After violence led by supporters of pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh in Ajnala, where they were seen brandishing swords, the Punjab Police was quick to surrender as it decided to take back the FIR registered against Amritpal Singh’s close aid Lovepreet Singh Toofan. As Punjab police summarily surrendered to Khalistanis, the Chief Minister of Punjab was busy at a summit, claiming that the law and situation was under control in the state.
Speaking at the fifth Progressive Punjab Investors Summit, CM Bhagwant Mann claimed that the state of Punjab has the right environment and peaceful atmosphere to set up factories and plants here. “Our social bonding is very strong. All seeds can grow here except those of hatred. Our gurus have taught us brotherhood and harmony,” CM Mann ironically said as Khalistanis were getting the Punjab police to bend to their violent whims.
While Bhagwant Mann asserted that seeds of hatred cannot grow in Punjab, the recent sequence of events in Punjab and the “peaceful” protests staged by the supporters led by the Waris Punjab De leader suggests otherwise. It was seen how the supporters of Amritpal and Lovepreet Toofan carried out a “peaceful” protest using lathis, swords, and guns and attacked Punjab Police officers with sticks, and broke the barricades.
During the hours-long standoff and eventual takeover of the police station, the Punjab Police was compelled to give in to the demands of Khalistani Amritpal Singh. The Punjab Police agreed to release his aide Lovepreet Toofan on February 24.
While questions have been raised concerning where the Punjab CM was during the hours-long state of anarchy in the state, CM Mann has claimed that the law and order are under control in Punjab.
Notably, the complaint against Amritpal Singh and his associates was filed by Varinder Singh, a resident of Chamkaur Sahib. The complainant accused Amritpal and his gang of abducting and attacking him when he came to Ajnala for a spiritual event. Amritpal denied the accusations and claimed that the case was registered against him and his followers on the complaint of a “mentally unstable” person who had made derogatory statements against his jatha.
Earlier on Tuesday this week, when CM Mann was questioned by the media about Amritpal and rising radicalism in the state during a press conference, he answered the questions by describing the ‘social bonding’, Mohalla clinics and other works done by his government. He even said that had the law and order been in a bad state in Punjab, so many big companies would be coming here to invest.
Notably, on February 21, Amritpal Singh had issued a veiled threat to Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the latter will have to face a similar fate as that of Indira Gandhi. “Indira tried to suppress, what happened? Now Amit Shah can fulfil his wish and see”, he said.
The organization Waris Punjab De was established by Deep Sidhu, an actor-turned-activist. He gained popularity among pro-Khalistani elements during farmer protests. Sidhu died in a road accident in February 2022. Amritpal Singh was declared head of Waris Punjab De following Sidhu’s death. At that time, Singh was in Dubai. In September 2022, he returned to India and officially took charge of the organization. Since that day, he has been preaching Sikhism in Punjab and connecting with the youth. Armed guards accompany him everywhere, and there is a striking resemblance between how he preaches and how Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale preached Sikhism during his initial days as a Sikh leader.
