CHANDIGARH, India: Mr. JF. Ribeiro, the Director General of Punjab Police, has refused to accept an award conferred on him by a militant Hindu organization “Shiv Sena”. This was announced by the State Police Chief at a press conference on Sept. 6 at Chandigarh. Mr, Ribeiro declared that he would not accept any awards announced by private organization as he is a government officer. Mr, Ribeiro justified his stand by telling the newsmen that he had already refused to accept similar award last year, Mr, Ribeiro was adjudged as “Man of the Year” by a Delhi based organization last year.
It is worthy to mention that “Shiy Sena” a militant organization of communal Hindus of Punjab had announced an “Anjuna Award? for Mr. Ribeiro for his role in bringing “peace” in the State, On the contrary, the Sikhs have repeatedly charging him with his direct involvement in the killings of innocent Sikhs in the fake ‘encounters.
Mr. Ribeiro also blamed the Sikh organizations for the abduction of Mr. Abnas
Brar while releasing the contents of the enquiry report conducted by his subordinate police officer, Mr. Uno Singh, SP. Amritsar. The independent political observers did not attach any credibility to a report conducted by a police of fire and described it as pure eyewash to cover up their own misdeeds, The State Police Chief, who is spearheading a sinister campaign Of fake encounters, also referred to the allegations of killing of innocent Sikhs by the police, made by former Justice A’S. Bains, the President of Punjab Human Rights (Organization. Mr. Ribeiro partially admitted that 25% of names, released by PHRO also figure in the official list: Questioned about the remaining list, Mr, Ribeiro tried to evade the main issue of fake encounters by saying that 15% ‘were killed in so called inter gang rivalry clashes of the Sikh organizations. Referring to the allegations of the killing of those persons, whose whereabouts are not yet known, the Police Chief countered ‘by saying as these persons might be hiding in the Golden Temple.
PHRO activists are surprised at his evasive replies. These circles ridiculed his argument that some of the names appearing in Justice Bains’ list were hiding in Golden Temple as the police had been regularly entering Golden Temple to search out such persons.
The political observers are bewildered that the senior most law keeping man’ of the State has become a “pivot” of the “love and hate” syndrome in the two communities i.e. Hindus and Sikhs. How can such a person, they argue, create confidence and maintain credibility being an independent government officer
Article extracted from this publication >> September 11, 1987
