CHANDIGARH:  India moved its army into Punjab on a massive scale to fight Sikh militants

Nearly 80,000 tainted armed personnel have been pressed into the state to reinforce about 120,000 armed men already in position to search out Sikh political underground groups

Pursuing the demand for Khalistan

it is for the second time since 1984 that the army in such strength has been deployed in the troubled ‘state, Far from suppressing militancy in the course of the operation “Blue Star”, the army actions actually led to more Sikh youths taking up arms against Delhi.

The army has been directed by the Indian government to search Sikh houses and seize arms and ammunition to disarm and arrest the Sikhs so that an election is arranged to maintain India’s hold on the state

Since the Sikh guerillas have mastered the art of staying under “ground and striking at the security forces, it is a safe bet that no major ‘Sikh militant leader will be caught ‘The Indian army will be content to detain mostly noncombatants, to give an impression to the world that militants have been “neutralized” In any case, militants will lay low for quite some time so that the Indian army exhausts itself Indications are that India’s action in Punjab has the tacit support of United States and British governments which have been led in to believing that the armed intervention is in favor of restoring, democracy in Punjab.

Keen political observers view the army deployment in the state as a signal to the gathering political storm in Southeast Asia. If Delhi’s last ditch effort to contain the Sikhs’ movement for Khalistan fails, it will limit India’s options to a full scale war against Pakistan before long

Meanwhile, almost all the 70,000 village mayors in Punjab are in lined to resign their elective posts ‘They are sick of harassment, torture and extortion by India’s security forces The BKU, a popular peasant organize leading the campaign of village mayors to leave their posts to protest against the actions of India’s security forces Most Sikhs wonder as to the fate of the elected members of Punjab Assembly, if elections are held at the hands of Indian forces who have rendered all democratic institutions in Punjab powerless.

Sikhs have decided to boycott the forthcoming election precisely to register their protest against the erosion of even limited powers made available to Punjab since 1947 while the Hindu majority Indian government has monopolized all power in its hands. The current demand for Khalistan is the culmination of Sikh grievances against Delhi.

Most Indian political parties  have supported the army deployment in Punjab Even the CP(M) which does not see eye to eye with the Rao government lends full support to any amount of repression for Sikhs The BJP wants army to be permanently put on the job in Punjab as well as in Kashmir

Traditional Akali leaders, Parkash Singh Badal and Gurcharan Singh Tohra, have deplored the Indian government move in Punjab In fact, no Sikh; traditional group has backed India in its Punjab policy

Badal reiterated his group’s re solve to boycott the poll, The Mann group, 100, announced some time ago its decision not to participate in elections but the last ‘word on the subject has yet to be said by its leader The ALSSF (Manjit) is now reluctant to join the election fray in view of the Sikh masses’ lack of interest in the election, The BKU and PHRO groups are also in no need to support the concept of ‘lection at this juncture These ‘organizations do not share the view that the election under the Indian government’s auspices will reflect the working of democracy.

Sikhs listen to one of the Muslim speakers at the protest demonstration and rally outside the UN on Nov 12.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 22, 1991