While the Akali extremists continue to kill, burn and loot at will in Punjab, three significant developments have taken place. First, the intra-Akali conflict has sharpened to a point where the supporters of one faction are murdering those of the other within and around the Golden Temple complex and special security arrangements have had to be made for the so-called dictator of the morcha, Sant Longowal, himself. This changes the character of the Golden Temple, the holiest of the Sikh shrines, and should cause deep concern among all Sikhs, regardless of whether or not they favour the Akali agitation. So far the Golden Temple complex had been used to harbour murderers and serve as an arsenal. This could be justified by the Akalis and their ilk on the ground that Sikhism was born amidst armed struggles and that it did not distinguish between the religious-spiritual and the political-power realm. Now the temple has been converted into a battleground among the Akalis themselves – a battleground in the literal and not metaphorical sense. Surely no Sikh, whatever his political affiliations, can view this development with equanimity. That apart, the fact of murders within and around the temple must make it even more difficult than it has already been for the authorities to justify inaction. After all, if Sant Longowal and his men are in mortal danger as they might well be, it is as much the government’s responsibility to protect them as it is to protect other citizens. The considerations that have prevented it from ordering the police to enter the temple have to that extent weakened. But these have not disappeared. So New Delhi might still be well advised to hold its hand. Simultaneously, however, it must keep itself in readiness to move in if the situation inside continues to deteriorate.
The other two notable developments clearly are the takeover of direct control by the CRPF and the BSF of four towns in three districts and the arrest of over 150 persons allegedly belonging to the banned All India Sikh Students Federation. The first move has clearly been long overdue in view of the failure of the Punjab police to act effectively and inspire confidence among peace-loving citizens. This can, however, serve only as a temporary expedient. Since the pacification of Punjab is likely to be a prolonged affair, it is necessary to reorganize and revitalize the police force, especially its intelligence wing which appears to have failed abysmally in living up to its responsibilities. The sack of 37 railway stations in eight out of 12 districts in the state on one day is a damning indictment of the intelligence set-up just as it is an eloquent demonstration of the spread of the extremists. Isolated murders are one proposition; the attack on 37 railway stations is quite another. In the first case it is possible to argue that even with the best intelligence in the world it is not always possible for the authorities to prevent isolated acts of terrorism by determined men who are prepared to die in the bargain. This argument cannot wash in the case of Punjab because invariably the murderers have got away comfortably and not been traced. But even if it could, what is one to say about the burning of 37 railway stations on one single day if not that it speaks for the absence of any intelligence at all. Perhaps there has not been much of an intelligence set-up in this state as in many others for years. But if there was one, it has clearly collapsed.
Finally, the arrest of over 150 alleged AISSF activists raises some questions. If indeed the arrested persons are what they are described to be, why the delay in apprehending them after the AISSF was banned? Did the authorities need to wait for the burning of 37 railway stations to act against them? One hopes the police have not made these arrests mainly to avoid the charge of total incompetence in the face of so blatant an act of terrorism. Be that as it may, there can be no question that the strengthening of the intelligence set-up must be among the government’s topmost priorities in Punjab. Good intelligence alone can assure victory over the forces of lawlessness abroad in the state. And much more than law and order in the state is at stake. The nation’s security, indeed survival, is at issue.