Information on the treatment of members of the Janata Dal Party
(JDP) by members of the Congress Party is currently unavailable to
the DIRB.
The Xinhua General Overseas News Service reports the arrest of
large numbers of JDP members in Tamil Nadu state for
anti-government activities (16 Mar. 1993).
An All-India Radio report monitored by the British Broadcasting
Corporation states that
[f]ormer Prime Minister of India and Janata Dal leader V.P. Singh
was arrested in Gorakhpur on 9th October [1992], along with Janata
Dal leaders S.R. Bommai and George Fernandes and several other
party workers.... They had been on their way to Ramkola to protest
against the police firing on farmers [in October]. Later, Singh was
sent to Deoria district jail while Bommai was released (14 Oct.
1992).
While not specifically referring to the treatment of JDP members
by the Indian authorities, the following information might be
useful. According to a
New York Times article, "a group of
gunmen" assassinated Mahinder Singh Bhatti, a senior JDP leader,
and one of his associates, and wounded his bodyguard in Uttar
Pradesh state on 21 September 1992 (22 Sept. 1992, 1). Before his
death, state authorities had accused the assassinated leader of
"having links to Indian criminal gangs" (
Ibid.).
Additional information on the above subject is currently
unavailable to the DIRB.
References
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 14
October 1992. "Former Indian Premier Arrested." (NEXIS)
The New York Times. 22 September
1992. Late Edition-Final. Sanjoy Hazarika. "Criminal Gangs Muscle
in on Indian Politics." (NEXIS)
The Xinhua General Overseas News
Service. 16 March 1993. "Over 1,000 Arrested in South India."
(NEXIS)
Attachments
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 14
October 1992. "Former Indian Premier Arrested." (NEXIS)
The New York Times. 22 September
1992. Late Edition-Final. Sanjoy Hazarika. "Criminal Gangs Muscle
in on Indian Politics," pp. 1-2. (NEXIS)
The Xinhua General Overseas News
Service. 16 March 1993. "Over 1,000 Arrested in South India."
(NEXIS)