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Meet Amritpal Singh, the separatist leader contesting Lok Sabha polls from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib
KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)
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Summary
Amritpal Singh is contesting from the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Punjab as an Independent candidate.
Self-proclaimed Sikh preacher and separatist leader Amritpal Singh is all set to contest as an Independent candidate from the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Punjab. Currently in Dibrugarh jail in Assam, Singh has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and National Security Act. He will contest against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Laljit Singh Bhullar and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Manjeet Singh Manna for the seat.
Amritpal Singh, the leader of Waris Punjab De, a pro-Khalistan group, was arrested last April. This occurred after he and his supporters, armed with swords and guns, forcibly entered a police station on the outskirts of Amritsar in February 2023, to help his aide, Lovepreet Singh Toofan, escape prison.
Following the incident, the Punjab Police launched a crackdown against Singh and his organisation. They were charged with various offences such as inciting social discord, assaulting police officers, and obstructing public officials from performing their duties.
Singh, who had modelled himself after the dead Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, managed to evade the police on March 18 last year in Jalandhar. The Punjab Police said at the time that he had changed his clothes and switched from a Maruti Brezza car to a motorcycle to evade arrest. Singh had reportedly sought refuge in a gurdwara before changing his appearance and fleeing on a motorcycle. He was branded a ‘fugitive’.
Singh recorded and released several videos during that time.
In his first recorded video message released on a YouTube channel, Amritpal Singh urged Sikh people worldwide to join the Sarbat Khalsa programme on Baisakhi and talked about unity in addressing Punjab’s issues. “For a long time, our community has been engrossed in putting up fronts on small issues. If we have to solve the issues of Punjab, then we have to be together,” he said.
Singh also addressed the government’s actions, stating they had “cheated us” and said many of his companions were “arrested, NSA was imposed” and sent to Assam. “That’s why I appeal to all Sikhs to assemble on the occasion of Baisakhi,” he said.
A day after that, an audio clip allegedly of the Khalistani separatist was circulated widely on social media. In the recording, a man speaking in Punjabi said he was Amritpal Singh and claimed he did not make demands for surrender to the Punjab government. “These are all rumours,” he said in the audio.
“I have not made any surrender demands to the government,” he stated. “I am not afraid of going to jail or police custody. Let them do what they want,” he said. He also said he was ‘weakened’ and gets to eat only one meal a day.
A few days later, Singh released a second video claiming he was not a fugitive and would soon “appear in front of the world.” In the video posted on the same YouTube channel, the ‘Waris De Punjab’ head said, “I am not a fugitive, but a rebel. I have not run away.” He claimed that he was not “afraid of the government.”
“Do whatever you want to do,” he challenged, “Whoever wants to beat me, I am not afraid.”
Later Amritpal Singh was arrested in April and detained in Dibrugarh jail where nine of his associates have also been held.
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