In the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Punjab is marked by an unprecedented presence of pro-Khalistani leaders. It has raised significant concerns about the implications not only on a regional level but also on national security. Traditional players like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have fielded their candidates for the polling that is scheduled for 1st June 2024, the last phase of polling in the General Elections 2024. Apart from these players, candidates with a history of supporting the Khalistani movement are also contesting the elections including notable names such as Simranjit Singh Mann, Sandeep Singh, Sarabjit Singh Khalsa, and Amritpal Singh.
All these “leaders” have affiliations and past actions that have stirred apprehensions among voters and political analysts. Simranjit Singh Mann is currently an MP from Sangrur. He contested by-polls and won to become first pro-Khalistani leader in decades to reach Lok Sabha.
Simranjit Singh Mann is known for his pro-Khalistani stand and after winning by-polls he openly favoured Khalistani sentiments and said there was nothing wrong in seeking a separate nation. Furthermore, he openly admitted in an interview that he took money in exchange for giving fake certificates to people from Punjab stating they need political asylum for their pro-Khalistani stand. He admitted to taking up to Rs 50,000/- per certificate and is said to have given thousands of those in past years.
Amritpal Singh is a pro-Khalistani preacher who is currently lodged in jail in Dibrugarh, Assam. He was arrested by the central agencies and Punjab Police after an operation in Punjab. Amritpal Singh took over the Waris Punjab De organisation after the death of another pro-Khalistani leader Deep Sidhu in 2022. From the beginning, he was being seen as Bhindranwale 2.0. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a Khalistani terrorist who led the Khalistani movement in Punjab during the 80s. He was killed in Operation Blue Star in 1984. Insurgency in Punjab came to an end in the late 1990s after a massive crackdown on pro-Khalistani elements. For a couple of decades, pro-Khalistani elements kept quiet in the state but with the rise of Amritpal Singh and others, it is evident that they are pushing to bring back the dark era of terrorism in the state.
Sandeep Singh, a close aide of Amritpal Singh, is currently lodged in jail for the murder of Shiv Sena Takhali’s leader Sudhir Suri. Suri was murdered in broad daylight in Amritsar on 4th November 2022. His murder was celebrated by pro-Khalistanis on social media. Reportedly, Sandeep Singh’s family has issued a statement that if Amritpal Singh could contest elections from jail, why not Sandeep Singh.
45-year-old Sarabjit Singh Khalsa is the son of Beant Singh, the murderer of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Sarabjit tried his luck during the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Fatehgarh Sahib and Bathinda but could not win. His grandfather Suchcha Singh and mother Bimal Kaur were MPs.
The presence of pro-Khalistani elements in General Elections is problematic for several reasons. First of all, it raises the question of national security as the extremist ideology does not mix well with mainstream politics. They do not see the demand of Khalistan as merely a political stance but something that they vow to achieve. The assertion of separatism challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. In a way, allowing them to contest elections can be seen as legitimizing their demands that would encourage separatist sentiments and destabilise the communal harmony in the region.
Furthermore, if they manage to win, their presence in the Parliament would suggest that the fine line between criminal activities and political aspirations is further blurred. There could be broader implications of their potential election on the law and order situation in Punjab as it has a tumultuous history with insurgency. Punjab has always been on the edge when it comes to the Khalistan movement and an increasing number of pro-Khalistani leaders could create further problems for law enforcement agencies on the state and national levels.
