THE PUNJAB CRISIS : CHALLEGE FOR INDIAN FEDERAUSM AND DEMOCRACY

This article analyzes the multi-faceted crisis in the Indian state of Punjab during the 1980s, focusing on its profound implications for Indian federalism and democracy. It traces the roots of the crisis, from the demands for greater state autonomy and the Green Revolution's socio-economic impact to the rise of Sikh militancy and the call for a separate state of Khalistan. The study critically examines the response of the central government, culminating in the controversial Operation Blue Star in 1984. The research argues that the crisis tested the limits of India's federal arrangements and exposed the tensions between centralized state power and regional aspirations. The paper concludes by assessing the long-term impact of the Punjab crisis on state-center relations and the broader discourse on minority rights and political accommodation within the Indian democratic framework.

The Punjab crisis of the 1980s was one of the most severe challenges to the integrity of the Indian state since its independence. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the crisis, framing it as a critical test for both Indian federalism and its democratic institutions. The study begins by exploring the complex origins of the conflict, dissecting the interplay of religious, economic, and political factors that fueled Sikh grievances. It examines the evolution of the Akali Dal's demands for greater autonomy and how these were overtaken by a violent secessionist movement. The core of the article is a critical evaluation of the central government's handling of the crisis, from the initial stages of negotiation to the fateful decision to launch a military operation against militants fortified in the Golden Temple. The paper analyzes how this action, and the subsequent anti-Sikh violence following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, deeply alienated the Sikh community and created a chasm between the state and a significant minority population. The analysis explores the constitutional and political dimensions of the crisis, focusing on the imposition of President's Rule and the suspension of normal democratic processes. The findings suggest that while the Indian state ultimately succeeded in quelling the insurgency, the crisis left deep scars and raised fundamental questions about the ability of India's secular, federal democracy to accommodate the aspirations of its diverse religious and ethnic communities.