CHANDIGARH, India: A call for Punjab bund on December 10 to protest against violation of Human Rights in Punjab given by Punjab Human Rights Organization and other organizations got a tremendous response from students, lawyers, farmers and other sections. Punjab abstained from work on that day to register their protest against the violations of human rights in Punjab, The call was given initially by Punjab Human Rights Organization along with Punjab Sikh Lawyers Association, Punjab Students Union and Punjab Revolutionary Front and was later joined by AISS.F. (Gurjit) and All India Lawyers Union, the Punjab farmers did not bring any produce including fodder, milk, vegetables, and other things to the towns and cities. There were fewer passengers in public transportation on that day. The lawyers struck work at the discreet courts. The students boycotted the classes; various sections of Punjab Hi dues either joined the strike or viewed the event with sympathy. ‘While the Congress (I) did not join at the strike, surprisingly both. The factions of Akali Party kept aloof from the call.
Meanwhile, Prof, Darshan Singh, the ex-Head Priest of Akal Takht, issued a token statement on December 10, praising the work of Punjab Human Rights Organization. He, however, scrupulously refrained from calling the people to join the strike. Parkash Singh Badal and other Akali leaders including Sukhjinder Singh, kept aloof from the call, thus, the Akali leaders by their conduct showed that on human rights issue, they are one with Congress (I) leaders.
Commenting on their attitude, a local journalist said that the traditional parties who had once ruled the state had lost their credibility ‘with the masses because they themselves have violated the human rights during their own regimes.
The organizations have sent the clipping of the newspapers to the International Human Rights Organization, Amnesty International, Red Cross and United Nations Human Rights Commission These organizations have urged the international bodies to take not of the violations of the human rights against Sikhs in Punjab and against repression and brutalities.
It was pointed out by P.H.R.O. that it was not only the fake encounters in which the Sikh youths were being killed but they were also being killed after taking them out of jails in fake escapes.
In a statement, the All India Lawyers Union added that more than thirty thousand Sikhs are locked up in jails without trial.
Evidently both Congress (I) and Akali leaders are worried about the impact of the call and they feel more isolated in Punjab these days than ever before.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 18, 1987
