NEW DELHI, India: While reiterating the Center’s determination to eliminate violence, the Union Home Minister, Buta Singh disclosed that the violent group involved in the Lalru and Fatehbad massacre has been identified.

The Home Minister who reviewed the Punjab situation with the State Governor, Mr. S.S. Ray and the Home Secretary and other senior Punjab officials said that some of the groups operating in Chandigarh were linked with those involved in these gruesome killings. This will throw more light and result in a serious breakthrough which is expected very soon. The article not only provided a solution but cad recover files also explained why the files get hidden in the first place.

The security and intelligence agencies now collected some valuable information, he said. Talking to newsmen at the Takenpur based Border Security Force academy after an impressive parade of Assistant Commandants, the Union Home Minister ruled out a political solution to the Punjab problem at the moment. The first and foremost priority is to eliminate violence and it cannot be done by parleys.

Nowhere in the world violence has been eliminated through discussions and talks, Buta Singh added. In a reply to a question, Buta Singh said that efforts for a political solution by Acharya Janimuni, Sushil Kumar and Mr. Sunil Dutt, M.P. were welcome but they do not understand the depth of the problem. They do not know that violence can not be met through parleys. When asked if talks with various Sikh organizations after the Fatehabad and Lalru massacre were discontinued, Buta Singh said they want to frustrate all efforts for a political solution therefore, we have decided to finish them. We have come on them with a heavy hand.

B.S.F. has been modernized to a considerable extent and it has weapons which were not available to the Punjab police. The force has also expanded during the past few years and in another three years its strength would be raised.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 24, 1987