is a appear. The individual who comes
to acquire such a perspective,
tional literature was literature symbolio instrument with which
inspiring love for the traditional ting other peoples, but for to cut asunder darkness and see who is imbued with the sense of
values. An appeal to the senti- defending the right of loving its the light of Truth. time and timelessness, can indeed
ments and beliefs of the people own pattern of life, its art and function effectively, be it in the
proved effectiv~, pa.rticularly at literature, its linguistic niceties, If we look at the phenomenon performing of his duty towards
times of cnsls or InvaSlon. Ol' its contribution to civilization. of nation in the light of Guru the nation, or be it in serving
confrontation with a new and and promoting the cause of
rising faith . What was attempted humanity, at any particular point
of the world-history.

by Kabir and Nanak was a
cultural renaissance, a reorienta-
tion of the values of ancient
India. What Guru Gobind Singh
attempted almost two eenturies
later was again a revival of the
spiritual tradition, resurrection
of the heroic elements in human
character, and rekindling of a
passion for protecting the
national cuIture.
Evidently, the nationalism of
Guru Gobind Singh's conception
was a liberal, humanitarian
nationalism, as opposed to the
modern nationalism of intense
t ype, leading to alliance of
economic and political power,
growing strength of the State
and pervasive influence over all
intellectual and social develop-
ments. Nationalism of the olden
variety engendered belief in the
unity of civilization; it ~ave .rise
to feelings of cosmopohtanlsm.
Echoes of these feelings are
perceptible in Guru Gobind
Singh's verse, wherein mankind
is recognized as 'one single race'.
The fierce nationalism of today,
more often than not, cQDveni!!nt-
ly ignores the common hnks
eapable of for~ng unity bet,yeen
nations, NatIOns have drifted
apart under the impact of nation-
alism, which some, serious
.thinkers have termed a grave
~uper ~ou'nd ~ ..
best heard
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All the characteristics of
Nation in the ethnic and cultural
sense of the term are available
",'--., in the compositions attributed to
Guru Go bind Singh. He docs
not portray 'nation' as a Nation-
State, nor does he advocate
'internationalism' in the current"
sense of inter·state relationships,
which is of recent origin. Today
we talk of nationalism and inter-
nationali.m not being irreconcila-
ble, if internationalism is
developed in the sphere to which
it belongs (that of economics,
politics and war), and if nation
of the world stop placing their
own interest above that of the
world at large. Snch a concept
had not yet originated when the
Guru flourished three centuries
ago. But the concept of cosmo-
politanism was present; it makes
a positive appeal as a forerunner
of today's internationalism. The
liberal nationalism of pre-State
variety, advocated and defended
in the Dasam-Granth poetry,
accords well with the cosmo-
politan outlook and sentiment.
It also provides cultural foun-
dation for t~e establishment of
an international humanitarian
c society, free from inter-state
•.,.; • 1" '"
rivalries and conflicts.
'~;_.'_".~'-'""~~ ~' •.
 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
It is only less than four weeks
ago. that the man whom we bore
high to the sky in esteem.
honour and prestige has today
been thrown to the ground. Dust
to dust to the mighty Dictator
of the Dharm Yudh, to the
organiser of the Akali Morcha in
a flash of a second. In hi, death,
another Caesar has fallen ;
another Glndhi is shot and
another Socrates has put his
lip, to the cup. It is the irony
of fate that to the one whom we
followed in war time, gladly
bearing all suffering' of body
and mind for three long years
we nOW refused to follow on the
path of Peace. What hard luck
that we have been so completely
blinded by the sun of victory as
to lose all sense of proportion.
We have yet to present Punjabis
case to various commissions and
we have taken the path of
disunity and perhaps of self
destruction out of emotional and
personal differences. What
shamel
After having expressed
'Thanksgiving' to God (see
Spokesman, 12th August, 1985)
for his achievements for the
Pantli, Party and Nation, I am
not going to sing his praises any
more-for deeds speak out
louder than the words-But I
attempt only to contemplate
briefly on the event that mnst
distress all right thinking people
out of all proportion at this
game oC death. In Rag Blhagra
Guru Amar Das says: - "Kia
jana Kive marege Kaisa marna
hoi." "What am I to know, how
shall I die and what sort of
death shall it be? If within my
.mind. I forget not the Lord, then
my death shall be easy. The
world is afraid of death.
Everyone desires to . live. He
alone, who by Guru's Grace.
dies in life, understands Lord's
Will. Nanak, if man dies such a
death, then he continues to live
for evern-Again in the Kamkali
measure the Guru says-"Nanak
they alone are dead,
remember not
Through the Lord's meditalion
who
the Name.
the Saints live for ever" (A. G.
911). "Saints never die"-Jis
Har rakhe lis kaon mare .... "He
whom the Lord saves and Whom
the Creator Himself delivers,
who can do him to death?"
(A. G. 998). But this is the Will
of the Lord that- jo aaya so sabh
Ko jasl- They who are come;
They all shall assuredly depart
(A. G. 1041)". Chlnla 10 ki
Keej/~y je anhoni hoi. You may
worry only if the event is
extraordinary, these happenings
are real in the world for which
o Nanak there is no count.
This note is the farewell,
farwell to the falkn hero. Fare-
well to the Departed Leader.
Farewell is all that we can offer.
Before this our saint-soldier
spirit left LIS, creating a vacuum
5 9th September. 1985
Farewell To Fallen Hero
By : Prof. Gopa) Singh Puri
that is hard to fill. Bad days daare mere man anand-That All sorr-ows, and how hard
seem to follow the Panth; for death from which the worldly grief is to bear!
the young and the old, women people have fear, is a solace to
and children are vanishing fast my soul, only after death one I think He sees them coming
and He goes with outstretch-
at the call of death -before attains unity with the over-soul.
their appointed time 0; should Gandhi the Mahatma, Bhindran- ed arms and hands to meet
them there
we say how did we know the wale, Longowal and many other
time of their departure? The Great and Greats of the Greats, And with a look, a touch on
CIrcumstances accompanying the have left us in cruel circum- hand or head,
tragedy aro more tragic than stances, soiling the very name of
the tragedy itself. Opinions may Peace (Shanti) that is the Each finds his hurt heart
differ a. to the causes but age old philosophy of the strangely comforted."
consequences are the same-the I ndi.ns of the subcontinent- Th~t there is life beyond
loss to the Nation, to the people, the Land of Buddha, Rama, death IS also the .Indian belief
of these valiant brave men and Krishna, Nanak, Aurobindo and ¥.'hented from the Vedic times-
great women of strong conviction Gandhi. This very earth has now my breath and spirit goes
who accepted to go the way that produced thos. who left us :- to the Immortal, and thy body
Ihey went so that those who are We grieve at their loss, but ~nds tn ashes - The Purusha who
left behind may live in Peace. In tbe poet Nancy Byrd Turner IS In the sun, who is there and
some such vein of surrender the there- I am He-The Supreme
Rig Veda (X, 154,2.3)-ex- again comforts LIS :
claims :- ~;j.hma ... " (Yajur Veda 40.15_
"Death is only a door
To the company of those who set in a garden wall
are invincible by Tapas, Guru Tegh Bahadur in his
and through Tapas have gone Slokas confirms thus :-Panch
to heaven. There is nothing to trouble lat. Ko tan racheo janoh chatar
to men of Great Tapas - let any heart, s~lan - O clever and wise man
him go. ' Nothing to hurt at all. know that thy body is made u;.
To the company of those who Death is only a door of five elements. Be SUre 0
fight contested battle" in a garden wall .. . " !":anak! that thou shalt blend
heroes who cast away their with Him, from whom thou hast
lives, to those who make The kind of death that these sprung (A. G. 1426).
a thousand gifts (of their martyrs met with is not only
Iives)-Iet him go . tragic and treacherous but also It is the God's Will that i.
To the sage-poets, the leaders unpleasant and unwholesome. writ at tbe time of gift to the Jiva
of thousands, those who But tbe poet has something of the first breath of IiCe-Jo Har
protect the sun, different to say in the words of bhave so theae jo Har Prabh
to the Rishis of great Tapas Grace Noll Crowell :- Kaare so hoe-What the God
Tapls born Yama -let Lord wills. that alone comes to
him go. ' "I think that God is proud of pass and whatever the God Lord
If we accept the law of those who bear does that alone is accomplisbed ...
action and reaction in the theory a sorrow bravely-proud Then who IS the sinner and who
of fateful Karma -as you sow, indeed of them, IS the Sat'?t? Who is the murderer
so shall you reap, we are more and who IS. the victi m? Wbo is
bewildered than contented. The the extremist and Who i. the
How proud He mList be of moderate? Jea jan I pril/pa/da jo
saint says - Jis marne se jag them-He who knows
kare so hoi. He sustains all the-
creatures, whatever He does, that
, t'MB -. alone c~mes to pass. Guru
~amdas In Paurl (AG /313) says
W.~!!,
o Lord, Thou tbyself art the
r~UPER DELUXE®
Y. Adept and the Striver. Thou art
the Yogi of Yogi •. Thou Thyself
art the Taster of the tasted and
Th?u Thyself the Enjoyer of the
EnJoyment . Thou Thyself
pervadest everywhere and what
Thou Thyself do, that alone
HAIR FIXER comes to pass! We have but
to accept the inevitable in life
and death".
lWU ~}fa .1'c.dt In humans it is not tbe action
~
that is judged, it is the way in
which the action is performed
which is of value. Guru's words
apply equally to murderer, of the
m;a~mm eVil and the e!locentric that
ooft#«Hd Mann anlar haume rog hal
bh~ra.m Moole man mukh durjana.
(i"j1~~ lEBi ';I) Within men's minds is tbe
OISTAI8UTOR$
ailment of ego and the egocentric
and evil persons stray in doubt
MkS;.;--!J~~[E~ ~A~ES _CO~P.OR ATI ON (A. G. 1317). Pap poon kl Sar nah
jane bhooia ph.,e ajaan. He who
141-D,' WAMIAcN'AGAR DElH ':11 00 0 7 ~ ,
I realises not the difference
between evil and good, he stray.
 THE "SPO.K.bSMAN" WEBKLY 6 9th September, 19P5

