Akalis reject boundary commission report
The recommendations of the Punjab boundary commission in their “present shape” are “unacceptable’ to the Akali Dal, (Sant group), the Working Committee of the Dal decided here [New Delhi] to-day [June 12]. The decision was taken after 150 minutes discussion. The meeting was presided over by Sant Fateh Singh. The commission’s recommendations were based purely on “communal basis, and favouritism; they were without any principles.” The Akali Dal, therefore, decides to ignore them, the Dal resolution said. If the Government of India accepted the recommendations “it will have to be responsible for the consequences arising out of its “decision” the resolution warned. The Dal also warned that it would not tolerate, in any event Chandigarh being kept out of the Punjabi-speaking State. “Chandigarh is purely a Punjabi-speaking area and it should go to the Punjabi-speaking State. The Akali Dal feels distressed that Chandigarh has been included in the Union Territories of the Government,” the resolution said. The resolution said the boundary commission had included Kharar tehsil, Nalagarh-Desh area, Nalagarh tehsil, Una tehsil, part of Ambala tehsil, a part of Gohla tehsil, a part of Tohana tehsil, a part of Fatehabad and a part of Sarsa tehsil in the Hariana Prant. The commission had included these areas in the Hariana Prant because it had gone by the 1961 census, which itself was based on religious and communal basis. Inclusion of these areas in the Hariana State was a “mistake.” The Government had rectified one mistake by including Kharar tehsil in the Punjabi area. It should similarly rectify the mistake of the boundary commission by including these areas in the Punjabi speaking State.
Food situation under control
Despite the unprecedented shortfall in grain production in 1965-66, the food situation is now “well under control,” according to the latest official review. Current estimates indicate a shortfall of 13.9 million tonnes in grain in 1965-66 compared with the previous year’s production of 88.4 million tonnes. This means that production in 1965-66 was only 74.5 million tonnes. But, thanks to the massive food aid from the United States and supplies from other friendly countries and international bodies, it has been possible to meet the “minimal” needs of the people, the review says. Grain supplies to the States from central stocks have been substantially stepped up since March, and nearly one million tonnes are being distributed every month, the review says. This order of allocation will continue until November, when the new kharif harvest will come into the market. The situation with regard to rice is, however, said to be “precarious.” Out of the total shortfall of nearly 14 million tonnes of grain, eight million tonnes is of rice. Despite the foreign exchange scarcity, the Government has tried to import as much rice as available at reasonable prices. But owing to the world shortage of rice, it has not been able to buy more than 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes.
306 more held near Belgaum
A Congress member of the Mysore Legislature and 305 others courted arrest to-day [June 12] at the Raibagh railway station in the rail satyagraha in protest against the proposed appointment of the one-man commission to go into the Mysore-Maharashtra border issue, according to news reaching the State capital here [Bangalore] this evening from Belgaum. To-day [June 12] was the third day of the five-day satyagraha offered by the Action Committee of the Belgaum District Congress Committee which is spearheading the movement in Mysore State against the reopening of major issues connected with the Mysore-Maharashtra border dispute. The satyagrahis, forming the third batch, were taken into custody while attempting to stop the Hubli-Poona passenger train on that section of the Southern Railway this afternoon [June 12]. Six of the satyagrahis arrested were women. To-day’s [June 12] was the largest number of arrests in the satyagraha. The Congress M.L.A. arrested was Mr. R.S. Saudagar. According to reports reaching here [BANGALORE], the satyagrahis were either squatting on the rail track or sleeping on it at the Raibagh railway station, 87 kilometres from Belgaum city, over a stretch of about two furlongs. The satyagrahis also raised slogans criticising the attitude of the Central Government and the Congress High Command towards the Mysore-Maharashtra border issue. A big gathering numbering about 9,000 people who had collected at the railway station to witness and sympathise with the satyagrahis, also raised slogans. They carried banners and musical instruments and chanted music interspersed with slogans. The rail satyagraha delayed the departure of the passenger train which was already running behind schedule by over two hours. The train could leave the Raibagh railway station only after the satyagrahis had been removed from the track.
