LUDHIANA: Punjab Human Rights Organisation is a non-party forum dedicated to humanistic and democratic values. It is however not a political Organisation. It has a selective membership drawn from a variety of disciplines; law journalism education medicine agriculture trade and industry. Since its inception in 1985 P.H.R.O. has been endeavoring to investigate and publicize the Violations of human rights in Punjab at the hands of Government of India and its security forces the oppression of the Sikh minority and generally to suggest ways on how to resolve the Punjab problem.
Punjab Human Rights Organisation Goes not view the Punjab turmoil merely in terms of “terrorist’s violence” as cynically done by the Indian ruling Circles and presented to the world by their well-oiled propaganda machines. We see a deeper meaning in the unending unrest. Viewed in its historical Sociological and political context the Punjab problem certainly emerges as an important chapter in the struggle to human dignity freedom and equality a part and parcel of the currently evident global phenomenon. Sikhs are not the only segment of the Indian population struggling for their rights. The others inline are Kashmiris Assamese Oriyas and Tamils all seeking to emancipate from the neocolonial clutches of Delhi.
The so called largest democracy.
Notwithstanding their propaganda blitz aimed at impressing the world with India being the largest democracy the Indian ruling coterie is highly selective about extension of democracy to the various regions and peoples of the country. Application of this principle to Kashmiris considered dangerous because the people of that state are eager to reject lock stock and barrel Delhi’s dictarship. Assam and Punjab are also suspect. The moods and intentions of the peoples of these states are being closely monitored and assessed before deciding on permitting them a close of democracy. It is of Course now openly admitted that the danger of election violence in these states is no greater than in states like Bihar and U.P.
Constant deployment of tens upon thousands of armed security forces in Punjab and Assam for years together makes these regions occupied territories. People are not being trusted to take correct decisions. No effort is spared to divide the Sikhs and disrupt their will. Every effort is being made to control indirectly it not direct the traditional Sikh institutions.
Delhi in search of puppets
The Operation Blue Star being the turning point Delhi has been bent upon the Akali Dal the S.G.P.C. educational and cultural institutions under its thumb. When the Sikh masses were found to be in no mood to tolerate traditional Akalis in leadership in the wake of the operation Blue Star the game-plan was to install a substitute leadership pretending to represent the Sikhs but infect acceptable to Delhi. P.H.R.0. does not consider it necessary here to recount how sets of leaders were brought on Punjab’s political stage to enact well-rehearsed dramas. It is however relevant to bring on record in brief the events of the past 17 months. Mr Simranjit Singh Mann was deliberately catapulted into leadership in pursuance of a scarcely concealed Brahminical plan. The watch: word seems to be: “We shall set the political agenda for Sikhs”. Consequently we had a brand new Akali Dal (Mann). Everyone even those who won on their own stream and merit in the 1989 Lok Sabha election was made to own the so-called Akali Dal (Mann) The real aim was to build up this group into a viable political entity So that certain terms of settlement acceptable to Delhi were imposed on the gullible Sikhs. Again it was to check the waywardness of Mr Mann and to put him in his place that a parallel channel of communication was opened with yet another group known as AISSF (Manjit Singh) which spoke through a so called coordination committee. On their own admission representatives of this so called coordination committee met Prime Minister Chander Shekhar on March 17.and March 19. The proposed elections are the product of these secret pow-wows. In between the Army Governor of Punjab undertook a big-man-slaughter silenced the voice of protest by imposing censorship on the Press and executed certain propaganda measures.
Now the question is what should be the attitude of the man in the street in Punjab towards the elections. As a democratic organisation P.H.R.O. does not oppose elections. However its members are required not to join the fray in any form at the same time P.H.R.O. regards the elections as an opportunity to strengthen the forces fighting for human rights and resisting State tyranny.
Chander Shekhar a sympathisers or a fascist?