FAREWELL TO FALLEN HERO A HOMAGE

from the path uselessly. (A. G.
1329)
Ego and pride make one
revengeful. angry and in that
mental state one loses the sense
of pnrpose. sense of dignity and
falls in the pit of hell. The person
thinks that by using the gun he
is show.ing his cleverness. His
ability to destroy becomes his
life's object at the time. But
Guru says of such a person-
Jhoothl durmat ki e"alrai. False
is the cleverness of the evil
intellect· person. This cleverness
takes no time to disappear.
Sorrow and pain cling to the
"go-centric. The sorrow of the
"go-ceutric departs not. The
perverse person can hardly
perform the Lord's service. Those
crazy ones putrify in self conceit.
or such persons the mind in the
moment flies to the sky and in a
moment sinks to the nether-
worlds so long it realises not the
Lord's Name". (A . G. 1345)
People who commit such like
acts on the spur of the moment
are psychologically sick
persons-schizophrenics and
maniacs. They need help, love
and affection to treat them of
their malady, malice and disease
in which they live. The world
itself is becoming such full of
pollution. poverty, crime, theft,
violence and so on. In Siokas
Sahas Xirta M . 5. (A . G. 1351)
Guru Arjan describes the
condition of the world. which is
affected now by pleasure, then
by pain-Fraud, accusation,
millions of maladies, offences.
filth, sins, doubt, worldly attach-
ment, honour(dishonour. ego
and absorption in worldly
valuable~. Through these the
mortal goes, comes and wanders
in hell and in spite of making
many efforts, he is emancipated
not" .. . fn the next para the
remedy is given in .. ,"contemp-
lating the Lord's Name and ever
uttering the Master's praises in
the Saint-Society, 0 Nanak im-
maculate becomes the mortal".
With these solitary events let us
take flith that nothing is lost.
In the present moment of
grief. anguish and anxiety let us
follow the Great Truths from
unknown thinkers :-
"The three primary principles
of wisdom are-obedience to the
Laws of God- concern for the
welfare of Mankind-and suffer-
ing with fortitude all the
accidents of life". If those who
are re;ponsible for the act are
convinced of these, then it is
them that they are accountable
for their deeds .
But here is something for all
of us to remember:
"If there is righteousness in
the heart there will be beauty in
the character. If there be beauty
in the character, there will be
harmony in the home. If there
is harmony in the home, there
will be order in the Nation.
When there is order in the
Nation, there will be peace in
the world". FinallY with full heart
and prayer on the lips:-
One more word of advice
from Mortineau maybe in order
for all those they think are in
the act: - "You better live your
best and act your best and think
your be.t today; for today is the
sure preparation for tomorrow
and other tomorrows that
foHow" .
SANT HARCHAND SINGH
LONGOWAL
By : Sardar Saran Singb, I.A.S. (Retd) .
Death in a noble cause, says
Guru Nanak, is the prerogative
of heroes. Sant Harchand Singh
on August 20, 1985 blazed his
path into history amid a hail of
bullets that transformed the
triumph of his extraordinary
achievement into a national
tragedy, snatching from the
people a leader and humanist of
rare breed.
When a child was born to a
rural household in the district of
Sangrur on January 2, 1932-
the youngest of eight brothers
and sisten, -few had thought
that he will one day be the man
of destiny for Punjab-and India
-m the crucial mid-decade of
1980's. With prophetic signifi-
cance, his parents "dedicated"
him to the service of Guru-
Khalsa at a tender age under the
watchful guidance of Sant Baba
Bhagwan Singh of village
LongowaJ. And thus began a
remarkable career steeped in Sikh
scriptures and history. What
stands out through out his public
life since 1949 was his equipoise,
his transparent sincerity and the
qualities of vision and courage
that constitute the touchstone of
leadership. Even so Sant
Harchand Singh might have
simply side-stopped into the
garb of a religious preacher had
it not been for the need of a non-
controversial personage in the
1970's to lead the Shiromani
Akali Dal morcha di rected
against the Centre's Bmergency
rule . Thenceforward Sant Har-
chand Singh never looked back
and steered the turbulent shi p oi
the Akali politics with an inborn
dexterity, but also with incredi-
ble humility which was o ften
mjsunderstood as weakness and
occasionally taken advantage of
by lessor men of Punjab polilics.
H is ve ry attributes of consulta-
tion and conciliation sometimes
seemed to engender controversy
CUlminating in a spiit in the
Akali Dal. But he carried the
party on his steady shoulders
dwarfing other splinter groups
mto virtual nonentities. The
enigma of his relationship with
Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
will perhaps never be fully
unravelled. In some ways they
were complementary in character
if not antithetical. Nonetheless
each respected the other for his
positive qualities and dedication
to Sikhism notwithstanding the
~ariance of their approach. Both
believed that Government could
have long ended the Punjab crisis
had it adhered to the principles
of truth and justice.
Tragically however no such
,esture had been forthcoming
as the dharma yudha morcha
suff"red prolongation and the
Government made terrorism the
pretext for launching an ilI-
conceived assault on the Golden
Temple in June, 19i4 and detain-
ed Sant Harchand Singh and
hundreds of his followers with-
out bringing them to trial.
Finally, better sense prevailed
and he- was released uncondi-
tionally in March 1985 after
nine months of solitary incareera-
tion. Without rancour or bitter-
ness, he proceeded to provide the
country with a psychological and
moral reassurance which even-
tually made the ,ettlement of
the Punjab problem possible,
doubtless because of the felicit-
ous equation he established with
the Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv
Gandhi .
In Sant Harchand Singh's
death at the hands of mindless
killers the country has lost a
hero cast in the classical mould,
as a man of God, and the Sikhs
a quintessential karmayogi. We
Owe it to him to make the July
24 accord an instrument of
peace with honour.

