Within the Akali Dal, it is being seen as an ingenious move to embarrass both Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Vajpayee Government at the Centre in the event of its non-acceptance. In that eventuality, a section within the Akali Dal is likely to press the leadership to give the relations with the BJP another look, if not second thoughts, an issue being informally debated following the cropping up of certain irritants between the two partners in power. At the same time, Tohra has also tried to impress upon the Prime Minister to use some of the issues against the Congress in the forthcoming elections.

The issues listed in the memorandum, according to the veteran Akali Dal leader, are ``causing tremendous amount of concern and anguish to the Sikhs, the resolution of which will help them in continuing to perform a significant role in Punjab as well as national affairs''.

While taking up the issues having such dimensions, Tohra kept his mission a closely guarded secret and, according to the sources close to him, even Badal, who also heads the Akali Dal, was not consulted. Tohra was accompanied by his close associate Prem Singh Chandumajra.

The SGPC chief had filed a case in a Delhi court claiming Rs 1,000 crore as damages for Operation Bluestar which inflicted ``an almost irreparable damage upon the Sikh psyche which, in reality, is beyond any restoration''. He has sought intervention of the Prime Minister to direct the officials concerned to remove the impediments from the way of a just and fair judicial verdict in this case.

The second issue is the payment of Rs 3,60,000 each as compensation to the next of kin of victims of anti-Sikh riots in November, 1984, on the orders of Delhi High Court.

On the riots, Tohra has stressed the need to set up a scrutiny commission headed by a retired high court judge to ensure implementation of various commissions and committees which probed this violence. He has also demanded detailed inquiry by a high court judge into the withdrawal of the Sikh infantry during that period.

According to sources, Tohra impressed upon Vajpayee that the scrutiny commission and the probe by the high court judge into the withdrawal of the Sikh troops could be used as a political weapon to whip the Congress in the forthcoming elections. Various commissions and committees have pointed to the alleged involvement of senior Congress leaders in motivating the perpetrators of violence. ``Further exposure of the Congress on this issue would politically suit the BJP,'' said Chandumajra. The setting up of scrutiny commission was one of the five demands which were added to the list later in Delhi and was not part of the original memorandum typed in Chandigarh.

The memorandum is being discussed in the context of the embarrassment caused to the Akali Dal by the BJP on the long pending demands concerning Punjab including transfer of Chandigarh. The BJP has given the impression that transfer of Chandigarh and resolution of river waters dispute are inter-state issues and hence contentious eluding a solution. Two other issues on which the Akalis felt humiliated are the Bathinda refinery and special term loan.

``The BJP has rather taken a stand which is against the interests of Punjab on these issues,'' said an Akali minister preferring anonymity.

Now the issues taken up by the SGPC concern only Punjab and the BJP would have no excuse for non-implementation, it is being said.