Information on the reaction of various Sikh parties and Sikh militants to the February 1992 elections in Punjab; and on electoral results [IND21306.E]

According to the attachment from Freedom in the World, the four Akali Dal factions decided to boycott the February 1992 elections in Punjab, "rather than implicitly accept Indian rule by participating" (Freedom House 1993, 271). Protests and boycott rallies by Sikh parties, including the Akali Dal (HRW 1992, 170; UPI 26 Feb. 1992; IPS 7 Feb. 1992; Keesing's Feb. 1992, 38762) and the call for an electoral boycott by Sikh militant parties helped contribute to the poor voter turnout (UPI 1 Feb. 1992).

Prior to the parliamentary and state assembly elections, sources indicate that militant Sikhs began a campaign of intimidation in an attempt to keep people from voting (Freedom House 1993, 271; HRW 1992, 170; HRWAP Sept. 1994, 32-33; Keesing's Feb. 1992, 38762).

As a result of the militant campaign and the call to boycott the elections, between 20 and 28 per cent of the population voted statewide (HRW 1992, 170; OAA Dec. 1994, 6), the majority of voters being Hindu (Freedom House 1993, 271; UPI 26 Feb. 1992). The Congress Party won 12 of the 13 federal seats and 87 of the 117 state seats (HRW 1992, 170; UPI 26 Feb. 1992; Keesing's Feb. 1992, 38762). According to the February 1992 Keesing's attachment, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Kabul), the only Akali Dal faction that did not support the electoral boycott, won three seats in the Assembly (38762).

Following the February elections, Sikh militants initiated a campaign of violent retaliation against those who voted (UPI 26 Feb. 1992; HRWAP Sept. 1994, 33). The Keesing's attachment of March 1992, for example, describes a Sikh shooting attack on a textile factory in Harkishanpura, in which 11 of 19 Hindu engineers died, because the factory had not closed down during the February 1992 elections as ordered by the Sikhs (38813).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References


Freedom House. 1993. Freedom in the World: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties, 1992-1993. New York: Freedom House.

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1992. Human Rights Watch World Report 1993. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Human Rights Watch Arms Project (HRWAP). September 1994. Vol. 6, No. 10. India: Arms and Abuses in Indian Punjab and Kashmir. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Inter Press Service (IPS). 7 February 1992. "India: Low-Key Punjab Poll Campaign Haunted by Violence." (NEXIS)

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. March 1992. Vol. 38, No. 3. "India: States Developments."

_____. February 1992. Vol. 38, No. 2. "India: Elections in Punjab."

Office of Asylum Affairs (OAA), Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. December 1994. India: Comments on Country Conditions and Asylum Claims. Washington, DC: United States Department of State.

The United Press International (UPI). 26 February 1992. BC Cycle. Ravi Sharma. "Sikh Militants Wage Terror Campaign Against Punjab Voters." (NEXIS)

_____. 1 February 1992. BC Cycle. Ravi Sharma. "Sikhs To Boycott Punjab Elections." (NEXIS)

Attachments

Freedom House. 1993. Freedom in the World: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties, 1992-1993. New York: Freedom House, pp. 270-74.

Human Rights Watch Arms Project (HRWAP). September 1994. Vol. 6, No. 10. India: Arms and Abuses in Indian Punjab and Kashmir. New York: Human Rights Watch, pp. 32-33.

Inter Press Service (IPS). 7 February 1992. "India: Low-Key Punjab Poll Campaign Haunted by Violence." (NEXIS)

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. March 1992. Vol. 38, No. 3. "India: States Developments," p. 38813.

_____. February 1992. Vol. 38, No. 2. "India: Elections in Punjab," p. 38762.

The United Press International (UPI). 26 February 1992. BC Cycle. Ravi Sharma. "Sikh Militants Wage Terror Campaign Against Punjab Voters." (NEXIS)

_____. 1 February 1992. BC Cycle. Ravi Sharma. "Sikhs To Boycott Punjab Elections." (NEXIS)