It is ironic that General O.P Malhotra swearing in ceremony as Governor of Punjab in Chandigarh last December took place in Punjabi the language Sikh militants had decreed at gunpoint would be the official language a few days earlier.
Optimists would no doubt aver that it was a gracious gesture on the Generals part. The reality however is that the 69-year-old former Chief of Army Staff was entering an arena where the battle was virtually lost and the casualty rate steadily mounting. His few weeks in office have more than proven right this contention.
For despite the recent initiation of talks between Simranjit Singh Mann SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) leader and Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar the body count in Punjab continues to escalate.
Besides the continuing suspension of Hindi and English broadcasts over Doordarshan and All India Radio across Punjab and the frantic usage of Gurmukhi as the official language now the three towns of Amritsar Damdama Sahib and Anandpur Sahib are to become holy strongholds where by Panthic Committee fiat all enjoyment is taboo. General Malhotra cohorts are unable to prevent the closure of liquor cigarette and meat shops along with beauty salons video movie and music parlours.
All that now remains is official recognition by the Centre of a self-determined Sikh state. There is no fig leaf of authority or control the State read Governor can possibly shelter behind. State control simply does not exist in Punjab today.
Unsurprisingly General Malhotra reaction to all this has been the classic battalion approach of a soldier. At his behest 60-odd additional CRPF companies have been inducted into para military saturated Punjab over the past few weeks to hold a defensive position.
A long side that General has been paving assessment visits around the states concentrating on the lawless military-ruled border districts. And in good army tradition he has been addressing darbar of petrified Punjab Police officers and men and militant-weary CRPF jawans urging them to determinedly combat the militants.
Surrounded by a phalanx of bodyguards General Malhotra continually exhorts people to be brave and not cave in to the militants. The message he is attempting to convey is that while the Centre will do the negotiation and politicking he will cope with the law and order situation in Punjab with the ultimate goal of holding State elections on the expiry of Presidents rule in April. S But when a CRPF jawan accidently shot a Punjab roadways bus conductor recently resulting in a statewide bus strike paralyzing Punjab the Generals amiable manner was nowhere in evidence. He did not come forward with even a conciliatory statement or a word of regret.
Yet O P as the General is popularly known was a much liked if lack luster Army Chief. Full of Punjabi bonhomie he was a non-controversial military man and according to one of his junior officers popular and concerned about the jawans welfare.
His stint in the early eighties as India’s envoy to Indonesia too was smooth albeit routine. Then why did OP living comfortably in New Delhi regularly playing a decent round of golf and an average rubber of bridge accept the minefield-ridden Punjab Governorship? Was it that the lure of high office with its attendant faint are reminds of bygone army days coupled with an opportunity to be the person who solved the Punjab crisis allurement enough to sacrifice the Delhi Golf Club course for the less distinguished one adjoining the Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh? O P is also believed to be a relative of an influential businessman close to Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar who reportedly proposed and engineered his Governorship.
The Centre on the other hand facing a devastating death toll over 400 people killed in four weeks in October and November was desperate to appoint any halfway suitable candidate willing to accept the Governorship.
The decision to deploy two army divisions in the border districts ostensibly on exercise but actually for internal patrolling and policing made stronger General Malhotras case. Besides Malhotra being a Punjabi the first since Operation Bluestar also weighed in his favour.
The question of course is whether O P Malhotra can be effective in a seemingly hopeless situation. Army officers feel that the General is inherently a gunner he was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in 1941 and despite commanding an infantry division as Major General in 1967 tends to follow the rules of his basic artillery training:
Tackling the enemy from afar with fire-power this approach can be fruitful provided there exists an effective ground intelligence network indicating where the guns can be suitable trained. Unfortunately all intelligence networks in Punjab have been given short shrift besides being heavily infiltrated by pro-militant elements and fail to provide the one essential to counter an underground movement. The other severe handicap General Malhotra faces is the tentative tenure of Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar’s government and how much of a free hand he has been given. Assuming his sincerity in wanting to hold elections within the next four months the General will have to swiftly neutralize the Panthic Committee stranglehold on Punjab or cuffed the ignominy of turning down his bristling moustaches.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 22, 1991