Let it be made clear that PHRO has no decisions about Prime Minister Chander Shekhar on his capacity to resolve the Punjab problem. By devising the operation Rakshak in Punjab the operation Bajrang in Assam by dismissing the duly-elected Government in Tamil Nadu by issuing threats to the Janata Dal Chief Minister of Orissa Biju Patnaik for his mere demand of fiscal autonomy by entrusting reins of power to Punjabi Hindus in Punjab a line of action even the late Mrs Indira Gandhi avoided for tear of creating communal polarisation and disturbances in Punjab by stepping up state violence in Punjab to break all previous records of per day killings of Sikh youths Prime Minister Chander Shekhar amply qualified to be called a fascist with the sole difference that he is less belligerent in public talk than his predecessors. Therefore any talk of Mr Shekhar resolving the Punjab problem as sympathisers of the Sikhs” is utterly misconceived we pity those who through public Statements praised the present Prime Minister of course “sans his advisors”. We still more pity those who rush to Delhi ostensibly to present a memorandum but really to devise a pre-election deal with him.
Mr Simranjit Singh Mann could perhaps still get away with being “unpredictable” for Delhi. What should one say of those who hastily composed a coordination committee and went heading east-ward to “probe the mind of the Center’? The committee has not bothered to inform the public about the outcome of its mission from hints thrown about by the secret Negations it is evident that a tentative new deal has been struck.
7-Point Poser for the contestants.
However PHRO would like to retrain at this stage from reaching any firm conclusions. It would like to judge contestants on the touchstone of their pledges. As well as performances Far from hustling the new set-up into rising the ‘ultimate slogan” as many tend to do rather unwisely. We would like to prescribe a set of milder constitutional peaceful measures of immediate interest to the man in the street and ask:
1 Whether the new political set-up is willing to annual immediately on assuming power the so called interstate agreements on Punjab river waters extra constitutionally and fraudulently imposed on the state by the previous rulers and divert water to Punjab channels. In short will these new Sikh leaders dismantle the canals meant to serve Haryana and Rajasthan a point that even the Punjab B.J.P leader Baldev Parkash is not averse to publicly talking about.
- Whether the new political rulers of Punjab are ready to set free all political detenus imprisoned during the past one decade or So cancel all warrants of arrest of the underground youth? Whether they are willing to adequately and speedily rehabilitate those who suffered at the hands of the State and otherwise?
- Whether the new political leadership has consented to the amendment of the Cr.P.C. making it incumbent on the State Government to seek Delhi’s permission to prosecute the officers responsible for excesses during President’s rule? If they did not consent to the amendment how Is the new leadership going to overcome that hurdle?
- Whether the new political leadership is willing to dismantle the massive police machine built over the past one decade to drain away Punjab’s limited resources? Whether this leadership is willing to ask Delhi to withdraw the Indian army from Punjab or else limit itself to its legitimate defence requirements?
- Whether the new political leadership is willing to pledge to send back to Delhi and alt-India service officers including I.A.S and I.P.S and to let the State’s administration be manned by the State cadre officers alone and in this connection to overcome all legislative and procedural hurdles?
- Whether the new leadership is willing to promise an immediate end to the supply and sale of alcoholic drinks in Punjab?
- Whether the new leadership is willing to devise administrative economic and fiscal measures to make Punjab economically self-sufficient by drastically reducing the wheat and rice production and by raising alternative crops such as sugar-cane oilseeds horticulture and growth of forests?
Let it be clarified that we are not opposed to any slogan being raised or resolutions being adopted. To make any program effective in our view the public consciousness should be raised to the corresponding label. Otherwise programs or slogans will have a temporary value only and in all probability will prove counterproductive. The over gram movement must confront Delhi. Its leaders must not be allowed to turn with the hare and hunt with the hounds. The latter is what is happening these days. Let the over ground leaders prove there bonafides by enforcing the above mentioned minimum program before talking of the “ultimate”.
People must question the contestants The above mentioned measures are the least revolutionary in nature and are perfectly in consonance with the letter and spent of the present Indian Constitution. It the new leadership does not accept and implement on a time bound basis these small Measures it cannot be expected to follow any other drastic revolutionary program of action. The electorates are bound to ask the contestants questions on these specific matters and they are expected to spell out their minds in public.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 24, 1991
