Ferozepur, August 31, 2017 : The moment the word Curfew is flashed it creates terror, tension and anxiety to know as to what could be the exact cause despite knowing the background of the incidents already going on in the city, state or nation.
The terror is because of the fact that people of Punjab and various other states have witnessed the 1984 riots when the emergency was declared and long hours curfew were imposed with relaxation of few hours to enable the locals to buy the daily need items especially the medicines.
So far as tension is concerned, it is obvious as anything can happen when the anti-social elements take advantage of the situation to please one class and disturb the peace of the common class.
Regarding anxiety, it was seen among the teenagers born after 1984 and have not witnessed the curfew like situation. Rather, they were to make out by personally visiting the isolated roads when told about the regulation requiring people to remain indoors between specified hours, typically at night to avoid any untoward incidents in the city.
An old timer, Madan Lal, 82, a retired teacher, was located by Babushahi.com team after the curfew was imposed after 33 years and later on lifted but it refreshed his memories of 1984.
Madan Lal has witnessed the curfews at the time of India-Pakistan partition and in 1984.
It was 25th August evening when a message was flashed of imposing of curfew in this border town Ferozepur after 1984, say 33 years, following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case dating back to 2002.
No doubt, the curfew has been lifted after reviewing the situation and it is normal now but the imposition of curfew was a wise step as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incidents of arson like situation killing more than 30 persons that in Panchkula where the CBI court judge announced his judgement, besides loss of public and government property.
The most affected in this incident are the daily earners – labour class, rikshwala etc – and the students who had been put back to at least one week’s syllabus.
The entire network was also put to hold to avoid spreading of any rumours on the social network which has worked to a greater extent.
The quantum of judgement on Dera chief is still to be announced on August 28 Monday and the situation could once again become worst following the reaction of the dera premis – followers of Dera Sachha Sauda.
Madan Lal (82), retired teacher an old timer said, there is a lot of difference between the earlier curfew and imposed now. There was too much strictness for violation of the curfew but this time it was not so strict as it was just as a preventive measure.
But it has reminded me 1984, 33 years back when curfew was imposed with declaring of emergency in the country on assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and later on attack on Golden Temple when thousands of Sikhs were massacred in retribution.
The voices of victims and eyewitnesses’ one often heard in courtrooms have almost retired in exhaustion. We don’t the repetition of situation like that in the state.
He said, it is not a good indication for Punjab which has already suffered a lot in the past and peace has been restored after the sacrifice of number of persons. The government must come forward to meet any situation so that the common man is not affected.
The incident of Panchkula has shaken one and all in the country leading to the death of more than 30 persons and damage to government and public property besides causing inconvenience to the public on withdrawal of transport and rail services putting a huge loss on the government exchequer, he added.
Each and every class has condemned the action on the part of the followers of the Dera against the ethics of the teachings of the guru. Let the law takes its own course and the people should focus on the development of the state, said Madan Lal in a depressed mood over the incident.