Punjab M.P.s want state governor out

Press, 23 April 1984, Page 6

Punjab M.P.s want state governor out

NZPA-AFP New Delhi The Indian Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, is facing a new problem in Punjab, now in the grip of a violent Sikh autonomy campaign, with the launching of concerted efforts by her Congress (I) Party legislators for a popular government to replace governor’s rule in the state. Mrs Gandhi put the state under the direct control of its Governor, Mr B. D. Pande, answerable only to her central Cabinet, seven months ago when Sikh Akali Dal extremists began stepping up their violent campaign for political and religious autonomy. The governor’s rule was imposed after the state Cabinet headed by the Congress (I) Chief Minister, Barbara Singh was dissolved'and the elected Legislative Assembly suspended. Mr Singh has since quit Punjab politics and has been elected to the Upper House of Parliament Several prominent Congress (I) legislators have now started a “character assassination” of Mr Pande for his failure to “understand” the current position in the state, says the Chandigarh daily, ‘"The Tribune. They had complained that doling his government lawf aSi order in Punjab ha<r steadily deteriorated, and

that it was time that a new state Government was installed and given a chance to resolve the tangle, the paper said. At least a dozen of those legislators were said to be camping in New Delhi and actively campaigning for the installation of a new Government in the state. They bad met the Home Minister, Mr P. C. Sethi, the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Kumar Mukherjee, and the Energy Minister, Mr Shiv Shankar, all close aides of Mrs Gandhi, the paper said. The Indian Constitution allows a maximum of one year of governor’s rule in a state, after which the Federal Government has to recall the Assembly and form a new state Cabinet or dissolve it and hold new elections. The Congress (I) legislators have also been highly critical of Punjab’s police chief, Mr P. S. Bhinder, who was one of Mrs Gandhi’s trusted police officers in the capital during her emergency rule in 1975-77. They had also accused Mr Bhinder of allowing his relatives and friends to interfere with the maintenance of peace in the Gurdiaspur district, one of the most violence-hit areas, “The Tribune’’ said.