Final answer:
The crisis in Punjab and Assam during the 1980s both involved demands for autonomy and rights, with the former having a significant religious dimension while the latter focused on ethnicity and migration concerns. Both resulted in violent uprisings against the Indian state.
Step-by-step explanation:
The crisis in Punjab and Assam during the 1980s both stemmed from regional ethnic and political tensions within India. One similarity is that both crises involved local populations demanding greater autonomy and rights. The Sikh population in Punjab sought an independent state called Khalistan, while Assamese nationalists were concerned with protecting their cultural identity and resisting the influx of immigrants from neighbouring regions, which they felt threatened their social and demographic fabric.
A key difference, however, was the nature of these demands. The crisis in Punjab had a significant religious dimension, with the Sikh majority clashing largely with India's Hindu-led central government. Whereas in Assam, the issues were more centered around ethnicity and concerns of illegal migration affecting jobs and resources. Both struggles led to violent uprisings and state responses.