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Mann rejects Punchhi panel on Centre-State ties

Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) on Wednesday rejected the setting up of the Commission headed by former Chief Justice of India M.M. Punchhi on Centre-State relations alleging it would not do justice to the interests of the States.

Addressing a press conference here, party President Simranjit Singh Mann alleged it is a foregone conclusion that Mr. Punchhi and the two former Union Home Secretaries Dharendra Singh and V.K. Duggal will "rubber stamp the proposals to make India into a completely unitary form of government".

Mr. Mann said the setting up of the Commission also shows the "arrogance" of the Centre as before announcing it public opinion has not been allowed to be formed nor were the States consulted even though 50 per cent of the States have to ratify any amendment to be proposed by it in the Constitution.

He said the party was also surprised that no provision of Sarkaria Commission or of the Rajiv-Longowal accord was enforced even though both were meant to assuage Sikhs' feelings and provide a healing touch to the community.

Support for Somnath

Mr. Mann said SAD (A) will mobilize public opinion in favour of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee for the post of President "if the Left assures protecting us".

Mr. Mann said his party also opposed the demand of BJP for the post of Deputy Chief Minister in Punjab as the party is already exercising more power than its share in the SAD-BJP alliance.

"We feel Parkash Singh Badal is a dummy Chief Minister and the actual power is wielded by BJP and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal," he said adding that instead BJP should take the post of Chief Minister "so that power is wielded with responsibility, accountability and transparency."

He opposed the proposal of Badal Government to exclude all those families having television and refrigerator from the scheme of supply of Atta and Daal at cheap rates to the poor.

"If rich farmers like Parkash Singh Badal and Harcharan Singh Brar (former Chief Minister) can get benefit of free power to agriculture sector despite their being rich having air-conditioned farm house and owning Mercedes cars, why should the poor owning a refrigerator or TV not get cheap Atta and Daal?" he said. -- PTI

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