Resolution seeks CM’s ouster
SHSAD vows by Panthic agenda
From Our Correspondent and agencies

LUDHIANA, Oct 23 — Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal President Gurcharan Singh Tohra today said the replacement of Mr Parkash Singh Badal both as Chief Minister and President of the ruling Akali Dal, had become imperative to fulfil the purpose for which the Akali Dal was set up in the early twenties.

A resolution to this effect by the party working committee, the national executive and district presidents at a meeting here pledged to fulfil its aims. It said the "betrayal" by Mr Badal had undermined the Akali struggle for safeguarding "Panthic thought, Panthic interests and Panthic direction in the Indian polity."

The resolution said the recent Lok Sabha verdict in Punjab was not a vote against the Akali Dal but a protest against violation of Sikh tenets and traditions, challenge to the supremacy of Akal Takht and for sowing seeds of division in the Akali Dal by Mr Badal to protect interests of his family, particularly his son.

The resolution alleged that it was also a vote against the failure of the Badal government, against corruption and financial crisis. It was because of the policies of the Badal government that the anti-Panth and anti-Punjab Congress could reap benefit in the Lok Sabha elections.

Briefing media persons after a two-hour meeting, which was not attended by MLAs loyal to Mr Tohra because of technical reasons, Mr Tohra said his party wanted to see the Akali Dal government complete its term.Therefore, Akali MLAs should elect a new leader to replace Mr Badal. Similarly, the party jathedars, should replace Mr Badal so that the Akali Dal was rescued from the "clutches of family rule".

He alleged that the Punjab Government under Mr Badal had released extra waters to Rajasthan through the Sirhind feeder because Mr Badal had bought 1000 acres of land in Rajasthan when BJP leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was Chief Minister there.

Alleging that corruption and nepotism had led to the financial crisis in Punjab, Mr Tohra charged the Chief Minister with being hand in glove with the Congress as proved by his failure to move against former Congress ministers against whom corruption charges had been levelled.

Asked if free power to the agriculture sector was not responsible for the financial crisis, Mr Tohra said the Rs 250 crore loss on account of this had been more than compensated by additional income of Rs 500 crore on account of hike in power tariff for the domestic sector.

The resolution attributed the financial crisis to "loot and misuse of government exchequer, large-scale theft of taxes by big traders, industrialists and government loyalists at the behest of the government, theft of power, plying of buses without route permits, favours and corruption in land and liquor deals "and demanded a high-level probe and recovery of the "loot’’.

Advocating federalism in the country, Mr Tohra said no government at the Centre could be formed without the help of regional parties. Therefore, it was all the more necessary for regional parties like the Akali Dal to play their historical role.

Charging the Punjab Government with imposing new taxes everyday, the resolution said it was opposed to hike in the price of diesel by the Centre and doubling of sales Tax on it by the Punjab Government. The party would organise district level dharnas on November 2 in protest against the hike, it said.

The party authorised Mr Tohra to select candidate for the SGPC presidential election to be held on November 10, secretary general of the party, Prem Singh Chandumajra, who attended the meeting said. Former ministers Manjit Singh Calcutta, Surjit Singh Kohli, Mahesh Inder Singh besides MLAs Hira Singh Gabaria and Jagtar Singh Rajla were seen in the Model Town Gurdwara complex where the meeting was held.

Mr Tohra said a common "Panthic thought, programme and policy" should be evolved in consultation with various Akali groups.

He said Mr Badal has "failed" the people of the state by not endeavouring to get the long-pending demands of the state fulfilled such as sharing of river waters and transfer of Chandigarh.

The SHSAD President was, however, evasive on answering queries on the crumbling of the third front with Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala of the Akali Dal (Democratic) and Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode of the Akali Dal (Panthic) expressing divergent views after the parliamentary elections.

He said his party would accord welcome to Pope John Paul-II on his visit to India. He asked the government to reconsider the imposition of income tax on the remuneration paid by the state to farmers in lieu of their land acquired.