CHANDIGARH: Although the Indian state claims the return of normalcy in Punjab with the crimination or arrest of most of the Sikh militant leaders, it has extended for six more months the operation of the Disturbed Areas Act which gives vast powers lo its security forces. The extension of the act to Punjab and Chandigarh for six months was announced by chief minister Beant Singh here last week, the chief minister said that the government did not want to take chances and was arming the forces to do as it pleased in terms of the act. The Disturbed Areas Act which the international rights groups have termed as unacceptable was introduced for the first time in Punjab in 1984 in the wake of the operation Blue Star.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 12, 1993
