1992 April 17.
A few months only have passed after Bhopal AIC of E.III Union and Com.Moni Bose and myself elected as General Secretary and President of the Union, defeating the four decades’ GS Com.O.P.Gupta and his team. Workers all over the country were enthused that a new progressive leadership has come. Every circle wanted the new leadership to attend their conferences. Bhatinda District Union leaders invited me to attend their Conference to be held on 18th and 19th April 1992 at Mansa. I agreed.

Started for Mansa in the morning train by ordinary compartment. The train was going very slowly, stopping in almost all stations. After some time the train stopped and even after much time did not start. Engine break down. Another engine was connected much later and train started. It was an old type of engine, steam engine running on coal. I had thought that such old engines were gone. But no. Slowly, slowly it reached Mansa at about 20.00 hours. The station was only dimly lit. Real cold though winter season was almost over. Everybody in woolen dresses, but I did not bring. I got down waiting for our comrades. Five – six persons, their faces covered, with long country made guns approached me. I was terrified. It was the time when there were continued confrontations between police and terrorists. It turned out that they were our comrades welcoming me. We got introduced. They told that it was not safe to go out in night without guns. I was thinking that they will arrange stay in some hotel, telephone exchange or Gurudwara. They said it is not safe and took me to the residence of Com. Prathap Singh. The houses were built in such a way that the partition walls seemed to be same. It was spacious inside and after food, I slept heavily. I was very tired.
By about 06.00 hours, the host came to the room with a cup of hot tea telling that his wife told him that Kerala people will take tea very early morning. Women always are aware of such small and intricate matters. It was very good tea.
The Divisional Conference went on for two days. Com. N.K.Jeet was the District Secretary, who always stood with our progressive group. (Now he is Advocate in Punjab High Court, I am told).Returned next day to New Delhi.