Zail Singh and Sanjay Gandhi responsible for Punjab mess in

Author: PTI
Publication: IBNLive.com
Date: May 31, 2011
URL: http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/zail-singh-and-sanjay-gandhi-responsible-for-punjab-mess-in/707507.html

"Zail Singh, in complete collaboration with Sanjay, picked up a relatively obscure young and fundamentalist lay preacher named Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale with a view to building him up as a rival to the Akali leadership."It is inconceivable that they could have done so without Indira Gandhi's consent. Sanjay and Zail Singh believed that by advocating extremist causes, the young preacher could embarrass the Akali Dal. Precisely the reverse happened. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale originally planted by Giani Zail Singh to weaken the Akalis, had outgrown his shoes," the book said.Congress has, however, distanced itself from the views expressed in the book, saying there is no official book about the party's history.Party spokesman Manish Tewari has stressed that the book, brought out by a group of editors, headed by senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee, has two disclaimers. "In no circumstances, Congress subscribes to these views," Tewari said. The volume brought out to commemorate 125 years of the organisation narrates and analyses a wide variety of issues, which affected the Congress and in turn impinged on the national issues. In the preface to the book, Mukherjee noted that Congress desired the volume to be edited and contributed by experts in order to generate an "objective and scholarly perspective for the period under review" and "not necessarily have a party perspective".

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