A. Anandpur Sahib Resolution
- Punjabi suba movement was conceded with the enaction of Punjab reorganization Act in 1966 under which Punjab was trifurcated leading to the formation of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Issues remained un-resolved by the Central Government are the following-
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Thus Shiromani Akali Dal appointed to look into the situation and to frame its demands in a formal resolution.
12 member committee comprised of-
- Surjit Singh Barnala
- Gurcharan Singh Tohra
- Jiwan Singh Umranangal
- Gurmeet Singh
- Dr. Bhagat Singh
- Balwant Singh
- Gian Singh Rarewala
- Amar Singh Ambalvi
- Prem Singh Lalpura
- Jaswinder Singh Brar
- Bhag Singh and
- Major general Gurbaksh Singh of Bhadani
The committee completed its task and adopted a comprehensive document of demands at Anandpur Sahib on 16-17 October 1973, which came to be called as Anandpur Sahib Resolution of 1973.
The following is a list of demands which made under the Anandpur Sahib Resolution by the Akalis-
- Transfer of Punjabi speaking and contiguous areas to Punjab
- Decentralization of states under the existing constitution, restricting the central Government’s power to defence, foreign affairs, posts and telegraph, currency and railways
- Protection of Sikh minorities residing outside the Punjab
- The enactment of an All India Gurdwara Act (1925) to bring all historical Gurdwaras in India under the control of SGPC
- Free access to the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and other Gurdwaras in Pakistan
- Reservation of Sikhs for recruitment in defence services
- Raise the ceiling on the land holdings from seventeen to thirty standard acres per family.
- Abolition of Intermediaries
- Fix the prices for agriculture produce on the basis of cost of production of the average farmer and such prices should be fixed by state Government.
- All basic industries should be brought under the public sector.
- All consumer industries dealing with essential commodities should be nationalized.
- There should be a need based minimum wages for industrial labour.
- For agricultural labour, the minimum wages should be reviewed.
- The speedier completion of the Thein Dam and setting up of more power plants including one based on atomic energy
- Transfer of the federally administered city of Chandigarh to Punjab.
- Second language status for Punjabi in the neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi
B. Rajiv-Longowal Accord (Punjab Accord)
- Signed- 24th July, 1985
- Personalities associated- By Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Akali Dal President sant Harcharan Singh Longowal
- Purpose- The Government accepted the demands of Akali dal who In turn agreed to withdraw their agitation.
Some of its promises could not be fulfilled due to the disagreements. Harcharan Singh Longowal was assassinated by the Sikh militants opposed to the accord.
The following were the provisions of the accord-
- Compensation to the families of the innocent persons killed in agitation or any action after 1 August 1982. Plus, compensation for property damaged.
- Army recruitment: Merit will remain the sole criteria for selection in the Indian Army. All the citizens have the right to enrol in the Army.
- Enquiry into the 1984 killings: Jurisdiction of Rangnath Mishra Commission enquiring into the 1984 Delhi riots will be extended to Bokaro and Kanpur.
- Rehabilitation: Those discharged from the Army for desertion will be rehabilitated and provided employment.
- All-India Gurdwara Act for structured governance of the Sikh shrines in India
- Disposal of pending cases: Notifications applying AFSPA in Punjab will be withdrawn, and the special courts will try only the cases relating to following offences: (1) Waging War (2) Hijacking. All other cases will be transferred to the ordinary courts.
- Territorial claims: Chandigarh will be given to Punjab, overruling the Shah Commission's suggestion that it should be given to Haryana.
- In lieu of Chandigarh, the Hindi-speaking villages of Punjab will be given to Haryana. A Commission will constitute to determine which areas will go to Haryana.
- The Commission will present its findings on 31 December 1985, and these findings will be binding on both the sides.
- The actual transfer of Chandigarh and other villages will take place on 26 January 1986.
- Another commission will be appointed to study the other boundary disputes between the two states.
8. Centre-State relations: The part of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution dealing with the Centre-State relations will be referred to the Sarkaria commission.
9. Sharing of the river waters: Punjab, Haryana and other states will continue to get their existing share of water (or more) from the Ravi-Beas system; A tribunal headed by a Supreme Court judge will verify the river water claims of Punjab and Haryana; its findings will be binding on both the states. The construction of the Sutlej Yamuna link canal will continue, and will be completed by 15 August 1986.
10. Representation of minorities: The Prime Minister will re-instruct the Chief Ministers of the various states to protect the interests of the minorities.
11. Promotion of Punjabi: The Central Government may take steps to promote the Punjabi language.