Amritpal Singh Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Lokmarg

Nirmal Singh, the president of Kendri Singh Sabha in Lucknow, says that the right place for a zealot like Amritpal Singh is behind the bars. His views:

The Sikhs are a community known for their brave sacrifices and love for the nation. Members of our community have been the torchbearers of a cordial and peaceful existence with all human beings, irrespective of caste, creed or belief. Our ‘langars’ have earned us all-round goodwill for providing food and other necessities to everyone without discrimination. In a difficult situation like the recent pandemic, Sikhs were at the forefront of voluntary services for the needy.

Let me come to Amritpal Singh, a self-proclaimed leader who has come out of nowhere and began talking about Khalistan, opening old wounds. Who has given him the right to represent us and raise non-issues to seek attention or notoriety? To my mind, he merely represents a bunch of anti-social elements trying to disturb the peace and harmony of a state which requires growth and development.

Take a close look and you can see through the narrative being built around him. Till September 2022, this man wasn’t even wearing the Sikh pagadi. It was in late September that his dastar-bandi (turban-tying ceremony) took place in the village of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala. Could one not see how things were shaping up towards a rabble-rousing agenda?

I also have a question for the law enforcement agencies: Were they twiddling their thumbs when Amritpal was making one outrageous claim after another? Why did they came into action only after Amritpal, along with a group of goons, attacked a police station and challenged the system? The media also acted irresponsibly by lapping up whatever this madcap had to speak before cameras.

ALSO READ: Rise Of Amritpal Linked To Socio-Political Crisis

We, as Indians, have always believed in world unity or ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and have never ever supported the idea of Khalistan. Why should everything be looked through the prism of Khalistan and separatism when the ground reality in Punjab is that the people feel that both these issues have no support or presence on the ground?

Social media is also to be blamed for the fuss that is being created in Punjab. I went to Punjab by road from Lucknow and, believe me, I didn’t see any such undercurrent of a separate homeland for Sikhs. All this drama was being catered on social media about Amritpal where police action was being projected as oppressive.

There are claims (on social media) that he (Amritpal) has large-scale local support and sympathy which is making it difficult for the police to arrest him. But during my visit to the state I could not find a single person supporting his stupid cause. I suspect there are some external forces involved who wish to disturb the peace and harmony of India as we are making strides in economic growth.

Only a minuscule may be supporting the radical stream, and the people of Punjab will ensure that their motives do not gain any further ground. People are wise enough to understand the motive behind this – to divide people by bringing religion into the narrative. But at ground level, they understand the hidden agenda and are united to counter such a divisive movement.

(The picture used is representational as the narrator declined to share his photograph for personal reason)

As told to Rajat Rai

‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh on Saturday denounced that he does “not” consider himself a citizen of India calling the passport merely a “travel document” and said that it does not make him an Indian.

He said that his remarks against Amit Shah were “not a threat” to the Union Home Minister, but rather a threat to them.
“Amit Shah had said that he won’t let the Khalistan movement rise. I had said that the same was done by Indira Gandhi and if you do the same then you’d have to face consequences. If the Home Minister says the same to those demanding ‘Hindu Rashtra’, then I’ll see if he remains Home Minister,” Amritpal had said on February 23.

His remarks had come after his supporters allegedly clashed with the Ajnala Police demanding the release of his associate Lovepreet Singh Toofan.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Amritpal dubbed militancy as a “very natural phenomenon” and said that violence will not be under his control if the police try to stop their non-violent protest.

“Militancy is not something that I am able to start. Nobody can start or end militancy. Militancy is a very natural phenomenon. It happens after a long period of suppression anywhere. Is militancy a constructive thing to start? I can order someone to start militancy, it does not happen like that. There is a peaceful protest. When Amit Shah said that he will suppress things, I said there will be consequences. It’s not just about Indira Gandhi’s murder as consequence. It’s not a threat to Home Minister. I would say is a threat to us. What options do we have when there are legal binaries in India? I don’t consider myself a citizen of India. I just have a passport, which does not make me Indian. It’s a travel document,” he said.

“But there are laws. What they do, they give some rights to the people who are fighting against the establishment. There are some rights for those also who rebel. There is a line until it becomes violent, until I am harming somebody, or I am trying to implicate by force, it could be illegal. When they try to stop us way before it’s not even close to violence, it will reach to violence. It will not be in my control. For example, if they arrest me, if something happens to Punjab, who is responsible for that? I am trying to get the youth out of drugs. How can I motivate them? We are a warrior race. When they say militancy, it is a very complex thing,” the ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief said.

When asked about the Khalistan slogans being reported in his addresses, he said that Khalistan is a “very normal discussion” in Punjab.

He drew a parallel between the idea of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and ‘Khalistan’ and said that the former is exclusive while the latter is “pure”.

“That’s what the problem is. When you are not Punjabi and do not visit the state very frequently, and when you see everything through media, it looks very scary. But it is not. Khalistan is a very normal discussion here. When Supreme Court says anybody can say Khalistan Zindabad, it’s not a crime. An MP got elected saying ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ from Sangrur,” he said.

“When you say saying ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ is bad, you are trying to challenge the Supreme Court. When somebody says ‘Hindu Rashtra’ zindabad, what is ‘Hindu Rashtra’? Where is it established? People don’t feel threatened with it. Then why if 80 per cent people are advocating it, sometimes they are doing it very violently, that we will not let anyone live, and will make everyone Hindu. The idea of Hindu Rashtra is totally opposite to the idea of Khalistan. Hindu Rashtra does not include other identities, either you are a Hindu or dead. They don’t give you options. The idea of Khalistan is so pure, it’s idea is the raj of Khalistan,” Amritpal added. (ANI)

Tag: Amritpal Singh

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