AMRITSAR: It is almost a year since Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi won nationwide acclaim for an accord with moderate Sikhs that seemed likely to end the separatist violence in northern Punjab state.
But as the July 23 anniversary approaches, no major part of the pack has been implemented, Sikh freedom fighters function with impunity in their drive for an independent nation and the state’s moderate Sikh government is in disarray.
To make matters worse, the communal clashes and violent murders have so fired Passions that even security forces have been infected by the growing mistrust and violence between Practitioners of the two religions.
Fearful Hindus have begun trickling out of Punjab, so alarming the state and central governments that Para-military forces fighters are most active.
Many observers believe it is only a matter of time before the troops are used in Punjab for the first time since former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent the army to raid the Golden Temple of Amritsar in 1984.
Fears also are being voiced that the accord itself achieved by Rajiv Gandhi after only seven months in power may never be implemented, or at least not while there is still enough popular support to make it work.
“People in Punjab are gradually losing their faith in the bona fides Of the Indian government”, said Harish Puri, a political science professor at Amritsar’s Guru. Nanak Dev University.
“The Indian government should try to see that the accord is implemented soon, It is certainly in Jeopardy at the moment”, “When the accord was signed we hoped we would get peace™, added R.L. Kapoor, Secretary general of the Amritsar Chamber of Commerce “ But daily the situation became worse.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 5, 1991
