NEW DELHI-Expressing concern at the new spate of killings in Punjab the vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party K.L. Sharma described the situation in the state as dangerous and expressed apprehension that more and more people would start leaving the state.

Referring to the massacre of seven persons in Gehari Mandi in Amritsar district on Friday he said the incident was tragic and hair-raising. He regretted that the security forces posted nearby did not act even as women and others shouted from roof-tops. This was a dangerous development that the militants were now moving in police uniforms Sharma said.

He also urged the state government to honor Kulvinder Singh personal guard of the BJP leader Ram Chand Premi who lost his life while saving Premi a few days ago near Ludhiana. Premi was ambushed by militants and Kulwinder Singh covered Premi with his body as the militant started firing. He received all the bullets in his body and saved Premi.

KR Malkani also vice-president of the party said that men of the security forces had said that they were supposed to fire only if attacked or unless they got coders from seniors. This was the reason why civilians were being killed and the security forces remained inactive. The government must give these forces orders to acting such situations.

Sharma said March had been the bloodiest month in Punjab and recalled a number of incidents of killings.

Talking about proposed elections in Kashmir he said the government must hold elections for local bodies first as was done in Punjab. Elections in the state were not in the interest of the state or the nation he said.

Meanwhile the BJP cautioned those planning to visit Ayodhya for an on-the-spot study of the situation to be discreet and not to say or do anything which could vitiate the atmosphere in the state or disturb peace.

“Talking to the press on Saturday Kishanlal Sharma and K.R.Malkani said whatever the UP government had done was perfectly legal and constitutional. There was perfect peace in Ayodhya and the rest of the state they said.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1992