CHANDIGARH: In the battle of the ballot, India suffered a major setback in Punjab when an overwhelming majority of the Sikh dominated states population rejected Indias constitution by keeping away from the election.

Only a small Hindu minority Jacked by a section of Dalit’s voted for India and its supporting parties. This despite the presence of half a million army and paramilitary forces.

AS we go to the press, the polling is over while counting of the votes has yet to begin. The election took place to elect 115 members of the Punjab Assembly and 13 members of the Lok Sabha. There was no major incident of violence anywhere except five bomb blasts in Punjab, one person identified as lovely was killed at Ludhiana in a bomb blast. Two more bombs exploded near Katra Jaimal Singh and near Bhagat part in Amritsar city and another bomb exploded outside a clothes shop at Batala outside a clothes shop at Batala.

The election com basis of incomplete observed that there was wide difference between the polling percentage in rural and urban areas. It is estimated by official circles that 20% voters exercised franchise in rural areas and 30% in urban areas. It is well known that while Sikhs liven villages, the Hindus live in cities. Significantly the Indian election commission for the first time withdrew 38 election observers belonging to the Punjab cadre of the Indian Administrative Service at the last moment. Instead, 52 observers from other states were sent to Punjab to supervise the conduct of the election, An over whelming majority of the election workers, 100, belonged to other states as employees of the Punjab government had expressed their unwillingness to do the election duty.

The election was boycotted by Panthic Committee and Major Akali groups .It was consted by

Congress (I), the BJ.P., the B.S.P. and the Longowal Akalis in cooperation with CPL. and C.P.(M).It was a strange sight to find the so called leftists in the company of the “Maharaja of Patial Amarinder Singh.

There was a complete Bandh (trike) as part of boycott movement, the Sikhs groups called for two days of Bandh (strike) coinciding with the elections. The Bandh (strike) was a complete success all over Punjab. Shops of commercial establishments remained closed at most places while private buses were off the roads, Punjab roadway buses were plying on empty on the trunk routes with heavy armed guards. Banks and other government institutions were closed.

There has been a spate of complaints from non-Congress (I) Parties against the conduct of the Election. In fact, senior leaders of B.P and C.P.(M):met the Punjab governor on the eve of the poll to complain of the danger of irregularities by the police Congress (I) combine, CP leader Inderjit Gupta expressed serious apprehensions of large scale rigging by the ruling party to show higher poll percentage. Gupta recalled Prime Minister Raos expertise in rigging in his own election from Andhra Pradesh.

Despite the rigging, according to preliminary information, the BSP and the BJP. Are likely to do well with the Congress (I) may suffer reverses. The fourth combine comprising Longowal Akal Dal and lefts its may also bag a few seats,

Observers feel that the new government will lack legitimacy as it will be represented by a majority of Punjab’s population. Since the Indian government is likely to ignore the question of legitimacy, it is planning to go ahead with certain anti Punjab decisions particularly in relation to Punjab’s rights to its river water,

It’s also noteworthy that most senior Alkali leader was arrested by the Indian government on the eve of the election to prevent them from propagating the idea of boycott.

According to the N.Y. Times, the pre-election turmoil in the Punja continued with an area wide strike (6070% successful, State officials stated Wednesdays election boycott would also probably be: success, There is growing anger from the Sikhs who make up 60% of this population primarily directed at the Congress party and the pro Hindu BJ.P. who the Sikhs say have fanned the crisis since 1987. The Last Akali elected govt. was dismissed by Rajiv Gandhi’s Cong.I party and resulted in the last 5 years of “Presidents” Rule which was direct governance from the center.

According to B.B.C. at several places, the Indian army and security forces used compulsion  make peoples cast their votes.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 28, 1992