NEW DELHI: Former Supreme Court judge Justice Krishna layer Sunday criticized the deployment of the army in Punjab, saying that “despite the quasi martial law phenomenon, there is no sign of normalization”.
In a statement Justice lyer said, “It is appalling that there is a massive deployment of the army in the state which is reported to have as many as 34 brigades besides more than 1,00,000 paramilitary personnel”. On top of this, Punjab and Chandigarh have been declared as disturbed areas with legislations which deny “human rights”, he said. Justice lyer said “the military operation with diminishing returns.
He said the time had come for new and creative statesmanship in the country to shape a policy of humanism, compassion and political resolution.
Justice lyer appealed to the government to immediately switch over to the policy of dialogue, debate and people-based discussions as of deployment of the army had always been the last resort.
Urging the govt to pull back the army from the state, Justice lyer said sending the army to the state “is time barred tactics”.
He said all democratic and peace-loving people should conduct peace loving people sloud conduct peace.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 13, 1991
