Chandigarh — 200 more Sikhs, mostly youth, have been released as a step toward bringing normalcy in the state. The released Sikhs form only a fraction of the thousands of Sikhs being detained without any charges. Of the prominent Sikh leaders and young men, majority of them have been framed in one trumped up case or the other and they would continue to be kept in detention so long Government can use them as hostages.
Central Reserve Police and non-Sikh Punjab police officials are having a heyday in the state. They indiscriminately haul up young Sikhs and release them after receiving the “payment.” Patrol parties enter a village and just arrest any young Sikh that comes their way or is spotted in any home or yard and charge him of “terrorist activities.” As the village elders intercede the law enforcers spell out their terms. The deal is struck there and then and after receiving their “price” the uniformed agents of the government leave for the next village to repeat the money-spinning exercise there.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 5, 1985
