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Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, AUG 5: The meeting of the political affairs committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal SAD on the Udham Singh Nagar issue, to be held tomorrow in Chandigarh, is being viewed with anxiety and concern within the National Democratic Alliance.
Hawks within the Akali Dal Badal led by Punjab Finance Minister Kanwaljit Singh are working hard to snap ties with the NDA for its failure to honour its commitment that the Sikh-dominated district would not be transferred to the newly-approved state of Uttarakhand. Contrary to the assurances given to Badal, the BJP leadership decided to merge Udham Singh Nagar with Uttarakhand and compromised the interests of the Sikh population, they claim.
The BJP leadership is now reportedly telling the Akalis that the boundary committee 8212; which will be formed after the Bill is approved by both Houses of Parliament 8212; will take corrective measures in accordance with the Government8217;s assurances in Parliament.
The hawks in the SAD, however, are unwilling to buy this argument. They want Union Minister for Sports and Mines S.S. Dhindsa to quit the Vajpayee Government and are also pressing the Akali Dal B to withdraw support to the NDA. These leaders also argue that the party8217;s PAC had unanimously passed a resolution in September 1998 that the Akali Dal B would withdraw support from the government if Udham Singh Nagar does not remain with Punjab.
These hawks also have the tacit support of the Akali Dal Tohra faction which was part of the Badal8217;s party until a few years ago. Their game plan is simple 8212; to ensure that Badal snaps ties with the NDA and becomes vulnerable in the state since this would compel the BJP to withdraw support to the Badal government in Punjab. And once this happens, Badal would be sitting on a razor-thin majority of just two MLAs in a House of 117.
But Badal8217;s new strategy just might pre-empt the PAC8217;s move and tame the hawks at tomorrow8217;s meeting. Sources say Badal and Advani have mutually decided that the Punjab CM will tell the PAC that the purpose of its September resolution was to protect the interests of the mostly-Sikh farmers of Udham Singh Nagar. And now that the district has gone to Uttarakhand, Sikhs will be able to dominate the political scene in the newly-carved out state, where as many as 10 MLAs will represent the district in the Assembly.
Badal is also to inform the PAC of his talks with central BJP leaders and others. He is likely to point out to the PAC that the Centre had also waived the farmers8217; loans and interests running into over Rs 1,000 crore for the current fiscal.
