Several thousand village panchayat sarpanches and panches in Punjab resigned their posts June 30, the deadline set by Sikh militants fighting for Khalistan, to protest against India’s military occupation of Punjab and the excesses committed on the Sikhs by India’s security forces. All the village leaders had been duly elected under the auspices of the Indian state many years ago. It is by now well known all ‘over the world how the Indian security forces have been conducting themselves in Punjab’s villages. In many cases, the whole population is taken out of their homes, ordered to lay prostrate and then beaten up irrespective of age, sex or condition of the victims. The charge against the population is that they have not been informing the police about the whereabouts or movement of Sikh militants. It was the British in the early years of their rule in India who had specialized in this technique of mass depression to teach whole communities a lesson. The late Gobind Ram, an arrogant ‘Police officer, had further perfected the art under the guidance of the then police J.F. Ribeiro. Gobind Ram was later punished by Sikh militants for his crimes the Sikh population. But the Indian state had given to him its full support perished, certain modifications were made later in the conduct of the ‘y forces who started picking up village leaders instead of the whole ion for unsavory treatment. The mass resignation is a cumulative result of policies vis-a-vis the Sikh population. The action indicates further public from India after the success of the election boycott in 1992. The propaganda by the Indian media carrying reports of mass n Started by Beant Singh and other Punjab ministers cannot hide the international public opinion, The village leaders have responded to the confusion sought to be created by certain traditional June 13 as the deadline. This development is yet another right by the Indian state in Punjab. Let the world take note of it.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 10, 1994
