About a month prior to 8.3.91 Sarpanches, Panches and other prominent people of Border villages were called by Brig. R.P.Sinh local Brigade Commander (with Brigade Headquarter at Lopoke, Teh. Ajnala Distt. Amritsar, Punjab) to Sarangra Military Camp situated in the High School of Village Sarangra, Tehsil Ajnala Distt. Amritsar,

He asked us if we had any difficulties we me him about our difficulties, -”

He asked us to give him information about the terrorists (the word used by the Brig. R.D.Sinh). I told him I do not know anything about them: also told him that no boy from our village is with the militants. Brig said ‘I have 30 years of service most of the time I have been serving in Punjab. I know you Sikh very well. Our Bihari (People from Bihar “State of India) come and do your menial jobs. ‘We replied him that our people from Punjab also go to foreign countries to do labour. He also said “do you think you are the only people (Sikh of Punjab) who can take up Arms and Biharies and other cannot. What was there in Punjab before Bhakra Dam was constructed, Now you are prosperous because you get electricity and water from this Ban, Brigadier said many more things in the same vein.

We told him Punjab has many Religious, Economic and Political problems, If the Government solved these then normalcy will return to the region. Some people have been forced to take up Arms due to aforesaid problems and denial of Justice by the Government to the people of Punjab. Then the Government attacked Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple complex) which was an attack on our religion. In Nov.’84 thousands of Sikhs were massacred in various cities of India because one person shot dead hrs, Indira Gandhi the then Prime Minister of India. So far none of the persons responsible ‘for the killings have been brought’ to Justice.

We told him that the situation is neither under our control nor under his control, If the government wishes it could solve the problem. It appears to us that the Government of India does not want to solve the problem. Excesses on the innocent people are increasing every day. * Government says something else and does quite the opposite. For example Government of Punjab talked about the implementation of Punjabi language at all levels of working but in actual fact, vehicles having number plate in Punjabi are challenged and heavily fined. Innocent people are arrested, tortured and killed in fake encounters. Many more things like this were discussed.

On 8.3.91 the same Brigadier RP Sinh again called Panches Sarpanches and other prominent people of the villages in Military Camp situated in High School of village Sarangra, Tehsil Ajnala,Distt. Amritsar. That day people from nine villages had come Sarangra, Rai, Pandori, Chak Alla Bakhsh, Kakar, Ranian Manj, Panju , Rai, Lodhi Gujar. We were about 23 in number. We were made to sit in the office of the Principal. Armed Military Personnel took positions all around ”this room.

‘! Brigadier R.P. Sinh asked us wether we understood Hindi which we replied in the affirmative. The he said whether we can hear his voice we also replied in the affirmative. Then he said that he had called us about one month earlier also but now we were called for a different purpose. We did not give them any information. We were not to speak but only to listen to him, Then he said whatever is happening in Punjab is happening with connivance. Where do these bloody terrorist live and from where do they come! Do they live in the sky or under earth? You all know, but you do not tell. Governor Punjab is ; liar and Prime Minister Chander Shekhar is also liar . Army has not come to Punjab for exercise; we have come to humiliate you as you do not help us in getting the boys arrested.” Then he said “if any shot is fired in an any village, you will be given shoe beating”. At this Surjit Siijgh, Sarpanch of Ranian retorted that since you have said’that it is as good as having given us actual shoe beating, He threatened Surjit Singh and asked his identity which he disclosed, The he asked from where weapons come, Sarpanch Narinder Singh of Sarangra said that the border is sealed with barbed wire, search lights are fixed and army and BSF is posted along the border. Therefore, only they could know from where the weapons come. What could we tell him about the weapons?

He threatened Narinder Singh also and ask his identity and the detail of his children which Narinder Singh gave. Another officer sitting there noted his name and the names of his children. Then Brigadier said to Narinder Singh “if one shot is fired in your village then I will let you know from where the weapons come. Then I said that nobody should he threaten like this; you threaten us. How can a Sarpanch take the responsibility of all the persons in his village?

If we slap our own sons due to some reason even they may not listen to us. Then the brigadier said that if your boys do not obey you then we shall commit your genocide; kill all your youngmen, you and your women talk will be brought to military camps outrage them in front of your eyes and produce our children from them and then these children will listen to us and will obey us. We .could not tolerate this insult and walked out of the room in protest. This brigadier has disclosed the inner thinking of the army. This utterance of brigadier is outrageous and insulting to us, out women, our community ‘and it is better to die then to live in shame. We went to meet D.C. Amritsar on 9.3.91 and left a written complaint about the incident as he was not there but no action is taken so far, nor has any official come for investigation we fear the Military or any other government agency may “get us and our families killed to conceal the aforesaid incident.

DAYA SINGH

S/o S,Naranjan Singh

Villace Kakar,

Tehsil /Ajnala,

Distt. Amrits‘r,