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 'fIIB "SPOK£SMAN" WEEKLY 7 9th September, 1985

Guru Harkrishan Public Guru Harkrishan Public School of New Delhi, which is
School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi one of the top few English-medium senior secondary
"was set up in 1975. Today it is a schools, completes 10 years of _ existence. Witbin tbis sbort
_fuU fledged school upto the span, it has carved for itself a Dlcbe m every heart. The school
Senior Secondary level with over has made a mark in every field-scholastic attamments, games,
_2100 students. Though stiU and extra-curricular activities. It was the third in India to introduce
young, it has acquired a standing computers. Its main branch at Vasant Vihar bas 2, I 00 students, main
of its own and is <lne of the credit goes to the Principal, Sard.r H .S. SlDgba . who is a man of
prestigious progressive schools of scholarship, erudition and vision.
the capital. It has achieved
•excellence not only in academics; Computer Laboratory tbat can Parliament. The members-
two of its students have hold over 35 students at a time students a re invo1ved in the
been nationally ranked in Table imparts practical training in running of tbe scbool and in its
·;rennis, two have set up computers to students regularly decision making process through
Dew records in swimming at the as a part of SUPW. It is its Academic Affai rs, Games
. state level besides other achieve- proposed to introduce Computer and Sport~, Co+curricular
ments in basket bal1, hockey etc. Science as an elecllve subject at a Activities, Campus Discipline Principal H.S. Singha
;rhis is because of the fact that later stage. and Student Welfare Depart- system of continuous testing
-the school aims at the develop- Keeping in mind the adage ments. It consists of all the integrated with teacbing has been
_ment of children's individualities 'sound mind in • sound body'- senior and junior prefects and evolved by the school. It has
though a balanced programme the school in addition to class monitors from classes VI adopted a scheme of unit
of mental, physical and spiritual the function.l playgrounds . onwards. testing based on the following
.:growth at al1 stages. To achieve the nursery play area, the mini PrefectoriaI System principles:
As a complement to the School aJ Each student is tested
Parliament which is the delibera- weekly;
tive wing of the Student Body b) Each subject is tested
the Prefectorial System acts as monthly; and
the .implementative wing. It c) Each parent is informed
prOVIdes the students with quarterly.
training in leadersbip and self The tool used is a unit test
Government. And also helps in which is a written test based on
smooth functioning of the a well defined unit of the sylla-
scbool. bus and planned and administered
Daily Instruction Plan by the subject teacher without
Progress being the watchword disturbing tbe time table.
of education, planning is of prime De-emphasizing Home Work
import.nce. The Daily Instruc- In the Junior Segment of the
tion Plan for teachers has been school, the home work has been
introduced with this in mind. replaced by supervised study
Every teacher is required to which is organized during school
indicaie the topic to be taught! hours. Students complete written
discussed -the activities to be assignments in the school under
undertaken, the aids to be used the supervision of their teachers.
-the aim of lesson and links This gives more time to students
with previous Jesson etc. This is to participate in joyful activities
recorded for all the period, of at home and prevents the
the day and handed over to atmosphere of hO'lle background
A view of the school building. respective heads daily in the from affecting achievements of
morning. students.
-these objectives a wel1 designed stadium with the capacity for
-scholastic and non-scholastic seating 1200 students and guests
:programme for every class has has a Gym 100' X 77' which is
been drawn. It is compulsory continuously made use of by the
for every student to opt for at students to utilise their energy
least one game and one S.U.P-W. to eke their physique. It is the
-activity besides .. normal hub of the school during and
-academic work. DlVlDlty IS also after school hours. II has a
taught as a compulsory subject_ skating rink, a backet-ball
The school has the best of stadium and a music complex.
Fhysical facilities . Besides the The swimming pool of olympic
we\l-stocked library and three size is in the final stages of its
well-equipped science labora- completion . It has a conference
tories tt has a Museum which IS room for seminars and discus-
-a uuique feature-divided into a sions and an open+air auditorium
number of scchons-~rt, for organizing cultural shows.
philately, numismatics, geology, Most of the senior staff members
geography, history, culture, are provided with free residential
-science and rehglon- accommodation on the campus.
The school was Ihe third in The school believes that in
-the country 10 introduce order to survive as a progressive
-computers. It has a Computer school, it must not only go on Champion Swimmers of G.H.P.S.
Laboratory which has brou~ht with the accepted traditions of Jasdqcp Ndnra and Jasjyot Nanra
about complele modernts.tlOn 'public' schools but must also
of procedures in the school. The experiment aud innovate. Some Contiuuous Evaluation The year round teachers
Computer Centre has taken over of the innovations introduced by As it is well known that attend workshops and orienta-
the responsibility of fee collec- the school are: - the traditional sch eme of tion programmes to keep abreast
. -1ion, salary bills, --"~d .processl."g The Scbool Parliament examination !:>ased 011 periojic of the latest that is worth ernul.l-
of e"mination results . .Compute- In July 1981 Ihe pre- testiug fails to give proper back- ing and implementing. In. the
Tized question banks and Brains fectorial system was institu- wash effect for the improvement school too, programmes ;tre
Ttult have also been set -u p. The tionalized into Ihe School of teaching and learning, a organized for this pUfl'Ose.
 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 8 9th September, 1985

