Punjab Human Rights Organization
Head Office: H.No, 22, Sector 2, Chandigarh Tel. : 28162
Dated 8-12-90
ARRESTS OF PUNJAB HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS ACTIVISTS
During the year 1990 to date, Punjab Human Rights Activists were arrested and detained on five occasions as per details given in succeeding paras.
Justice Ajit Singh Bains (Retd.), Major General Narinder Singh (Retd.) and S. Jaspal Singh, President District Unit Ropar were arrested at 2 p.m. on 5 June 1990 about 5 kms outside Amritsar while proceeding to Amritsar to take part in the Bhog to be held at Sri : Akal Takht on 6 June on 6th Anniversary of Operation Blue Star. A totally false FIR was registered against them. They were kept under detention till 6.30 p.m. 8 June 1990. They were not produced before any magistrate either after their arrest or before their release.
Prof. Baljinder Singh and Advocate R.S Bhatia alongwith about 18 other persons including Dr. Rattan Singh an Ex. MLA were arrested on 8th August 1990, while Organizing a peaceful Dharna (sit in) in front of the office of Deputy- Commissioner Amritsar, against the illegal detention of three Sikh youths by Amritsar Police. They were charged under section 107/151 Indian Penal Code (apprehension of breach of peace) and lodged in Central Jail Amritsar. While some of them were released on bail the next day, Prof. Baljinder Singh, alongwith remaining persons was released after one week.
Major General Narinder Singh & Mr. R.N. Kumar of .the committee for Initiative and Information were taken into custody by the local police on the evening of 1st November 1990 at Mukatsar (Punjab) to prevent them from taking part in the Guru Nanak Devs Birthday Anniversary function being held on 2nd November, 1990. Mrs. Baljit Kaur was taken into custody on 2nd November, 1990 at about 10 a.m. while proceeding to attend ‘the function. Sardar Inderjit Singh Jiajee was also arrested on the evening of 1st November, 1990. Besides, about a dozen Sikhs were arrested from the Gurudwara. They were all released at about 5 P-m on 2nd November 1990 after the function had concluded.
Dr. Sukhjeet Kaur Gill and S. Rajinder Singh Khurana were arrested at 4 p.m. on 12th. November, 1990 to forestall there taking part in a peaceful dharna being organized by Akali Dal (Mann) and All India Sikh Student Federation (Manjit Singh Group) on 13th November,1990 in front or Punjab Governor’s residence to protest against the arrest of S. Simranjit Singh Mann and Bhai Manjit Singh. They were released on 14th November, at 8.30 p.m. incidentally, they had not even supported the call for the dharna. They were arrested on a rurally false F.I.R under the section of Indian Penal code.
Major General Narinder Singh (Retd.) and Dr. Sukhjeet Kaur Gill were arrested on 24 November, 1990 at 4 p.m.to prevent them from taking part in the Panthic Convention to be held at Anandpur Sahib on 25 Nov. 1990. A totally false FIR under sections 107/151 Indian Penal Code was registered and they were lodged in Burail Jail, Chandigarh. While Dr. Sukhjeet Kaur Gill was released on 25 Nov. 1990 at 8.30 p.m., Maj. Gen. Narinder Singh was released only on 3 Dec. 1990 at 4 p.m. on a writ petition having been moved in the Punjab & Haryana High Court on 1st Dec. 1990., hearing for which was to be held on 4 Dec. 1990,
All the above cases of gross violations of human, constitutional and democratic rights expose the hollowness of the claim of the Government of India that no violations of human rights taking place. The repeated arrest of activists of Punjab Human Rights Organisations is to harass and intimidates them so as .to stop them from exposing the grave violations of basic human rights taking place in Punjab on a large scale on account of state repression.
Maj. Gen. Narinder Singh (Retd.)
Dr. Mrs. Sukhjeet Kaur Gill.
