~~~~GAZETTE~ ' ~~--Vol3 No.3
New Delhi 5 February-19 February 1988 Fortnightly Rupees Two
Sarkaria Commision: A Vote For Statusquo \~
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H.G. Deshpande While the report of the Sarkaria Commission was submitted at the end of October 1987, it is only now that a brief summary of what it says has been published . It is understood that the Commission itself did not prepare a summary. This was on the ground that a summary more or less discourages people from going to the original text and, in this process, a good deal is lost. Therefore, the Commission I ( "Jbmitted a long report and left I.' , to the government to prepare a summary in case it so preferred . Likely enough , the full text would become available only after some time . Going by the summary that has appeared in the Press, one thing is clear. The Commission has opted for streamlining the system rather than restructuring it. This is not to say that restructuring was on the agenda, Considering the fact, however, that the Commission was appointed in the context of the controversy that had arisen in Punjab and.that, three years later, the Rajiv-Longowal accord referred the Anandpur Sahib Resolution to the Commission, it may be said that restructuring was one of the issues under consideration. Evidently, the Commission has decided against it. As could have been predicted, the Akalis have protested against it. But protests from other sou~ces ' are marginal. Even oppositiQn states, like West Bengal ' and Karnataka, which had plei ded for greater powers to the states have been ; by and large, passive in their
In This Issue Page
o Badshah Khan o Khalistan Phobia o Return of oil Multinationals o Sangrur Jail Killings o Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabees o Short Story: Superior Tea Set . o Anti Dowry Efforts o No~ By Military Alone
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response . To this extent the Commission had a surerfeeling of the political reality than its critics might be inclined to credit it with .
Distortions Clearly, what the Commission has done is to take note of some of the distortions that had crept into the system ove.r the years . In regard to, a large number of them , what the Commission has done is to suggest changes and modifications of a kind which would take care of the distortions and irritations and leave the structure intact. For instance, in regard to the power of the Centre to supersed~ a State government, the CommisSion has not decided against it. What it has done is to
seek to regulate the system in such a way that the power vested in the Centre is not misused
The same can be said in regard to the appointment and role of the Govern.or, the appointment and transfer of
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negotiations should held until terrorism was wiped out from the State. In fact, the recent mass contact campaign of the State Congress(l) . led by Mr. Ghul~m Nabi Azad, General K. S. Khosla Secretary of AICC (I) was Sikhs in november 1984, repeal Mr. Badal clarified . directed towards this end and of black laws and putting an end Mr. Badal made these for influencing public opinion to fake encounters by the police ' demands (the fifth demand against terrorism. Both the should be removed before relates to the rehabilitation of State Congress(l) and the State calling such a meeting. Army deserters) after his Congress(l) Legislature Party release from detention on Not Bright have come out with statements December 2 last and since then whic~, while accusing Mr. he possibility of a political dialogue seem not to he Is on tour of the ' State .Badal of abetting terrorism, organiSing 'dhamas' at district want the Centre ¡ ¡to ' remove be bright as Mr. Badal has levels against "repression" and some of the irr. !"lts in the way since rejected the suggestion for mobilising public support of the Punjab settlftl!lent. These on the ground that the Centre statements frQin) : J h8 ruling must first accept his five for his demands. Reports coming from districts say that party's unit in Punjab give demands to reestablish its the public response to his credence to reports that the credibility with the Sikh , meeting Is very good. Centre is about to take political ,masses. The chances of Two reasons are given for the initiative. Dr. Kewal Krishan , acceptance of all the' five renewed political activity in the General Secretary of the State demands are remote as the State. First, the possibilityofthe Congress(I), is emphatic that Union Home Minister, Mr. Buta Prime Minister holding such a Mr. Badal should not be given Singh, has retiterated that a meeting and secondly, . credit for removing the irritants dialogue can be started only possibility of elections after the and opening a dialogue. when the Akalis condemn the second term of the President's In fact, the CongMs(l) militants and their demand for rule expires on May 11 next. All Legislature Party has decided Khalistan. Mr. Badal has said this is in the realm of possibility to call on the Prime Minister to that they were against terrorism but the hope of coming back to urge him to sort out the Punjab and as regards the demand for power and getting credit for problem. At a mee,lng of the Khalistan "it is not my party's decisions which the Centre Legislature Party a few days demand or programme." alone can take is the spur of ago, some of the leaders were , Further, his party's demand or political resurgence . very forthright In their views, programme." Furt.her, his party which Is rare among Congress (I) Policy stood for peacef",,1 agitation for Congressmen unless they have the acceptance of these sea-Change has come in demands and also the the policy of the State an assenting nod from Deihl. Some of the leaders said that implementation of the Congress(l) which hitI Anandpur Sahib Resolution, herto had been inSisting that no Continued on page 4
Speculations on Punjab T
he remarks of the Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, on board the plane on his return journey from Stockholm that he would discuss the proposal to hold an all-party meeting to discuss the Punjab problem' with hi~ cabinet colleagues has sparked a lot of speculation in political circles here. No one knows when the allparty meeting will be called, or whether it will be held at all, but at least four major political parties in the State are working overtime to come out with statements welcoming the proposal. There is, however, a catch in their statements as the overriding motive behind these moves is to pressurise the Centre not to give credit to the United Akali Dal led by Mr. Parkash Singh Badal for the political initiative. These parties including ' the Congress (I), the CPI : the CPM "lmd the Akali Dal (L) are now agreed that some of thE! major irritants !.ike the non acceptance of the demands for release of Jodhpur detenus, punishmer:lt of those responsible for the killing of
judges, fiscal relations between the Centre and the states and a dozen other things. In respect
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