India: Update to Response to Information Request IND26653.E of 22 April 1997 on the Akali Dal (Mann), its current activities and status, the name of its current leader, whether it participated in the 1998 state and/or national elections, and the treatment of its members by the security forces
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 June 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IND29561.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, India: Update to Response to Information Request IND26653.E of 22 April 1997 on the Akali Dal (Mann), its current activities and status, the name of its current leader, whether it participated in the 1998 state and/or national elections, and the treatment of its members by the security forces, 1 June 1998, IND29561.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad072c.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Reports updating the information in Response to Information Request IND26653.E of 22 April 1997 on the situation of the Akali Dal (Mann) are scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
In the sources consulted, Simranjit Singh Mann has been referred to as leader of the Akali Dal (Mann) faction (Rediff on the Net 10 Feb. 1997), as well as of the "Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)" (The Hindu 27 Apr. 1998; India Today 12 Mar. 1998) and the Akali Dal (Amritsar) (Deccan Herald 24 Dec. 1997; The Hindu 24 Dec. 1997).
Since the February 1997 Punjab Assembly elections, the only reference found to the political activities of the Akali Dal (Mann) is in relation to the 1998 general elections to the 12th Lok Sabha. Simranjit Singh Mann contested the Sangrur (Punjab) seat but was defeated by Surjit Singh Barnala of SAD (India Today 12 Mar. 1998; India Abroad n.d.). India Today refers to Mann as a SAD (M) candidate, whereas India Abroad refers to S.S Mann as an AD-M [Akali Dal (Mann)] candidate.
Reports on the treatment of members of the Akali Dal (Mann) by the security forces other than the March 1997 disappearance and eventual killing, allegedly by police, of Kashmir Singh, the publicity secretary of the Akali Dal (Mann) (The Washington Times 23 Mar. 1997), could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Extended Response to Information Request IND27112.E of 4 June 1997 and Response to Information Request IND26823.E of 26 May 1997, available at Regional Documentation Centres, also refer briefly to the Kashmir Singh incident.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Deccan Herald [Bangalore]. 24 December 1997. "Mann Prepared to Meet Badal for Poll Tie-Up." [Internet]
The Hindu [Chennai/Madras]. 27 April 1998. "Simranjit Mann Demands Punishment for Tohra." [Internet]
_____. 24 December 1997. "Hegde Ready to Share Seats with BJP" [Internet]
India Abroad. n.d. "Election '98: Punjab." [Internet]
India Today [Delhi]. 12 March 1998. "India Votes '98: Sangrur." [internet]
Rediff on the Net. 10 February 1997. "It's a Landslide for the Akali Dali-BJP Alliance in Punjab." [Internet]
The Washington Times. 23 March 1997. Final Edition. Paramjit Singh Ajrawat. "Commentary/Editorials/Letters: There is Much Support for an Independent Khalistan." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
India Today [Delhi]. Weekly. March 1997-June 1998.
Resource Centre. International/Indexed Media Review [Ottawa]. Weekly. March 1997-present.
_____. "India" country file. March 1997-present.
Electronic sources: Internet, IRB Databases.