A REJOINDER
Ten Lakhs Pay Homage to
San.t Harchand Singh Longowal GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
Homage was paid to the slain Sant had left behind a valuable This is with reference to. far more damagi_Dg dimension
Akali Dalleader, Sant Harchand legacy of love, understanding and Khushwant Singh's 'Give peace a for the then ruling party was als()
Singh Longowal, outside his communal harmDny and trust . chance' (Weekiy July 28-August expressed in a 20 pages cydQ-
village gurdwara in LDngowal "I appeal to. the peDple to. carry 3, an Qbjective piece). He writes, styled MemDranda (particularly
in Saugrur district on September fQrward the message and WQ rk 'AIQng with his Amrlt Parchar at pages 3 & J 3) purpQrted to·
1,1985. Qf the Sant fQr the progress and (mass Baptism) Bhinderanwale have been issued by the thell!
lnternational Figure prosperity Qf Punjab," he said, began to. use derQgatQry terms Punjab Congress Party Press:
adding that Qn tbe Sant's bhQg fDr the Hindus-etc. etc. Secretary, Cbandigarh. It even
The DccasiDn was the bhog ceremony the entire country
ceremony. or form~l conel us ion Heads Df dead cows were thrown named the alleged MDhali
Uprays that his soul m:ly rest in in Hindu temples-Qstensibly cDnspiratDrs. Sewa Ram fQrmer-
Df the Dbsequies Df the late Sant peace".
who. was president Df the Akali by his extremist fQIIQwers. M. L. A. enquired from Darbara.
Dal during two. of its mDst Message More Powerful Punjab Hindus were quick to Singh why the three conspirators:
retaliate. They tQQk Qut proces- had been awarded with Chair-
crucial struggles, namely, the Now siQns, chantillg slDgans exhorting manship Qf variDus BDards and;
emergency morcha and the dh.rm Sardar Barn ala annDunced
yudh mDrcha whicb made him that an engineering college WQuld peQple to. smQke. How senselessly CQrpQratiQns while Que Qf the-
an international figure. childi sh these confrontatiQns conspirators had actually mQved:
be started in LDngDwal village, became surpasses belief. a resQI utiQn Qn Kbalistan at
While the President, Giani besides rai,ing a suitable Chandigarh, (pp 12-13 Qf the
Zail Singb and the Prime Minis- memDrial at the site where It is with regard to. this part MemDranda).
ter, Mr Rajiv Gandbi, addressed LDngowal was cremated. He of the ;piece' that 1 feel inclined
persDnal cDndDlence messages to. said his assassins must be regret- to mentiDn a view pDint Qften
Sard:H Su rjit Singh eulDgising ting their actiDn, becluse the It is commQn Iy believed tfuit
expressed in knQwledgeable whereas the Akalis main
the services Df the Sant to. tbe Sant's message Qf Hindu-Sikh circles in Punjab. Wben the
natiDn, tDP OppDsitiDn leaders amity had .been cDnveyed nQW purpDse under the garb of
A kali Dal was generally accused Dharam Yudh was to' capture
turned up in perSDn to share tbe mQre effectively. by the top CQngress leaders for
grief Df tbe State people Dver the political PQwer, things really'
Sardar Gurcharan Singh being resPQns ible for creating wen t wrDng because Qf th",
death Df Dne Df the ta llest lawlessn ess in tbe state, LDngD-
Punjabis. TQhra, SGPC chief, reminded tbe unabashed rivalry between the,
GDvernment Df the late Sant's wal repeatedly demanded appDint- two pDwerful grQUps of the,
They included Mr Rama- wish for a genera l amnesty for m ent Df a Supreme Cvurt Judge ruling Congress Party, Qne;
krishna Hegde, Chief Minister Qf the arrested Sikh YDuths and to investigate the truth . AccQrding pDwerfully entrenched in the
Karnata1<a; Mr Atll Behari full rehab ilitatiQn Qf the Army to. a repQrt published in the Central Home Ministry and the.
Vajpayee and Mr Ram Jeth· deserters. He called upDn party- 'Delhi RecDrder' in May, 1983 Dther actually ruling the state:.
malani (B.J.P.); Mrs M enaka men to. str<ngllien Sardar (pp 20-22), Shri Surinder KapQor Was, then, the stQry in the 'D.lhi·
Gandbi, President Df the Sanjay Barnala's hands . His views were M . L. A. created sensatiQn when RecQrder' and the 'MemDranda'-
Rashtriya Vichar ' Manch; M rs endQrsed by Sant Ajit Singll, in a meeting of the CQngress a mere canard and a mud,
Ambika SQni and Mr K .P. cbairman Qf tbe Akali Parlia- Legislative Party, Punjah, held slinging exercise, Qr was there.
Unnikrishnan (CQng'S); Sardar mentary BQard, Sardar Prakash in Chandigarh on March 6, 1983, any element of truth in it, is the-
Avtar Singh MalhDtra (C.P 0 ; Singh Badal, Sard ar Balwant he accused the then Punjab Chief questiQn asked by the intdlec-
Sardar Harkishan Singh Surjeet Singh and Sardar Sukhjlnder Minister Df hatcbing a conspiracy tuals a::.d well wisbers of the-
C.P. (M); Mr Abdul Rahim Singh. at Mohali of cutting a few heads cQuntry?
RathQre N ,C"F); Mr Devi Lal Qf dead cows and Df actually
and Mrs Chandravati (LDk Dal); Sant Aj it Singh said the real cDnveying them to. Amritsar fDr NQW that an accQrd of'
Mr I.K. Gujral, Mr Kuldip tribute to. the departed leader being stealthily thrQwn in SQme settement has been reached and
Nayar and several Qtbers . would CQme Qn September 25 Hindu temple there and thus' lit
when the peQple would be called when the peDple have begun to.'
The UniQn Finance Minister, - upDn to endDrse bis accDrd wuh the lirst communal lire in the h"ave a sigb Qf relief, it seems.
Sardar V.P. Singh, accDmpanied the Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv state. imperative that such riddles as-
by the Punjab GQvernQr, Sardar Gandhi. the "MQhali CQnspiracy' are·
An identical viewpDint with a
Arjun Singh, visited LQngQwal resDlved so. that furtber improve-
village earlier in the day and ment in the vicious almosphere'
paid tribute to. the Santo He is made PQssible. Since GQvern-
also. brought a special message ments are generally reluctant to.
from Prime Minister Rajiv unravel such knQts . will it be to()'
Gandhi. much requesting tbe ' l!Iustrious,
The messages Qf the Presiden t Weekly' to. apPQint an Arun.
and the Prime Minister were ShDrie to. go. into the 'MQhali
read Qut by Sardar Bal want CQnspiracy' allegatiQn, as he so'
Singh RamDDwalia, Secretary- valiantly undid Ihe Antulay·
General Qf the Akali DaJ, who. knQt.;
cDnducted the stage at the bhDg
ceremDny. Let us nQt leave this riddle·
fDr the future histQrian fQr we-
A True Sikh luckily enough do have amQngst-
Giani Zail Singh in his us unbiased patriQtic men of'
message said the entire nation genius and integrilY to. cJeanse
praised Sant Harchand Singh fDr the Augean stable_
his cDurage, fDres lgbt and WIS-
dDm in taking certain steps fDr Even Khuswant Singh may'
restDring peace in Punjab. As a perhaps like to. re·examine his
true Sikh he sacrificed his life facts in the light Qf what is said'_
fDt the preservatiQn Qf the above,
integrity and the maintenance Qf
communaJ hamony. "The entire -Kamail Singh:
cQuntry ShDUld fQIlDW the direc- Chandigarh
tiDn given by the Sant and fulfil
the task set by him. Thi, can be
the best tribute to. him".
The. Prime Minister , said the
, I~' ,', . '; ' , ' ,;: . f ,-
.-,-..........
\ . ,, ' ~ ." . ..
.

