Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan preacher and the current head of “Waris Punjab De,” compared the concept of a “Hindu Rashtra” to the demand for a separate “Khalistan” in order to try and legitimize his cause. During an interview, wherein the radical leader was seated in a car, he was asked why there is a demand for a religion-based country, Khalistan, out of a democratic India. To this, Amritpal drew a bizarre parallel between the demand for Khalistan and the demand for declaring India a Hindu Rashtra.
Amritpal claimed that demanding a separate country is not an “anti-democratic step” adding that in a democracy people’s opinions are respected, “so if people want to be separated it should be respected and it should not be a taboo.”
The radical preacher went on to claim that ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is a similar type of violence, even bigger violence than saying that we want a separate homeland. He further added that if ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is not criminalized, Khalistan also should not be criminalized and it should be discussed more ‘intellectually’.
Amritpal Singh went on to claim that the majority of Sikhs demand Khalistan and India should talk to them and maybe reach a middle ground. He further warned that if the ‘suppression’ of these voices continues, it will eventually lead to a disaster as India has had a history of disasters.
“If India is ready for a disaster, they can crush Sikhs, suppress the voice of Sikhs, and eliminate all the Sikhs but they cannot eliminate the idea of Khalistan or Khalsa Raj as it is a ‘Hukum’ by our Guru and is there in our ardaas that Raj Karega Khalsa Baki Rahe Na Koye,” Amritpal said.
Interestingly, Amritpal Singh is persistently citing democracy to push his separatist agenda. It is notable that while Khalistan supporters aim to carve out a separate nation based on religious lines, the supporters of Hindu Rahstra do not intend to partition the country on the basis of religion. Contrary to the understanding of Amritpal Singh, a Hindu Rashtra does not aim to convert all Hindus or eliminate other religions or their followers. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion that believes in the philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam-considering the entire world as one family.
Chaos in Punjab thanks to Amritpal Singh’s supporters
Amritpal Singh’s supporters, in a shocking act of lawlessness, stormed a police station in Ajnala, Amritsar, Punjab, on Thursday, to protest the arrest of Amritpal’s close aide Lovepreet Singh Toofan. They were armed with lathis, swords, and guns, in an attempt to intimidate the police force.
The Khalistanis even took control of the police station for several hours, while the policemen looked on helplessly. No action was taken against the rioters. Punjab Police later canceled the FIR against Lovepreet Singh, giving into the demands of the Khalistanis.
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case of kidnap and assault yielded to the pressure exerted by the radical leader and discharged Lovepreet Singh. As a result, the Punjab Police moved an application of discharge to the court, and he was released from Amritsar central jail on Friday.
