MP of Sangrur, Simranjit Singh Mann of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), went on a strange separatist rant on 14th July, where he said that if Khalistan is made, it would act as a “buffer state” and South Asia would never have a nuclear war due to its existence.
#WATCH | First, they (BJP-led Central govt) should answer whether they can keep India intact or not. If they will approve Khalistan then it’ll become a buffer state for nuclear-enabled India, Pakistan & China, & due to it South Asia will never have nuclear war:Punjab’s Sangrur MP pic.twitter.com/BNYFiojRbU
— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2022
Mann said, “First, they (BJP-led Central government) should answer whether they can keep India intact or not. If they will approve Khalistan then it’ll become a buffer state. Islamic Pakistan has nuclear weapons, Hindu India has nuclear weapons, Comrade China has nuclear weapons, and Khalistan would become a buffer state of these three states and it will ensure there is never a nuclear war in South Asia”. The pro-Khalistan MP said that the demand for Khalistan was alright since India was “giving away its land to Pakistan and China”.
He, of course, did not explain how creating Khalistan would stop the nuclear war in South Asia. This appears to be another senseless rant to justify the separatism and hate that leads to the demand for breaking India up and creating a separate land for Sikhs called Khalistan.
Simranjit Singh Mann did not just stop there. He went on to try and instigate the people of Haryana as well.
He said the people of Haryana should be ashamed that they have a Punjabi as their Chief Minister instead of a Hariyanvi, ruling over them. He further said that gangsters are from Haryana and not from Punjab.
Karnal | You (public) should be ashamed that instead of Hariyanvi a Punjabi has been made CM of Haryana and is ruling upon you. Gangsters are from Haryana and not from Punjab…: Simranjit Singh Mann, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) pic.twitter.com/t4kV3YEmFd
— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2022
The worrying victory of pro-Khalistan Simranjit Singh Mann in Punjab
On June 26, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced by-poll results for multiple Lok Sabha and Assembly seats across states, including the Lok Sabha seat of Sangrur, Punjab, that fell vacant after Bhagwant Mann, MP from Sangrur became Chief Minister of Punjab. Aam Aadmi Party had given the ticket to Gurmail Singh, who lost the seat to Simranjit Singh Mann of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).
Out of a total turnout of 7,10,825 voters, Mann got 2,52,898 votes while AAP’s Gurmail Singh got 2,46,828 votes. Shiromani Akali Dal’s attempt to win the votes of Khalistani sympathisers by fielding the sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana failed as Simranjit Singh Mann has been a long-time supporter of Khalistan moment himself. Rajoana could not even cross 50,000 votes. There were 1,203 postal votes as well out of which Mann got 256 votes and Singh got 504 votes.
Simranjit Singh Mann has a long history of openly supporting the Khalistan movement. He had left Police Services because of Operation Blue Star, which was initiated by the Government of India to eliminate Khalistani terrorists lodged in Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. Reports suggest his party workers raised pro-Khalistan slogans at Golden Temple on Operation Blue Star anniversary this year.
In 2021, while wishing for the new year, he said on Twitter, “May 2021 bring freedom for the Sikh community in form of ‘Khalistan’ that will eradicate social evils such as coercion, discrimination, greed, ego, etc. and restore human values, mutual love, respect, and cooperation.”
In 2018, while sharing photographs of security forces deployed on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, he wrote, “This naked show of force by the Indian state is to show the world how this Hindu state treats the stateless Sikhs. The Hindu state still thinks that machine guns will frighten the Sikhs and keep them away from their peaceful means to carve out the Sikh state of Khalistan.”
Simranjit Singh Mann has openly demanded Khalistan and often spoke about a separate state for Sikhs. Reports suggest he has been arrested over 30 times including over charges of sedition but never got convicted.
