Amarinder defends memento to Lt Gen Dayal

Chandigarh, Apr 30 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today defended his decision to honour a retired General, who played a key role in Operation Blue Star in 1984.

Mr Singh said he had presented a memento to Lt Gen (retd) R S Dayal in Mumbai, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Institute of Tourism and Future Management, an organisation that assists ex-servicemen in finding jobs.

''I presented the memento to Lt Gen Dayal in his capacity as Chairman of the Institute'', he said in a statement.

Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and a number of other Akali leaders had criticised the Chief Minister for honouring Lt Gen Dayal, who played a key role in 'Operation Blue Star' launched in June 1984 to flush out heavily armed militants from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

Capt Singh said he had resigned from Parliament to protest against the army operation in the Golden Temple complex and later he resigned as minister in the Barnala government to protest against 'Operation Black Thunder-I'.

''Those questioning my credentials on this subject are either ill-informed or are simply lying'', he added.

''Lt Gen Dayal is not a 'tankhaia' (religious sinner) of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, and neither is there a social boycott order against him'', he added.

''The Akalis need to clarify why Mr Badal, when he was Chief Minister, appointed Mr Ramesh Inder Singh, as his Principal Secretary, when he knew that the IAS officer as Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar at the time of the Operation, signed the order permitting the Army into the Golden Temple complex'' Capt Singh said.

Mr Ramesh Inder Singh, who later received Padma Shri for his services rendered during the army operation, also signed the order for detaining hundreds of Sikhs who were taken captive in 1984 from the Golden Temple complex, he claimed.

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