.. ".:: !I'l~ #
 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
j on to Punjab in November 1985
Akalis May Come Into Power
By : Sardar Bharpur Singh
There are several well
informed and keen political
-observers in Punjab including
'C handigarh who hopefully are
,of the view that the Akalis may
'come into power in Punjab as a
.result of the September elections.
The Akali leaders are bu,y
'Selecting the candidates to
nght the elections on thei.
ticket, as their nominees
and also from other political
.parties in the State to which
they will extend their all out in
·election.
. If the Akalis as they hope
and as many others believe,
particularly the Communist
1'arty, who is not politically
'connected with the Jan Sangh
and the so-called Hindu Raksha
Samities also are inclined very
much in favour of the Sikhs and
are against the Congress (I)
Party. They believe that the
Congress (I) members whether
Hindus or Sikh" whether in
State assembiy or in Parliament
had done nothing to promote in
.any manner or form the interests
()f Punjab as a whole. Even
when-non-members they have
been anxiously waiting · for and
trying their best individualJy and
in groups to persuade the Centre
10 hold elections in Punjab.
The Akalis on the other hand
'have been waiting patiently as to
what political considerations will
make the Prime Minister to
postpone or permit elections in
Punjab. The Akalis no doubt .
would have preferred if the
'elections had been postponed for
a little while to enable the Akali
leaders to consolidate their
position which wa. in shambles.
The Sikhs had been dissipated
by constant police and military
action in the State though they
had never lost faith in their
leaders hoping that they will
achieve the objectives of a better
Punjab in all respects where
Hindus and Sikhs could live
peacefully under a constitutional
government elected by their
votes.
Even Chances
There are some leaders of
public opinion and some news-
.papers of good standing who
'believe that there are even
<:hances of forming a Ministry-
the Congrers (\) Ministry or the
Akaii' Ministry. It is generally
believed that the Akalis may
succeed in forming a Ministry
and what is more there is a
:general belief that Mr. Rajiv
Gandhi out of hi, sense of fair
9 9th September, 1985
play may give a chance to the
Akalis to form their government.
All the States in India afe
governed by Hindu leaders
whether of the Congress party
or of some more forward lookina
parties which want eventually {r
not now more powers delegated
to the State governmeuts as they
feel that the centre has mono-
polised all the powers which
affect the weal and the woe of
the States. The Akalis also have
been pressing for more powers
to the States. This malter, under
the Sant Harchand Singh Longo-
wal and Shri Rajiv Gandhi
agreement called 'accord' has
been left to the Sarkaria Com-
mission which is already looking
into the State-Centre relations
and where the devolution of
powers to States is necessary for
the welfare of the people and
the prosperity of the State.
Chandigarh
The Akalis in· particular anJ
the Sikhs in general hope that
C'handigarh, which is to be
conceded to Punjab on the 26th
January, 1986, if it can be pa,sed
when the present Chief Commis-
sioner is retiring and going
home, it will be a good act of
grace and also it will give relief
to the centre from the threatened
agitation of Haryana's some
political parties which are
persona lly against Shri Bhajan
Lal the present Chief Minister.
The Hary.n. government i.
delaying its sel :ction of a new
place or a new site for its capital.
The entire Punjab hopes - includ-
ing the Jan Sangh leaders of
Punjab that the sooner the
Union Territory of Chandig.rh
is transferred to Punjab the
eentre's headache will be over
and the Haryana agitation will
cease.
Shri Bhajan Lal is anxious to
shift his capital right in the midst
of Haryana and nearer to
Delhi_ It is only opposition for
the sake of denigrating Shri
Bhajan Lal that the members of
some rival parties- Jan Sangh
and Lok Dal-are creating
unnecessary fuss only for
the sake of creating trouble
for the Chief Minister.
The Prime Minister - Mr. Rajiv
Gandhi-has repeatedly assured
the Akali leaders and the Sikhs
all over the country that
Chand igarh will pass on to
Punjab .
Canadian Sikh Society
COndemns
Rajiv-Longowal Accord
The Federation of Sikh
Societies of Canada, based in
Ottawa, in a press statement
has ,everely assailed the accord
between the' late Sant Harchand
Singh Longowal and Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi signed
on July 24 this year.
It is of the opinion that
aC,cord:, in the context of Punjab
CrISIS, amounts to capitulation
by Mr. Longowal". It also feels
that the ll-point deal is "devoid
of any trust which has an
essential ingredient of the settle-
ment" .
After enumerating the
demands in the Anandpur Sahib
Resolution and subsequent
demands made by Akalis early
thi, year, the statements scoffs
at the various commissions to be
set up under the accord and
s~e~ks of a "new way to sub-
diVIde Chandigarh".
The statement concludes :
"The 'Award' does not talk
of other, particularly
religious aspects of the
strife. The political 'solu-
tion' is only for exhibition.
There is no indication
when the commissions will
be set up, who will be
included in them, when the
findings will be available,
and when they will be
implemented. as recommen..
dations of past commis-
sions were not acted upon."
"The agreement is between
the ' leader' without any
following and the 'Prime
Minister' who has no
mandate to act for Punjab.
The accord i, a mockery of
the sacriJices made by the
devotees of the Sikh faith."
"For Sikh, outside India, a
major violation of their
religious rights has been
agreed upon by the two
'compromising politicians'
and it cannot be accepted.
Guarantees for the sanctity
of and unhindered visits to
sacred shrines of the Sikh.
must be provided. The
identity of the Sikh people
must be paramount to all
settlement of the crisis."
Writ Against Mann's
Detention Admitted
The Punjab 'and Haryana
hgih court has admitted a writ
petition challenging tb.e deten-
tion of Sardar Simranjit Singh
Mann under the National
Security Act by his wife Mrs,
Geetinder Kaur.
Mr Justice Surinder Singh
issued notice returnable by
September 24 to the ' Union of
India and the state of Punjab,
among others.
 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY
r , Letters to
'. " .the Editor ,
Sikhs in India are Shackled !
Sir,-I am shocked and appal-
led to read your August 5, 1985
issue (Vol. 34, No. 44) . You have
fallen the trap of all Indian
papers.
Are you implying that you
could not find one organisation
or magazine or newspaper which
came out against the so called
accord? Not a single line of your
paper appears to disagree with
any element of the accord . Your
reporting is myopic and shame-
fut. Do you have the courage to
run a head line that the "Sikh
of Canada condemn the accord"
(see attached statement)?
Let me acquaint you of the
feeling of the Sikhs out of India.
We feellhat the Sikhs in India
are shackled or are afraid of the
consequences of speaking out
against the accord. Worse than
this-you, yes, you Sir, Spokes-
man and other papers are afraid
to carry the message of dissent
and resentment. Maybe all of
you are genuinely frightened out
of your pants or are all sold out.
Whichever way, your coverage is
absolutely disgraceful.
All the time when it was
convenient, all messages from
Sikhs to Sikhs abroad were-Be
with us, Support us, Back us up
and so on. And now, none
EDITOR's NOTE
