NEW DELHI, India: The Chief Minister of the Indian State of Punjab, Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala, yesterday called for liberal issuance of arms licenses to the minorities in India for their self-defense and also to instill confidence among them.
Addressing a luncheon meeting at the Press Club here, Mr. Barnala said that his Government had issued a large number of arms licenses to Hindu minority in Punjab in the wake of increased violence there. Other states in India, he said, should also follow the suit so that the minorities could defend themselves.
Some 1,022 Hindu families, he said had migrated from Punjab and over 26,000 Sikhs had shifted to Punjab from other Indian states.
Mr. Bamala said that the fresh deadline of July 15 for the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab might pass off like the previous deadlines following his Government’s decision to boycott the Desai Commission since its terms of reference. Were not consistent with Punjab Accord.
The Desai Commission has been set up by the Indian Government to identify 70,000 acres of land in Punjab proposed to be transferred to the Haryana State in lieu of Chandigarh.
About 100 persons have been arrested in the Indian State of Haryana in connection with the arson and looting at Rohtak on Wednesday.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 25, 1986
