Mann leads jatha to US Nagar

FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 20: To express solidarity and unity with the residents of Udham Singh Nagar, Simranjit Singh Mann, president, Shiro...

FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 20: To express solidarity and unity with the residents of Udham Singh Nagar, Simranjit Singh Mann, president, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), led a jatha of more than 250 persons, including executive members and senior party workers to Udham Singh Nagar from Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib here today.

Talking to media persons before the departure, Mann said they would organise public conferences on Wednesday at Rudrapur and Bazpur and on Thursday at Kashipur, Sitarganj and Nanakmata. They would meet the members of the Sangharash Samiti formed by the residents of Udham Singh Nagar, tomorrow.

Mann said the Akali Dal (Badal) had committed a great blunder by extending unconditional support to the BJP government as the support had no value. He said that Chief Minister P.S. Badal should put all the demands relating to Punjab on the National agenda.

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Mann alleged that Badal was fooling the Punjabis saying that he would put the case of Udham Singh Nagar before the President. The educated Punjabis could not be misguided as the President was merely a figure head and could decide matters only on the basis of the decisions taken by the Parliament, he said.

The Akali Dal (Amritsar) president said the BJP-led government had not accepted even a single demand of the Akalis. He said the demand to transfer Chandigarh to Punjab was rejected by L.K. Advani while Kumaramangalam said that the issue of waters and head works could not be reopened. Rs 1,200-crore petro chemical plant to be established at Bhatinda was being snatched from Punjab and the government on the floor of the House had backed out on the waiver of Rs 8,500 crore loan.

The defence minister had rejected the demand of Akalis regarding recruitment in the defence forces. Keeping in view the attitude of the BJP-led government, Akali Dal (Badal) had no moral right to continue its support to the Union government. Mann said Cnetral ministers Advani, Sinha, Kumaramangalam and Fernandes had made a mockery of Punjab.

Mann said that according to reliable sources the CM had decided to sell his 100-acre farm in Rudrapur.