New Delhi: Foreign Sikh separatists with the help of Pakistan’s external intelligence agency ISI are behind the deportation of Amritpal Singh with the aim of reviving militancy in Punjab, according to officials. Singh, in his 30s, was a truck driver in Dubai after which he was radicalized by the ISI with the help of Khalistan sympathisers based outside India to push Punjab back into the dark days of militancy, they said. The radical Sikh preacher was openly making statements about declaring secession from India and creating Khalistan, while threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Punjab Chief Minister Bagwant Singh Mann. He talked about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Chief Minister Beant Singh, who were assassinated by terrorists.
While Gandhi was shot dead by his own guards, Beant Singh was killed by Dilawar Singh, who acted as a human bomb. The radical preacher claimed that in the present scenario of Punjab, many Dilawars were ready. Be it his rally in Tarn Taran on this year’s Republic Day or his media interviews, he openly supported separatism and the formation of Khalistan.
Officials said it incited Sikh youths to resort to armed insurgency against democratically elected governments to protest alleged discriminatory treatment to achieve the “ultimate goal” of forming “Khalistan”. Could
During a function at Rod in Moga district, Singh had said that governments run by non-Sikhs have no right to rule the people of Punjab and that the people of Punjab should be ruled only by Sikhs. He is styling himself on the lines of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a terrorist killed during Operation Blue Star in 1984, in his dress, mannerisms, firing arrows, maintaining a battery of armed bodyguards and shielding religion.
Singh, who is currently absconding, is alleged to have links with Lakhbir Singh Rode, head of the International Sikh Youth Federation, who is sought to be prosecuted in India and accused of smuggling arms (RDX explosives). including) is desired in cases of Attack on government leaders in New Delhi and spreading hatred in Punjab.
Tracking his movements, officials said Singh was in touch with Rode’s brother Jaswant during his stay in Dubai. After returning to Punjab at the behest of the ISI, Singh took the help of Amrit Sanchar to set up his organization. He said that later he started a campaign named ‘Khalsa Waheer’ and strengthened his organization by visiting villages.
He instigated the issues of Punjab and started inciting Sikhs against the government by citing religion. “The lower strata of the society and the aimless youth became soft targets for Singh and he started exploiting sentiments in the name of religion,” said a source.
Officials alleged that in the name of conducting Amritpan ceremonies to baptize Sikh youth and convert them to the religion, their effort was to create an army of disaffected youths, ready to confront the state. He said that not keeping in mind the sanctity of holy places like gurdwaras, his so-called army ransacked two gurdwaras to keep some furniture for elderly and disabled people to sit.
According to officials, its main objective was to push Punjab back to the dark decades of militancy, which have been overcome with great difficulty and a lot of sacrifices. Officials claimed that the organization led by Singh was receiving funds from Pakistan.
The radical Sikh preacher, with the help of his uncle Harjit Singh, had taken control of the accounts of Waris Punjab Dey, thus making it a family-run organisation. He said that the so-called preachers were using Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji during the February movement for their personal interests and this was considered as a form of blasphemy.
This act of Singh was condemned by the entire Sikh community and after this incident Shri Akal Takht Sahib constituted a committee and ordered an inquiry into the matter. The officials alleged that Singh went to the Jathedar Akal Takht and threatened him into silence.
Singh had said in a statement that the Ajnala incident was “not violence” and threatened “real violence” in the future.
(The above article is taken from news agency PTI. Zee News has not made any editorial changes in the article. News agency PTI is solely responsible for the content of the article)