Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjeet Singh Mann has said that the “overwhelming support to the Sarbat Khalsa 2015 would lead their front (comprising SAD Amritsar and United Akali Dal led by Mohkam Singh) to election victory in 2017 assembly polls.
In an exclusive interview with Indian Express journalist Divya Goyal, S. Mann said: “When you get support from the masses, it is important to covert into a victory”.
The said interview is published by the Indian Express (November 14, 2015, Chandigarh Edition at Page 6) under title: “Will convert Sarbat Khalsa support into poll victory”.
Excerpts of the interview, as published in the Indian Express, are reproduced (in verbatim) as under for the information of readers of the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN). SSN extends full credits to the journalist Divya Goyal as author of the following content and to the Indian Express as original publisher. Visitors may also visit the source page given at the end of following content to read the interview on IE website:
What are your plans for the Assembly polls in 2017? SAD (A) is set to contest the polls. When you get support from the masses, it is important to convert it into a victory. Considering the overwhelming support we got during the Sarbat Khalsa, it is going be a landslide victory for us.
Which other radical fronts would be joining SAD (A) for contesting polls? It is going to be a united third front consisting of United Akali Dal led by Mohkam Singh. We are not radicals, we are a democratic party. It is wrong to say that it would be a radical front because we are leading peaceful agitation against Badals. We would approach preachers including Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale and Panthpreet Singh for support. Dal Khalsa and Akali Dal Panch Pardhani who did not support us in Sarbat Khalsa would also be approached along with Sikhs for Justice based in US.
What’s your reaction to allegations that the SAD (A) is trying to gain political mileage from the recent panthic crisis? We are absolutely not attempting to gain any political mileage. Innocents were killed in police firing at Faridkot and we took a stand against brutality which got massive support.
What would be your main agenda for the 2017 polls? Getting Sikh prisoners released and working for farmers would be our priorities. We were, are and will remain committed to a separate Sikh state- Khalistan. By Khalistan, I mean a secular Khalistan where a Hindu would get equal rights and citizenship. If there is ‘Hindu’ nation and Muslim nation (Pakistan)- there has to be a Sikh nation.
What are your views on the AAP? The AAP has allegedly used derogatory terms against our national hero Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and untill they apologise for it, there would be no talks with them for 2017.