FARIDKOT, Punjab—After completing the process of recording statements of witnesses of the Behbal Kalan killings on October 14 last year, former judge of the supreme court Markandey Katju today said the incident had reminded him of Jallianwala Bagh incident in 1919.
During the incident, the Police opened fire at unarmed Sikh Sangat who were demonstrating peacefully against sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib that happened nearby at Bargari village. The firing had caused death to two Sikh youth. In view of the inaction of the Punjab government, Punjab based human rights groups constituted a commission under the supervision of Justice Katju. The commission today crossed the first stage of it’s investigations of the incident.
While interacting with media persons, Katju said there were undeniable police excesses in the incident.
Katju said he was moreover shocked that the majority of the people mentioned even names of the particular police officials, who allegedly committed atrocities on the protesting Sikh Sangat. “Primary findings of the investigation suggest that the police’s role has been quite objectionable. There was no need to resort to the lathicharge and begin firing,” said Katju.
Comparing the incident with that of Jallianwala Bagh incident, he said the only difference between the two incidents is that, in this incident, atrocities were committed by the state police. “Punjab police had adopted British colonial methods to deal with the Sikh protesters here”, he added.
It is notable that despite the commission twice sending notices to the Punjab government and director general of police asking them to tell their side of story, the commission has not had any response so far.
Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, chairman of the Sikhs for Human Rights, said commission’s report would be handed over to the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, which might file a public-interest petition on it’s basis.
Former Punjab DGP (prisons) Shashi Kant, advocate Amar Singh Chahal, Dal Khalsa leader Kanwarpal Singh were present on the occasion.
It is the state run by Empires laws which is to be blamed.
If we have immutable laws which gives sanctity to life then no state leader would have courage to transgress it.
We need to redraft our laws giving sanctity to Life.
We need to have moral laws .
With that kind of warped logic you are making the case that those commit who genocide and human rights atrocities in India can be absolved of guilt because there was no specific law in the legislature to ‘let them know’ they were committing criminal acts at the time. Indeed because there was no explicit unambiguous law about the sanctity of life they were then legally actually not committing a crime at all at that time! Totally absurd reasoning to allow murderers off the hook on a spurious and cynical minded technicality. If you will not accept that common humanity, conscience and decency are sufficient to stop you abusing and murdering another human being and you need ‘moral laws’ written down for you then I suggest that you stop ripping pages and trying to dilute the just principles already laid down in Sikh doctrine for centuries that have clearly laid out what is expected of a just, honest and honourable living. It really is very disrespectful to the Indian to suggest that he cannot be expected to know right from wrong without a written instruction of law – that posits him into the position of a slave who cannot think for himself but is reliant upon his betters / masters for direction. I think I have more faith than you in the Indian’s (after all he is a human being with the writ of divine law innate within him) ability to tell the difference between good and evil – it is just a conscious choice to do either. And I am not only talking about committing crimes against humanity but also about allowing that injustice to go unpunished or even worse present mitigation for it.
The problems is with the Empires Law.
India State Laws are derived from the British Empire Laws .
These Laws are actually designed to run an Empire state.
Under the Empire laws states are very powerful and enjoy immunity.
It is possible for the state run by an Empires law to carry out killings and the Laws
protecting the state.
Example
1) 13 April 1919 :——–Jallianwala Bagh massacre the state got away with murder.
2) 31 Aug 1984 :——- 3rd Sikh Genocide the State got away with the murder
3) 14 October 2015 :— Behbal Kalan killings the State got away with the murder
Indian Legal system needs to look at the Empires laws which allows a STATE to get away with murder .
They need to modify the law to the satisfaction of Indian citizens.
Told you before you don’t need a law from your government to tell you not to commit genocide – that’s what your conscience and humanity are for, use them or lose them. The draconian and discredited TADA law and its equally repressive and disgraced successor Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act were both indigenous Indian Laws (made by Indians, perpetrated by Indians and used against Indians) that did not exist under either British or Moghul rule. Whilst you are inclined to blame foreign existential Empires for all of India’s crimes you should note that the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre did lead to Dyer’s disgrace and the pricking of British Imperial conscience and to Mahatma Gandhi concluding that Britain had from that moment on lost the moral right to govern in India. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Very impressive and shocking – is someone out there really seeing reality. Typically of the Punjab Government not to respond!
Respect to Justice Katju!
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I must say I am rather impressed by this Justice Katju so far. Is it possible that we have a miracle happening in Punjab and have found the one honest Indian judge prepared to do justice for the common man?
On second thought Justice Katju needs to be careful – an honest man in an official position? That is enough in the Badal playbook of dirty tricks to be arrested for disturbing the peace and sedition.