Tbe above letter bas been
publisbed in tbe form received by
us. Its Englisb language is faulty
at places.
Wben a man bas no argoment
to offer or wben bis thinking be-
comes beclouded, be resorts to
aboses and filtby language . We
do not propose to return tbe
compliment.
It is a patent fact tbat
almost everyone in India, persons
and papers of all bues and creeds,
welcomed tbe Memorandum of
Settlement between tbe late
Sant Harchand Singb Longowal
and Prime Minister Raji.
Gandhi, Tbe only exceptions were
tbe rump beaded by Baba
.Toginder Singb and members of
All-India Sikb Students Federa-
tion, and that also because 1b ey
felt ignored. Tbe Baba bad made
it known umpteen times tbat be
wonld be willing to enter into
negotiations "whenever invited
by tbe government." This shows
he was Dot averse to an accord
provided it was reached witb him.
Sardar Gnrcbaran Singh bas
not pointed out wbich c1aose of
the accord militates against Sikb
interests. Tbe AkaUs had made
45 demands two years ago.
Later. tbey reduced tbem to jost
wanted to know how we feel
about the accord.
You, Sir, do not represent
the feel of the lay Si kh but that
of the trai tor Longowal or the
government of India .. [ shall
recommend to the PresIden t of
the Federation of Sikh Societies
and others who subscribe to
Spokesman to stop subscribing
to your p aper and shall from
now on defam e you in the most
befitting manner. How dare you
call yourself a SPOKESM A N of
the Sikh minority/minorit ies .
Your showmanship is over and
your true colours a re now clearly
visible.
Finally I note tha t the Chief
Khalsa Oi wan has again li ved
upto its reputation and supported
the government at the ex pense of
the Sikhs. They have uph~ld
their image of betraya l which
has eclipsed them since the tIme
of the British.
I further observe that your
red banner is fitting and indeed
is keeping with the sentiments. of
your philosophy-blood suck109,
betrayal and hypocritical.
Si r, I ensh ame you most
royally.
- Gure /farall Singh
179, Craig Henry Drive, O tta wa,
Ontario, Canada
10. And aU tbese bave been
conceded.
Sant Longo"al was not a
"traitor". He got for tbe Sikhs
which no otber leader before him
bad been able to snatcb from
reluctant bands of the cent re.
"Eacb and every word" of t be
accord bas also been endorsed by
all top leaders of Sbiro mani
Akali Dal a fter t he Sant's foul
murder. Tbere was no dissenting
vote.
Tbe Canadian Sikh cballenged
us to publisb . statement by the
Federation of Sikh Societies in
Canada against the a ccord. We
bave obliged bim and it appears
elsewhere in tbis issue. Of
course, we have a separate
feature, corrected tbe topsy-tnrvy
view wbich FS5C bas formed
about tbe agreement.
No responsible Sikh leader
in India bas ever demanded
Khalistan. Not even Sant .Tarnai!
Singb Bhindranwale. He bad
proclaimed: "I do not ask for
Kbalistan. But if it is offered
to us, we sball not sporn it" . It
is the brain-child of a handful of
prosperous Sikh residellts in
otber countries.
Tbe Anandpur Sabib Resolo-
10
tion bas aceepted the unity and
integrity of India but wanted its
federal structure to be made more
meaningful. It asked the centre
to retain only defence, external
affairs J currency aod commuDica~
tions and band over all otber
subjects to the states.
But doring negotiations witb
tbe centre from 1982 to 1984,
in wbicb lea ders of nationa l
opposition parties also participa-
t ed, t be Ak~lis said they would
be satisfied if all t he states, not
merely Poojab, were given more
financia l power s. This is no.w
being looked into by Sarkari.
Commission .
It is casy for men like Sardar
Gnrcnaran Singb, wbo are settled
abroa d a nd enjoy tbe comforts
of life witbout undergoing the
agonies like liS , to brand the
Siklls in India as " sbackled or
afraid of tbe consequences of
speaking ont against the accord."
But these very Sikhs in India
have been fighting battles roya l
against t he Ir.dian goverement
since 1947 ",hil. people like
~ardar Gur~ha!an Singh have
been c9ntent witb paying lip
service to tbe Sikh causes.
When the Morcba wa s on
between Aupust 1982 and J une
] 984 wben e Sikhs were being
hunt;d do wn after Operation
Bluesta r, and when Sikbs w~re
being but chered afte r M rs Indu;a
Gandhi's assassin.tion, wby dId
not Sarda r Gurcbaran Singb
rusb back t o India to stand by
bis brothers and sisters in their
hour of acute distress? The really
Homage To Ii Martyr
Sir -The brutal assassination
of Sa~t Longowal witbin a
montb of his signing tbe historic
accord with the Prime M inister
has stunned the nation and senl
shock waves th ro ughout the
wo rld. N o words can suffice to
cond emn such a h einous crime.
The best trib ute we can pay to
his heroic memory is to resolve
that the steps initiated by him to
cement the tra ditional bonds of
brotherh ood among a ll Punjabis
will be contin ued with rene:ved
energy so as to u sher 10 a
durab!~ peace in the Punjab.
Sant Longo wal bas died a
martyr to a cause- the cause of
H indu-Sikb unity, wbicb was
dearest to his h eart. Tbose who
choose to tread tbe straight and
narrow path of trutb are
conscious of tbe risks involved .
In fightin g fo r the unity ~nd
integrity of India and preachlDg
his message of love and of
Hindu-Sikh unity, the noble
Sant could not have been
una ware of tbe perils of tbe
journey on which be had
embarked. Cbrist preached peaee
9th September 1985
brave figbt in tbe battlefield and'.
do not merely sbout from tbe
sidelines.
We do not tbink be even
bestired bimself a wee bit toward
collecting money or clotbes for
tbe tens of tbousands of Sikh
refugees, including widows and
orpbans, who bad lost tbeir
bread-winners and bad been
deprived of a roof on tbeir
heads.
During this crucial period io'
Sikh bistory, tbe Spokesman
Weekly served the beleaguered
Sikhs to tbe best of its ability
and according to its Iigbts. As a
resnlt tbe Delhi police has regis-
tered three cases against it for
"sedition" and on other charges .
For this bold esponsal of Sikh
causes, we have been denied
government advertisements and
newspl int quota. Sardar Gur-·
cbarao Singh ba s not s ulfered an Y'
sucb barassment or loss.
We ar. neit her servile syco-
pbants nor blind critics. We judge
every issoe on its merits and are
bold eno ugb to speak out against
wrO!lgs and injustice. We a re not
perfect and migbt liave fanlted
on some occasions. But t his does
not meun t ha t someone sbould
indulge in mud-slingi ng at us.
No two intelligent persons in this
world "an tbink alike 00 all
issues. There are bound to be
differences in outlook. Confor-
mism is anotber name for dicta-·
torship.
We are neither blood-suckers '
nor traitors nor hypocrites. We
are sincere se.adars of tbe Panth _
on earth and goodwill t~
mankind; he was crucified.
Nearly two thousand years later'
Gandhi preached love and
brotherhood between Hindu and
Mmlims ; he was cut down. And
now Longowal with the same
message of love and brotherhood
bas joined a long line of martyrs
in the cause of truth and love
between man and man.
What makes Longowal' s
martyrdom a h eroic and a
glorious one is tbat he never
flincbed , never wavered in hi~
resolve, and continued to walk
steadfast on the pat h he had
chosen, utterly indifferent to bis .
own fate.
Today Longowa I lives in the
bearts of all patriotic Indians . Is
Lincoln dead? Is Gandhi dead? '
No, martyrs never die- tbey
continue to live tbrough tbe ages
in the nation's CODsclOusnes~, and
in the fond memory of tbe
people they bave died to save.
- Prabhjo/ Singh Chopra:
Bombay
 THE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY 11 9th Septe~ber, 19R5

