CHANDIGARH, July 10:PUNJAB Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today dismissed the role of former state police chief K P S Gill during the decade long militancy in the state saying he was not happy with his role.

Talking to media persons here, Badal was visibly surprised at a recent statement of Gill that terrorism should have been allowed to linger on. He remarked that Gill was not an authority on Punjab and his views that terrorism was returning should be treated in this light. He pointed out Gill had been removed from service by a Congress regime.

The chief minister said he failed to understand why the press gave so much importance to the former police chief. ``Who is Gill'', he asked when it was pointed out that the latter claimed that Punjab Police is demoralised at present.

Badal affirmed that there was no question of the police being demoralised and said imaginary grounds were being created to depict a picture of demoralisation.

Badal said he suspected that the recent spate of terrorist strikes and bomb blasts was the work of forces within the country and abroad who wished to disrupt the peace in the state.

The Punjab government would go to the people to expose the conspiracy to destablise the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance he said. ``There is also an attempt by those whose survival has been threatened by the new atmosphere of unity, goodwill and communal amity in Punjab as their designs have been frustrated by the joint drive launched by the Akali-BJP alliance,'' he observed. However, Badal declined to name these ``forces'' or if these included some rival political party. Asked if he suspected some disgruntled policemen to be behind these explosions, he replied in the negative saying Punjab police personnel were committed to the maintenance of peace.

Badal, who was speaking after reviewing the law and order situation and presiding over a Cabinet meeting in the wake of two violent incidents in Bathinda and Moga districts, said there was a parallel between the two incidents to divide Punjabis on communal lines as the minority community appeared to be the target in the both. ``There are indications of the revival of tactics that had disturbed peace in the state in the early eighties through acts of sacrilege and violence in religious places,'' he stated. However, he affirmed that the government would tackle the conspiracy ``with a firm hand'' and asserted that terrorism would not be allowed to be revived.

Badal also said he had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister I K Gujral on Wednesday during which he urged him to ``take up with Pakistan the issue of blasts by men sponsored by it''.

The CM said he would again take up the subject when Gujral visits Punjab on Sunday and also on July 17 when he is scheduled to go to Delhi to discuss various Punjab-related issues with the Centre.

Observing that terrorism was a national phenomenon, Badal sought the cooperation of all sections and parties to fend off the evil. Firm political and administrative measures were being taken to check terrorist incidents, he said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.