On Thursday, August 9, the All India Kisan Congress chairman MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira took to Twitter to share a video of AAP minister Laljit Singh Bhullar seen with the late Khalistani sympathiser and actor Deep Sidhu at the time of violence at Red Fort on 26 January last year and sought answers from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. Deep Sidhu was named as one of the main instigators of the Red Fort violence on Republic Day.
“Dear @ArvindKejriwal & @BhagwantMann ji plz clarify if your transport minister @Laljitbhullar is part of hoisting Kesri Nishan Sahib on Red Fort along with Deep Sidhu? If yes how does our CM call them anti national & keep him minister in his cabinet? I am subject to correction !,” Tweeted the Congress leader.
Dear @ArvindKejriwal & @BhagwantMann ji plz clarify if your transport minister @Laljitbhullar is part of hoisting Kesri Nishan Sahib on Red Fort along with Deep Sidhu? If yes how does our Cm call them anti national & keep him minister in his cabinet? I am subject to correction ! pic.twitter.com/Zt3uaJFPsy
— Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) August 8, 2022
In the video shared by the Congress minister, the AAP minister can be seen being present at the time of violence at Red Fort on 26 January last year. He appeared in the video with Deep Sidhu, who was arrested last year for his role in instigating violence and the vandalisation at Red Fort on Republic Day during the farmers’ tractor rally.
On January 26, 2021, Khalistani supporters had stormed the grounds of the historic Red Fort and desecrated the symbol of India’s sovereignty just after the Republic Day celebrations. They had brutally attacked the security personnel and police officials stationed at the location and disrespected India’s national flag by hoisting two other flags, one being the ‘Kesari Flag’ (Flag with Sikh Holy Symbol) on the Red Fort.
Sharing the video, the Congress leader questioned the AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann over their silence on the matter. Saying that Laljit Bhullar was present along with Deep Sidhu during the Red Ford siege, Kaira questioned why Laljit Bhullar was still serving in the cabinet.
The upfront question posed by the Congress leader did not sit well with several Khalistani supporters who descended upon his timeline to question him instead.
Then whats your stand on this ??
— Parm Bhullar (@ParmBhullar10) August 8, 2022
Even if he was with Deep Sidhu I don’t think he did anything wrong . Hoisting Nishan Sahib at Red fort if a thing of shame for someone , you better not represent Punjab , more specifically Sikhs !!!
A Khalistani supporter slammed the Congress leader and said that he should technically be answering instead of the AAP leaders as to why had he been preserving this video for so long.
Clarification Bhagwant Mann ko nahin tumhein deni chahiye
— RajA (@RajA95958429) August 8, 2022
Itne time tak tumne ye video kyu samhal ke rakha?
Kya fayeda uthana chahte the tum?
Aur sabko to lagta hai ki tumne is movement ko suport kiya tha
Pehle apni clarification do
Kya tumne Deep Sidhu ko support kiya ya nahin ?
Another disgruntled Khalistani fan rebuked the Congress leader by claiming that hoisting the Nishan Sahib was completely normal.
nothing wrong in hoisting nishaan sahib at red fort
— Kingh (@_kingh_) August 8, 2022
shame on you @SukhpalKhaira
Deep Sidhu accused of inciting violence at Red Fort on Republic Day
The now deceased actor Deep Sidhu had gone into hiding since the day of the Red Fort violence and has been releasing social media videos to blame other ‘farmer leaders’ who have spoken against him. The Khalistani supporters, who stormed the grounds of the historic Red Fort and desecrated the symbol of India’s sovereignty, had brutally attacked the security personnel and police officials stationed at the location, disrespected India’s national flag by hoisting two other flags. In a video, Khalistani rioters were seen pushing Delhi Police personnel from the top of a high wall, severely injuring hundreds of them.
Sidhu rose to prominence after his video of expressing support to the ‘farmers’ protest had gone viral on the internet. However, his Khalistani proclivities were laid bare when in an interview with journalist Barkha Dutt, the actor was seen hailing Khalistani terrorist Bhindranwale as a hero. After Sidhu’s role of instigating ‘farmers’ to take up arms against the Delhi Police on the day of the tractor rally came to fore, the ‘farmers’ leader, who had until now backed Sidhu for his support to the protests, pinned the blame of the violence on him and alleged him of hatching a conspiracy to derail the ‘farmers’ protests.
Republic Day Riots
On January 26, groups of alleged farmers forcefully entered Delhi on the pretext of a Tractor Rally. They created a riot-like situation in which over 300 police personnel were injured, and properties worth crores were damaged. The rally was supposed to be a protest rally against the Agriculture laws named Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 that were passed in September 2020.
Visuals that emerged from the riots showed how the alleged farmers tried to mow down the police personnel with tractors, attacked them with swords, batons and other weapons and mercilessly attacked police personnel at Red Fort. A group of rioters including Deep Sidhu, Gurjot Singh, Jugraj Singh and others reached the Red Fort and hoisted two flags with the Sikh Holy symbol. Interestingly, the hoisting of the flag was in sync with the provocations of terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice, whose founder had announced a cash prize for the person(s) who hoist the flag on Red Fort. A total of 43 cases were registered in connection to the riots.