To meet this demand and to cater This, according to the indus-

The cup of tea that does not cheer to the growing export market, try, will call for bringing another
the production target for 2000 37,000 heactares in and around
A.D. has been pitched at more the existing plantations under tea
The legion and literatures on the origin of tea than 1000 million kg. from the within th~ next 10 years.
target of 635 million kg in the
The President Giani Zai I Another legend has it that current year.
"Singh dropped a brick. as it Emperor Chen Nung of China The International Seens
'were, when he questioned the was boiling water for drinking
usefulness of tea as a beverage at when a few leaves dropped into
the aunual meeting of thc Tea the water. He found the water
Resurgence Of Iran-Iraq War
Association of India in Calcutta with the leaves giving off a good
recently. He is reported have aroma and tasting even better. (By Our Special Correspondent)
said that his doctor told him After a t wo-year stalemate, P ersian Gulf Sheikdoms, in-
that drinking tea did no good In its land of origin-China- the Iran·I raq war has heated up creascd military capabilities,
and at best it warmed up the tea is considered better than again. Iran has rejected Islamic continued political stability at
body. "If warming is the only wine as it is not intoxicating. Conference attempts to negotiate home, and plans for strengthen-
contribution of tea, I may as a settlement, and Iraq has ing the economy, the Iraqis are
well drink water, which is les. As a beverage, tea is popular launched a campaign to retake in a newly aSSertive mood .
expensive," he observed. the world over. According to a several Iranian strungpoints. As Iran, on the other hand, has
European Economic Community this ugly little war continues, so become increasingly isolated
The organisers were hardly study, the average West Euro- does its dangerous potential for internationally. Khomeini has
prepared for such off-the-cuff pean citizen prefers tea to any involving other nations in the alienated not only the super-
remarks from the chief guest, other beverage and drinks region and beyond . powers-the United States by
patticularly when they are 200 litres of tea ~ year. Next Iron set the stage for renewed seizing U. S. hostages, and the
striving to promote the domostic comes coffee, followed by beer hostili ties by its intransigence at Soviet Union by persecuting the
consumption of tea and boost and wine. December's Islamic Conference Communist Tudeh party-but
exports in the face of stiff
competition from other te.- The Indian Tea Association's meeting. Refuting rumours that a also other nations in the mideast
producing conn tries If it is journal Tea India. has quoted breakthrough in solving the who fear that his Islamic
conflict might be imminent, levolution will infect their
acknowledged that tea d rinking Britain's longest living twins, Iran's foreign mini~ter Ali Akbar states. Iran is having increasing
is of no use, how can the who celebrated their 96th birth-
Velayati emphasized that "any difficulty obtaining arms and
industry convinc, foreign buyers day last year as having told a dialogue or discussion of a cease- spare parts, and its mi Utary
and push up exports? Colombo daily "our recipe for
a long and happy life is lots of fire is out of the question ." capabilities, especially those of
In a sense, the Calcutta tea . We have at least ten cups a Iraq has been receptive to a its air force, have suffered
episode is typical of the hazuds day - and a strong conviction in negotiated settlement for some accordingly.
inherent in inviting VIPs. In our religious beliefs". time. With Irau's flat refusal, {raq now has five times as
most cases their speeches are however, have come disturbing many tanks as tho Iranians, eight
prepared based on notes from European connoisseurs praise reports from Soviet-bloc diplo- times as many combat aircraft
the organisers. But, there are tea saying: "If you are cold tea mats that I raq is tiring of the and three tim " as many heavy
some VIPs who revel in depart- will warm you. If you are hot stalemate and is considering gun,. Iran's shortages of
ing from prepared texts and it will cool you, . If you are escalating the war to force a eq uipment may explain the
making observations not quite depressed it will cheer you. If political solution. repeated delay of its much-
palatable to their host . There you are excited it will calm In late January, Iraq ballyhooed "Ramadan Offen-
are some who do not have you" . launched it& first ground attack sive," first announced in May
prepared texts and ,merely say against Iran in nearly three 1934 when I ranian troops began
Tea trade journals have also years. Forty thousand troops, masslDg along the Iraqi border.
what OCcurs to them. quoted Chinese medical experts backed by air cover aad artillery, At presen t, hundreds of
Those who witnessed Rajaji as claiming that a few piping hot moved against tbe Majnoon thousands .o f Irania n troops
the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu cuts of tea can do more than oilfield, 60 miles north of Basra remalll pOised for invasion
probably recall how he used to expensive drugs. One research and a mile inside Irf.q. along Iraq's border. Iraq has
give anxious moment!; to hosts study in China has shown that Iraqi ambassador Nizar been digging in , fortifying
when invited to any function. it can prevent arteriosclerosis. Hamdoon said at the United Its pOSItIOns, and is now
His critical and discern ing mind The researcher, Prof. Lou Nations that the attack was " not apparently renewing its attacks. '
made him come out with un- Fuquing of Zhejiang Medical a change in our military stralegy, There seems little chance for
expected remarks. For instance, Un iversity. prescribed this but a limited operation to retake compromise. The vengeful
on one occasion while opening beverage for 160 heart disease Iranian positions on Iraqi Khomeini remains adamant:
a 'dhabi ghat' he spoke how the pati,nts and 80 per cent of them territory." Other sources sur- Iraq's President Saddam Hussein
place chosen was not suited for showed improvement. mised that the action was a must go before the war can end.
that purpose. It used to be said Reports presented to the preemptive one, to undercut a Iraq is hardly likely to comply.
that he were to open a theatre Chinese Society of Medicine claim long 'expected Iranian assa ult for The prospects are for more
he would probably express that tea can cure eye disease, which hundreds of thousands of fighting, more waste of Iivo<-
hi mself against spending money diarrhoea, diabetes obesity an d Iranian troops have been massing and more danger that this two-
on theatres and dweU at length hepatitis besides reducing the along the southern area of the nation conflict will someday
J

