On Thursday, Punjabi actress turned activist Sonia Mann justified the killing of Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri and said that he deserved to get killed. She also showered praises on culprit Sandeep Singh who shot Suri outside Gopal Mandir on Majitha Road, one of the busiest places in the city of Amritsar, where he and some other leaders of the party were holding a protest.
In an exclusive interview with a local Punjabi news channel named Rozana Spokesman, Mann said that Singh did a very good job by killing Suri. “Sandeep ji killed Suri. He did a good job. One should not indulge in killing and violence, but killing Suri was necessary,” she said. This is when she criticized Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan preacher and the current head of ‘Waris Punjab De’ saying that he did nothing to stand behind Sandeep Singh.
“Singh was influenced by your speeches and your activities. What did you (Amritpal Singh) do for him. He was hurt that his close aide Lovepreet Toofan was in jail for three days, why didn’t he raise his voice back when police held Sandeep Singh for murdering Suri?” she questioned.
Shocking: Punjabi actor Sonia maan justified killing of Hindu leader Sudhir Suri by Sandip Singh👇👇
— PunFact (@pun_fact) March 3, 2023
पंजाबी एक्टर सोनिया मान ने हिंदू नेता की हत्या करने वाले अमृतपाल के करीबी संदीप सिंह को सही ठहराया पर हैरानी की बात यह है कि सोनिया मान के बाप को भी खालिस्तानियों ने मारा था 🤨🤨 pic.twitter.com/gf52notunR
She also indicated that the current pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh was selfish and possessed a weakened ideology of Khalistan. She said she would nurture and further the idea of ‘Khalistan’ put forth by Ranjit Singh, the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, and not that of Amritpal Singh. “The ideas of Khalistan of both these leaders are as if two ends of one line. They can never meet. Raja Ranjit Singh aimed for an empire in which every person would be treated equally, education would be given importance there and there would be respect for all. Today what Amritpal Singh is fighting for is just power. He is a fanatic leader and has a different idea of what Khalistan should be,” she said.
According to Mann, Amritpal Singh is also confused about whether he wants to keep his life private or work for the Sikh community. She criticized Singh saying, “You say you have a private life. Fair. But then you portray yourself as a ‘Sikh’ leader? Our Sikh Guru had in the past sacrificed their respective families for religion. They didn’t have any private life. Guru Gobind Singh ji sacrificed his four Sahibzadas to protect our culture and religion. He didn’t discriminate. He said all are my Sahibzadas and I have to protect all. What is Amritpal Singh doing? Just spreading fear and fanaticism?” she pondered.
She also said that Amritpal Singh was ruining the image of Punjab by raising pro-Khalistani slogans. “The recent Ajnala protests were the outcome of fanaticism. He jammed the Police station as his close aide was in jail. Where was he when Sandeep ji was jailed,” she reiterated extending support to culprit Sandeep Singh who killed Hindu leader Sudhir Suri.
Interestingly, Sonia’s father Baldev Singh Mann was killed by Khalistanis in the year 1986, while he was on his way to his village, Chinna Bagga, in Amritsar district, to meet his one–week–old daughter (Sonia).
Sudhir Suri was shot dead in broad daylight in Amritsar, Punjab on November 4 outside the Gopal temple in Amritsar while Shiv Sena leaders (Taksali) were protesting against the temple’s authorities after some broken idols were found in the garbage outside the temple premises. His son later stated that his father had received a threatening call in the name of Amritpal Singh and that his murder was pre-planned.
“There was a threat call the night before the incident. My father received a call from the UK. The caller introduced himself as Amritpal Singh and said he was sending some men and that his ‘deal is done’… It was planned, four bullets hit him,” Manik, Sudhir’s son was quoted.
Earlier a pro-Khalistani group named Justice League India had claimed responsibility for the killing and had celebrated the murder. Also, Gopal Singh Chawla, a Pakistan-based pro-Khalistan leader intimately affiliated with the ISI had celebrated the murder. Later Sandeep Singh was arrested by the Punjab Police in connection with the murder of the Hindu leader.
Notably, on February 23, tension gripped Ajnala, Amritsar, as the supporters of pro-Khalistani self-proclaimed religious leader Amritpal Singh surrounded the Police station in massive numbers. Singh’s followers congregated in the morning to hold a demonstration at Ajnala police station concerning an FIR lodged against Amritpal and associates. They demanded the cancellation of the FIR and release of Lovepreet Toofan who was arrested by the Punjab Police based on a complaint 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.
The police later surrendered to the pro-Khalistani supporters and announced the cancellation of the FIR after the latter injured several Police officers.
