Chander Shaker Multi-Pronged Offensive

This document prepared by Punjab Human Rights Organization (PHRO) in 1991 exposes the stick and carrot policy followed by the government of India headed by the Prime Minister Chander Shekhar in dealing with the Punjab and the Sikhs during the 1985-1990s. Quoting the figures from the Amnesty International Report about Punjab and based on its own investigations and documentary evidence, this document brings out several instances of human rights violations, illegal killing of people, molestation of woman and loss of property by the security forces. These in human acts were committed under the cover of specially enacted "Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act 1987. The document is very critical of Chandershekhar's deployment of army in Punjab, appointment of Punjabi Hindus on top most civil and police positions and appeasement of selected Sikh leaders. The document is legally sound, well-documented, and full of case histories of Sikh men and women who were tortured and molested. It proves that Chander Shekhar's kid-glove policy of appeasement of the Sikhs was not less oppressive than the policy of earlier prime ministers. It is a reliable record of human right violations and extra-judicial killings of the Sikhs in 1980-90s.