CHANDIGARH, India: Fifteen organizations including political and human rights organization had a meeting after their release from Chandigarh jail and urged all political parties including U.A.D., C.P.I and B.J.P. to endorse the call for observing May 25, 1988, as Protest Day against the 59th Constitutional amendment empowering the Center to enforce emergency in Punjab. These organizations include the Punjab Human Rights Organization, Janata Party, Punjab Sikh Lawyer’s Council, Bharatya Kisan Union, Istri Akali Dal, International Democratic Party, Sikh Vichar Manch, Indian People’s Front, Jan Morcha and Bharatiya Mukti Morcha. The call to observe May 25, 1988, as a protest day was given by these organization on April 22, when their representatives were arrested for the violation of section 144 C.R.P.C., near Raj Bhawan, Chandigarh and were not allowed to present a memorandum to the Governor against the 59th amendment of the Constitution. The representatives released from the jail included Sukhdev Singh, President P.H.R.O., Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, General Secretary and GS. Ghuman of Punjab Sikh Lawyers’ Council, Major Singh Matran, General Secretary, P.S.U., Gurbhajan Singh Gill, General Secretary Sikh Vichar Manch, Nirmal Singh Congress (I), Kheta Singh, LDP and Hakam Singh, LPF. The meeting called upon the farmers not to bring fodder, milk and other produce to the market ‘on that day, students to refrain from attending classes, lawyers to boycott the courts, public not to travel, except for medical reasons. The detainees should observe the day by offering prayers in their respective jails, religious people are asked to hold congregations at the religious places. The meeting also called upon the Government to release Bibi Bimal Kaur Khalsa, Prof. Bhupinder Singh, Advocate, Rajinder Singh Khurana and Bhai Daya Singh Dhadhi as the case against Major General Narinder Singh, who was arrested along with them, has already been withdrawn.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 6, 1988
