Knowledgeable people say that no other community could have stood up so boldly against such heavy odds. Military action, deployment of hundreds of paramilitary companies, imported governors, administrators and police officers from other states who had an established track record of exceeding their mandate and call of duty, legislating dreaded black laws, preventing foreigners and human rights organizations like Amnesty International from entering Punjab and numerous other overt and covert actions have been devised to break the community. These are some of the ways ushering in the era of the politics of violence. Its first ugly manifestation was when the government of Haryana headed by Bhajan Lal, in league with the Centre, used its police and hired goondas to assault, kill and humiliate the Sikhs who happened to be going to Delhi on the eve of the 1982 Asian Games. No one was spared irrespective of age and status including retired and serving senior civil and military officers, judges, lawyers, ex-ministers, women and children.
Forcible shearing means the worst humiliation for a baptized Sikh.
Some saved themselves by hiding in the fields during the day and traveling at night to places of safety. A number of Gurdwaras in towns and villages of Haryana were desecrated. In keeping with the government's tradition of partisan politics, no culprit was punished. Some hard lessons were however learnt through this single episode. Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal earned a special approbation from the Indira Gandhi government.