State Militancy and Human Rights : A Study of Punjab (1980-95)

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Making of Sikh identity: a historical narrative. 3. In search of a land of their own : an analysis of ethno-regional movement in Punjab. 4. State, Militancy and human rights in Punjab: an appraisal. 5. Visiting the families of the victims in Punjab: a field report from tarn taran. 6. In lieu of conclusion. Index.

A better and progressive world can only be ensured by securing human rights and human equality under all circumstances. Human history has been witness to great turmoil and disastrous consequences, as Punjab experience reveals, whenever the violation of human rights has occurred.

The book suggests that protection and promotion of human rights is imperative for furtherance of democratic politics. It presents a comprehensively study of the violation of human rights in Punjab both by the militants and state agencies during the militancy.

The book consists for four sections: the first section deals with the theoretical, legal and constitutional paradigms along with analysis of the human rights movement in the post liberalized, privatized and globalised world. The second part deals with the history of crisis and the formation of crisis.

An attempt is made to collate vital information on human rights violation both by the state agencies and militants in the third and fourth sections of the book. Various types of inhuman treatment like torture, custodial violence and custodial deaths disappearances, and police atrocities etc. have been analysed. The rights of victims, statutory measures available and response of civil society both to the state and militant violence are elaborately dealt with. (jacket)