AMRITSAR, India :Troops ‘were on full alert and security was tight Sunday in northern India to prevent possible violence over the sudden postponement of a swap of territories between the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana.

Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, was forced Saturday to delay the transfer of Chandigarh, currently capital of both northern states, to Punjab alone, in a major setback to an accord he signed last July with moderate Sikhs.

The city was to be handed over Sunday, but a commission set up by New Delhi to identify villages in Punjab to be ceded to Haryana in exchange for the city failed to find ‘areas with a common border and language to Haryana.

The commission’s inconclusive report released Saturday night prompted authorities to put the army on full alert in the two states to prevent possible violence by ‘opposition parties angry at the delay.

Train services to Punjab and haryana were suspended.

Security also was tight for Sunday’s Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi commemorating India becoming a republic in 1950. In northern Kashmir state bordering Punjab, police arrested more than 460 Sikhs and Kashmiri extremists Saturday to avoid attempts to disrupt Republic Day festivities there.

Meanwhile, in Punjab at the Golden Temple of Amritsar, 250 miles northwest of New Delhi, hundreds of freedom fighters wearing traditional religious daggers and swords rallied to denounce two moderate high priests at the Sikhs holiest shrine.

They demanded the removal of the priests, Kirpal Singh and Sahib Singh.

The priests were singled out because of their moderate views and also for their public statements that the Golden Temple sustained no serious damage when Indian troops stormed it in June, 1984 to flush out Sikh freedom fighters, The siege left some 6000 people dead, mostly Sikhs,

The Chandigarh transfer was promised by Gandhi in his pact ‘with the Sikhs moderate Akali Dal party which agreed to end its four year campaign oft strikes and demonstrations for greater autonomy in Sikh-dominated Punjab.

The campaign sparked violence that claimed hundreds of lives.

It was not known whether the dispute would now be settled by a new commission or by talks between Lal and Barnala.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 31, 1986