on the bad effects of viewing side-effects of radiation t herapy. border between the two countries. serve as the fla.shpoint fo r a
films. The Iraqis have also stepped larger war.
It can also prevent too th decay up their actual and claimed - -- - - - - - -_ _ __
Coming to the cup that does as it is rich in fluorine. attacks against shipping in the
not cheer the President, one India, tea was first detec- Persian Gulf, as part of an
would find from the legend and ted In in Assam and certain other attempt to weaken Iran's
literatures on the origin and economy by interdicting its oil
parts of Northern India in early
popularIty of tea, that it is not 1800. Since then, it has become shipments. POPULAR
as useless as made out. Accord- an The new offensives may
ing to a legend, Bhodidarma important commercial crop FOR
and a foreign exchange earner. reflect renewed_Iraqi confidence,
J
foundcr of Zen Buddhism feU The domestic consumption in "We are getting stronger
asleep meditating in Nanking militarily, politically and econo-
(China) . On waking up, he was the current year is projected at
mically day by day," says Deputy
so angry that he punished 436 million kg which represellts Prime Minister and Foreign
an increase of
himself by cutting off his eyelids. the 1984 consumption.35 million kg over
Minister Tareq Aziz." Bolstered
A plant is said to have come up by friendly political relations
at the place where the eyelids By the turn of the century with both the west and east bloc
CeU and its leaves gave the brew the domestic consumption is ex: ' countries readily available arms
that could banish sleep. pected to rise to 720 million kg. snpplies, massive subsidies from

..... '. ,
 ltIgd. No. D-{0)-85 TIlE "SPOKESMAN" WEEKLY R.N,!. Regd. 543/57 9th September, 1985

cases of hijacking and waging

Topsy-Turvy View Of Punjab Settlement war against the state. More than
2,500 Sikh youth, who bad been
hauled up under various charges,
Overseas Sikbs Ignoring Its Healtby Features bave been released. Cases of
.otbers are ""ing reviewed. Thill,
Apparently, a handful of Sikhs abroad have got a forces anywbere in the world tbat process might be alow. But it is
rebel soldiers have been allowed conditioned by incidents of"
topsy-turvy view of the salient features of the Rajiv- to remain in the army. Those renewed terrorism in Punjab.
Longowal accord. Sikh soldiers, who have been It is preposterous to argile·
Some of the plans are time- Censorsbip imposed on discharged, are assured meaning- that the late Sant Longowal was.
bound. Chandigarh is to be journals in Cbandlgarb and ful employment elsewbere . "a leader without any follow-
merged with Punjab on January Inllundur was witbdrawn long Even Pandit Jawaharlal ing". Under his leadership al.
26, 1986. Tbere is no "new way ago. N ehm and other Congreso fldictator" of the Morcha, morc-
to sub-divide" it. I he entire The army in Punjab bas been leaders could not make the than 2,00,000 Sikhs courted
Chandigarh Capital Project area, sent back to barrack~. BSF and British government sbow a arrest between August 14, 1982.
a. it stood berore November CRPF units are stationed only similar leniency to soldiers who and Iune 4, 1984. And solongas.
1 1966, is to go to Punjab. Only in very sensitive areas; otherwise, had joined Netaji Subhas Punjab remains a part of India,
a' rew Hindi-speaking villages, law and order is the responsi- Chandra Bose's Indian National the prime minister bas a mandate
which were added to it wben bility of the Punjab police. Army. Nor did tbey think it fit over tbe state. His jurisdictiOlll
it was converted into union About 95 percent of the Sikb to induct these INA men back cannot just be wisbed away.
territory, are to be retllfned to soldiers, who had mutinied in into the army after India became It is upto anyone to accept or'
Haryana. June 1984 [after Operation independent. reject tbe accord between Sant:
The commission to identify Bluestar, bave been retained in All the "black laws" have Longowal and Mr Rajiv Gandhi.
Hindi-speaking villages. in the army_ This is the first been witbdrawn. The special But no on" can, and should,.
P1wjab, whicb are to be give!' time in the bistory of armed courts will benceforth try only impose his willfon otbers.
to Haryana in lieu (f Chand,-
garh, was to submit its report,
according to the accord, by
December 31 , 1985. Now Mr
JusUce K. K. Mathew has been
A healthy child
is a happy child
asked to submit the report
before October 31, 1985.
The commission on leftout
Punjabi-speaking areas bas to
submit its report by December
31 1985 wbile tbe tribunal,
under a supreme colirt judge,
will give its verdict before
January 24, 1986 about new
shares of Punjab, Haryana and
Rajasthan in Ravi-Beas surplus
waters.
The Anandpur Sahib Resolu
tion bas been referred to
Sarkaria Commission wbicb is
looking into ; centre-state
relations.
The overseas Sikhs bave
cbosen to ignore tbe various
corrective steps taken by the
government in recent months.
There was never an y ban on
singing of bymns at any Sikh
religious congregation. Sikhs
were and are free to visit tbeir
shrines everywhere. Tbere is no
attempt to dilute tbeir identity
as a separate community and
virile minority.
(Continued/rom/rant page)
swept clean and wide.
Tbe two communist parties
have decided to tight tbe
elections jOlDtly. Tbey bave
fielded candidates for six Lok
Sabba and 65 assembly seats.
BJP has put up its men for
four Lok Sabba and 25 assembly-
seats.

Gllixo-
Of 117 assembly constituen-
cies, 60 are Sikh-dominated
while 40 have a majority of
Hindus. The other . 17 depend

At concern·for -health
on various alliances.
Let us see bow tbe voters
exercise their choice.
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