Waris Punjab De Archives - Lokmarg

Amritpal’s Aide Papalpreet Singh Arrested

By LokMarg 10th April 2023

In a major crackdown against ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief, the Punjab Police in a joint operation arrested pro-Khalistani sympathizer Amritpal Singh’s aide Papalpreet Singh arrested from Hoshiarpur, informed sources on Monday.

Papalpreet Singh was arrested in an operation conducted by Punjab Police and its counter-intelligence unit.
On March 30, ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief and pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh surfaced in a new video and said he was not “a fugitive” and would soon “appear in front of the world”.

In the unverified video, Amritpal Singh sought to address some comments about the video that surfaced on Wednesday.

“I uploaded a video yesterday. It was addressed to people. Public thinks that maybe the video was made in police custody because I was looking here and there in that video while talking. You can see other earlier video, I don’t talk too much looking at the camera,” he said.

Amritpal Singh said those who think that he has run away or left friends, “get that thing out of your mind”.

Earlier on March 18, Punjab Police launched an operation against Amritpal and his aides.

According to the police, the accused identified as Amrik Singh, a resident of RS Pura, and his wife Paramjit Kour were detained for reportedly having links with Papalpreet Singh, a key aide of Amritpal Singh.

The accused duo were handed over to Punjab police later, an officer of Jammu police said.

Delhi Police said that the head of the pro-Khalistani outfit Waris Punjab De is suspected of having left the national capital.

According to sources, Delhi Police and Punjab Police were conducting a search operation in Delhi and its borders after receiving intelligence inputs of a sighting of Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal at Delhi’s ISBT bus terminal.

Intelligence inputs had suggested that he may be disguised as a sadhu. Papalpreet Singh is accompanying Amritpal Singh, sources said.

The Punjab Police had expressed doubts about Amritpal entering the Delhi border using any vehicle other than a bus. Following the input, Delhi Police went on alert mode and are trying to track Amritpal’s movements.

Amritpal is on the run since March 18, the day Punjab Police launched a massive manhunt for him.

The crackdown came almost over three weeks after Amritpal’s supporters stormed Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23 demanding the release of one of his close aides, Lovepreet Toofan. (ANI)

Centre Swiftly Puts Activists, Journos In Jail; But Amritpal Was Given A Long Rope, Why?’

By LokMarg 29th March 2023

Jagrup Singh Sekhon, a writer, academician & political observer, says the way Amritpal was given a free run despite openly challenging the State, raises questions behind his rise. His views

Undue publicity has been given to Amritpal Singh and there seems a pattern repeated from the past. The recent violence in Ajnala, Punjab, organized and executed by his followers, was instigated by him – that is clear. One should therefore look at the ideological lineage of this violence.

Deep Sidhu – who was he? Everybody knows what his political allegiance was. His pictures were all over the media with top leaders of the ruling party at the Centre and Sunny Deol, BJP MP from Gurdaspur, Punjab. One should check his role in the peaceful and protracted farmers’ movement in which tens of thousands of farmers from Punjab participated.

The core of the movement was led by progressive and democratic forces. It was a non-violent, mass movement from below. So, what was Deep Sidhu doing in this progressive and Left-backed movement with his allegiance so widely seen and proved?

When the farmers were detained on the Punjab and Haryana border, during their protest against the three controversial farm laws, how come Deep Sidhu was allowed to enter Delhi on the Republic Day, 26 November, 2020? His alleged instigations to his followers a day before the tractor march led to the unfortunate incident at the Red Fort. It is believed that it was an attempt to malign the peaceful movement and divert attention of the struggling farmers from their core demands.

These are the questions we must ask when we try to understand the current case of the rise of Amritpal Singh.

Who is Amritpal Singh and from where has he emerged suddenly? Why was he given so much media attention in the first instance despite his aggressive and provocative statements, including justifying violence? When he even challenged the government openly and brazenly, how come no action was taken? So many peaceful dissenters, journalists, human rights activists and critics of the BJP are languishing in prison! So how come Amritpal Singh was given such a long rope by the Indian State?

ALSO READ: ‘Sikhs Understand The Agenda of Amritpal Singh’

Religious polarization and communal politics are a thing of the past in contemporary Punjab which wants peace, and has been peaceful after suffering for so long under the spell of violence, from both sides, that is, State and non-State actors. The Sikhs have suffered the most, especially Jat Sikhs.

The Indian State has a massive, armed, security apparatus. Almost 50 per cent of the total area of Punjab is under the border belt, which directly comes under the control of Centre for security purposes. The State has a 553-km long international border with Pakistan which is one of the major reasons of the suffering and tragedy of the people of Punjab, as it made them the structural victims of the Partition of the subcontinent in 1947.

Akali Dal has always proclaimed itself as the protector of the Panth, but, now, it has lost its political relevance – it has been rejected by the people. The Congress has also been rejected by the people. The BJP was never a major player in the state. A section of supporters of the weakened Congress have thereby shifted to the BJP. In this context, AAP has emerged. However, it has no organizational base – which the BJP has. Hence, the BJP is desperately trying to enter Punjab – this way or that.

Even after the violence, aggressive and inflammatory statements, no case was registered against Amritpal Singh. Why? Just look at the extremely harsh steps they have taken against Rahul Gandhi! Anyone who dares to speak out is hounded in this country under the current dispensation in Delhi. So, why was Amritpal Singh being allowed to roam free and make provocative speeches and incite violence so brazenly – that is the main question!

The narrator is a former Professor in the Dept of Political Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. He has co-authored Terrorism in Punjab – Understanding Grassroots Reality (along with Harish K Puri and Paramjit S Judge), Har Anand Publications

As told to Amit Sengutpa

‘Sikhs Understand Amritpal’s Agenda; He Has No Support On Ground’

By LokMarg 28th March 2023

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

I Don’t Consider Myself Citizen Of India: Amritpal Singh

By LokMarg 25th February 2023

‘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)