CHANDIGARH, June 18: Punjab Health Minister Balramji Dass Tandon on Tuesday asserted that the Akali-BJP government would defend all the police officers who committed bona fide mistakes while fighting for the unity and integrity of the country. He blamed Congress for the circumstances that led to the death of former SSP Ajit Singh Sandhu.

Tandon, one of the important figures in the Parkash Singh Badal government, also made it clear that law would take its own course in case of police officials who resorted to slaying of innocents and amassed wealth during this fight. He maintained that honest officials facing investigations and court cases would be extended legal as well as financial aid.

He lambasted leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal saying that her remarks about the police were a threat to peace and said the era of the black days would not be allowed to stage a come back as the state government was clear and determined.

Tandon said out of the 11 cases against the police officials, four were registered during Beant Singh regime, six during Harcharan Singh Brar government and Bhattal recommended prosecution in one case. He clarified that no case was registered after the Akali-BJP government took over in February last.

Sandhu was lodged in a cell meant for the terrorists in Amritsar jail and subject to humiliation when Congress was in power in the state, he said. He disclosed that a delegation of the police officials including Sandhu approached him six months back expressing their resentment and requested him to arrange their meeting with the senior BJP leaders. Tandon said he arranged their meetings with party leaders including A B Vajpayee and L K Advani. These meetings were followed by a meeting with Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta. He said this all happened when the Congress was in power in the state.

Earlier, Bhattal said she had only alerted the government about threat to peace from demoralisation in the police following the death of Sandhu. She justified her statement saying similar views had been had been expressed by BJP leaders including Advani and Jaswant Singh and former prime minister Chandra Shekhar.

She wanted all help to be extended to the police officials facing prosecution arguing they fought the nation's battle. She said she was prepared to go to jail while fighting for the unity and integrity of the country.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.