Opinion December 2, 1981, Forty Years Ago: Debate On Punjab
🔴 The Home Minister, who was replying to a five-hour debate in the Lok Sabha on the Khalistan and other secessionist agitations in the country, said such a ban on the entry of police will interfere with law enforcement.
The Cong-S working committee’s rejection of its Kerala unit’s plea to form a government may lead to a showdown between the two. Debate On Punjab
Union Home Minister Zail Singh expressed himself against any blanket ban on entry of police into places of worship and sought the cooperation of Opposition parties in handling the prevailing situation in Punjab. The Home Minister, who was replying to a five-hour debate in the Lok Sabha on the Khalistan and other secessionist agitations in the country, said such a ban on the entry of police will interfere with law enforcement. He also appealed to religious leaders to not drag religion into politics. He said that the Canadian government had been informed over the Indian government’s unhappiness over grant of asylum in Canada to persons “carrying Khalistan passports”. He said he had told Canada’s Communications Minister that this was objectionable.
Assam Alliance Fails
The 11-party left and democratic front seems to have lost the first round in the bid to form a government. It is understood that the Governor of Assam and Meghalaya, Prakash Mehrotra has rejected their claim as unauthorised. It’s learnt that when the alliance leaders called on the governor fortnight ago, the Governor had asked them to certify, amongst other things, that the major constituents of the alliance would participate in the government and not support it from outside. But until now, the alliance has been able to produce letters to this effect from five of the 11 constituents.
Chandy’s Letter
The Cong-S working committee’s rejection of its Kerala unit’s plea to form a government may lead to a showdown between the two. The hard-hitting letter of Oomen Chandy to Sharad Pawar give this impression. Chandy describes the working committee’s decision as “undemocratic”.
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