In the wee hours of April 29, the Khalistani flag was hoisted outside Deputy Commissioner’s office in Malerkotla, Punjab. A video surfaced on social media platforms in which Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of banner Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice took responsibility for the incident.
He said, “On the occasion of Khalistan Day, Singhs hoisted Khalistni flag on Deputy Commissioner’s office in Malerkotla. This is a message to Bhagwant Mann’s government. The date of the Khalistan Referendum to free Punjab from India is closing down in Punjab. Prepare yourself to go on the other side of Yamuna.”
The Police were swift in action, and the flag and banner were removed from the office. While the officials are sticking to the version that was done by miscreants to create law and order problems in the region, the security agencies are not taking the issue lightly and investigating the matter to avoid such incidents in the future. As per a report in the Tribune, the intelligence agencies are probing the matter. Notably, there was no CCTV camera outside the DC office where the flag and banner were hung.
Speaking to the media, a senior official said, “The miscreants that hoisted the alleged flag of Khalistan are not even aware of what Nishan Sahib means. We have initiated an investigation in the matter, but this is a deed of miscreants.” He further added that the investigation agencies would try to identify the miscreants who did it with the help of CCTV cameras nearby.
Khalistani banner outside Kurukshetra SP residence
On April 29, a Khalistani banner was pasted outside the Superintendent of Police’s residence in Kurukshetra, Haryana and outside Police Line in Kurukshetra, Haryana. In a video message, SFJ’s Pannu said, “Today, the movement of ‘Haryana Banega Khalistan’ has been started across the world. Haryana and Himachal were parts of Punjab till 1966. A website has been launched for the movement. We will not give up an inch of Punjab’s land.” Notably, the video used a photograph of Khalistan supporter and actor Deep Sidhu, who had died in a road accident a few months ago.
As per a report in the daily Hindi paper Jagran, the Police confiscated the banner and initiated an investigation. In the light of SFJ’s call for hoisting flags outside DC offices in Haryana, the security was increased by the administration.
SFJ called for hoisting Khalistani flags
On April 15, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of banned terror outfit Sikhs For Justice called for hoisting a flag outside DC offices in Haryana. He had launched the “Haryana Banega Khalistan” movement with the call to hoist Khalistani flags. He had said, “SFJ will launch ‘Haryana BanayGa Khalistan’ campaign on April 29 to recruit volunteers who will advocate for the liberation of Haryana from Indian occupation through Khalistan Referendum.”
OpIndia tried to contact officials in Malerkotla and Kurukshetra but could not connect.
