AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Friday downplayed the violence that erupted in Punjab’s Patiala after Khalistani hoodlums went on a rampage, shouting ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans and hurling stones and brandishing swords at the revered Maa Kali Temple.
Even as the clashes broke out between Khalistani supporters and those opposing it, Chadha refrained from holding Khalistanis responsible for the violence and insisted that the skirmishes took place between supporters of opposing political parties.
Speaking to the media, Chadha said, “I want to clarify that this unfortunate violent clash in Patiala today was not between 2 groups but the workers of 2 political parties – on one side, there were people from Shiv Sena & Congress & on the other side, people from Shiromani Akali Dal.”
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe anti-social elements of both parties got involved in this clash, created violence & attempted to soil the atmosphere of Punjab. Any person attempting to disturb Punjab’s peace will not be spared. Police have restored law & order immediately: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha pic.twitter.com/xlx51iwRsy
— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2022
He further added, “The anti-social elements of both parties got involved in this clash, created violence & attempted to soil the atmosphere of Punjab. Any person attempting to disturb Punjab’s peace will not be spared. Police have restored law & order immediately.”
Raghav added that arrests have been made in the case and the Punjab government and police will take strict action against those behind the violence. “The masterminds of these political parties will not be spared,” Chadha said.
Allegations of AAP pandering to Khalistani supporters
Chadha’s refusal to acknowledge the role of Khalistani elements in the violence in Punjab once again brings under the spotlight the party’s reticence to call out the secessionists and hold them to account for the problems bedevilling Punjab.
Ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, former AAP member Kumar Vishwas had called out AAP for extending support to separatists and indulging Khalistani proponents. Lashing out at Kejriwal, Vishwas said the AAP supremo met terror sympathisers in his home during the last assembly elections in Punjab.
In his interview with ANI, Vishwas said that Kejriwal and AAP party were consorting with separatists and terror sympathisers during the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections in 2017.
In 2018, similar allegations were made by actress Gul Panag 2018. Referring to Khalistani supporters in Punjab as K Gang, she had said, “Poorly calculated flirtation that was. One I warned against. Repeatedly. It’s because they didn’t ‘get’ or ‘understand’ Punjab. I thought the K gang had electoral weightage. All of us from Punjab knew better. But alas!”
A day after Aam Aadmi Party’s massive victory in Punjab assembly elections held earlier this year, the pro-Khalistan secessionist group “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) had sent a letter to Chief Minister-designate Bhagwant Mann saying that AAP clearly won the elections by deceptively bagging the votes of pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Punjab who support SFJ’s secessionist referendum for the independence of Punjab from India.
Khalistani terrorist Pannun said that it is an open secret that AAP has been heavily funded and supported by pro-Khalistan Sikhs from the USA, Canada, the UK, the EU and Australia.
SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun stated that since the people of Punjab have decisively defeated anti-Khalistan leaders Badal-Captain Amarinder, now with AAP in power, Khalistan referendum voting should sail smoothly in Punjab.
Mob of Khalistan supporters hurl stones, brandish swords in Maa Kali Mandir
Clashes erupted between Khalistan supporters and members of a Hindu organisation outside the hallowed Ma Kali Temple in Punjab’s Patiala on Friday. The incident took place during the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march carried out by Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray when Khalistan supporters attacked the march with stones and swords.
Stones were hurled and swords brandished as the Khalistan supporters ran amok, barging into the Ma Kali Temple in Patiala. The skirmishes reportedly broke out after Khalistan supporters raised slogans hailing Khalistan and attacking the participants of the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march. The armed Sikh mob which was a part of the pro-Khalistan rally organised in opposition to the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march attacked the Kali Mata Temple after Hindus had taken shelter inside the temple premises.
In the wake of the violence, the administration has imposed a curfew in Patiala from 7 PM to 6 AM.
