Question

Analyse any three reasons for the unrest and violence in Punjab from 1967 to 1985.

Hint:

Think of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, the disputes over Chandigarh and river waters, and the militancy that ended in Operation Blue Star.

Answer 1

Step 1: Background:
Punjab went through a long period of unrest and violence between 1967 and 1985. Several political, regional and religious factors lay behind it.

Step 2: Demand for autonomy:
In 1966 Punjab was reorganised into a Punjabi-speaking state, with Haryana and Himachal separated. The Akali Dal came to power in 1967 and again in 1977.
In 1973 it passed the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, which asked for more power for the state and a federal structure with a weaker Centre. The Akali demands were seen as a threat to national unity.

Step 3: Disputes with the Centre:
Chandigarh was the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, and Punjab wanted it fully. There were also disputes about the sharing of river waters and about some areas.
In 1980 the Akali government was dismissed, which increased anger against the Centre.

Step 4: Rise of extremism:
Some radical groups, led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, took to armed methods, and some even spoke of a separate state.
The Centre sent the army into the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star in June 1984. Indira Gandhi was assassinated in October 1984, followed by anti-Sikh riots. The Rajiv Gandhi-Longowal Accord of 1985 began a return to peace.

Final Answer:
The main reasons were the Akali Dal demand for autonomy, disputes with the Centre over Chandigarh and river waters, and the rise of militancy.