Open House: How do you view the Police's crackdown on radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aides ?
Amritpal’s rise exposes vulnerablity
The meteoric rise of Amritpal as a topic for the media is an enigma wrapped in mystery. He had been issuing open threats to all high-ups, including the Union Home Minister, and demanding ‘Khalistan’ claiming that it is ‘a long standing demand of the Sikhs’, in spite of the fact that 99 per cent of his co-religionists are totally against it. He has no following, no education, no knowledge of the constitution, no history. Till two years ago, he was a clean shaved trucker in Dubai. He simply donned the mantle of Deep Sidhu and started behaving like a megalomaniac. Very cleverly, he used the holy Guru Granth Sahib as a shield and stormed a police station in Ajnala to get one of his supported freed. That made him a Bollywood type hero and after about 10 days, the police arrested and booked his supporters under the NSA. The police are leaving no stone unturned to nab Amritpal. The Central Government is also behind the state government to see that there is no law and order problem. Amritpal will have to face the law of the land.
Prof Mohan Singh
QUESTION
Recent unseasonal heavy rain has caused widespread damage to standing wheat crop on over 15 lakh hectares across the state. With the adverse impact of climate change being felt too frequently, what can farmers and the state government do to mitigate the losses?
Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (April 6).
Put such persons behind bars
Certainly the state government had been dragging its feet in the matter. This is because of the fact that even attacking Ajnala police station along with his supporters, Amritpal Singh kept roaming freely after the incident for a number of days. No action was initiated against him by the state government and still has not been arrested. In order to rein in such separatist forces, the authorities need to act strictly with them. As saying goes nip the evil in the bud, the state government should never allow separatist forces to openly carry out their activities in the state. Immediate and prompt action should be taken against such culprits even on receipt of their nefarious designs. Intelligence services should be increased to know in advance any sort of danger. Last but not the least the authorities should never delay in putting behind bars any men connected with promotion or carrying out activities of separatism.
Sanjay Chawla
Deal such elements with iron hand
Recently, the Punjab Police have finally cracked down on pro-Khalistan activists like Amritpal singh. Even the fear of revival of the Khalistan movement had never died completely and were always lurking in the shadows. But this also have numerous effect on the environment of the state and common people. So, I think that it is an extreme critical matter and the government is also involved in it. Now the government can take various steps to control such separatist force. As, the major reason behind this is Khalistan factions and their supporters who have woven a false narrative sowing the seeds of disaffection among the disgruntled people, particularly the youth of Punjab. Also it effect harmony of the state. The government should become strict towards them and should try to make a healthy environment for the people residing here. Secondly, controversies and conspiracies must be avoided and for this seminar and many other programmes must be organised. Moreover, it will bring a kind of mental revolution in minds of Sikh community and government.
Jasleen Kaur
State govt must Win back hearts of people
Revival of Khalistan movement in Punjab were never forgotten completely. It may have again cropped up when our intelligence got caught napping and unaware of radical Amritpal’s show of strength at Ajnala, revealing his ISI links. So far it appears that there’s not much traction for the Khalistani cause in Punjab. These Khalistani extremists are getting the support from Canada and some other countries. The ISI is seeking to forge an understanding between Sikh extremist groups and Pak-based Islamist outfits. To counter the activities of Khalistani sympathisers and revival of militancy in Punjab, actions needs to be taken on multiple fronts like stopping support from the radicalised Sikh organisations based abroad. Indian diplomats should cultivate better relations and network with countries where these organisations are based. The Punjab Police must develop a quick response system, and forge more partnership with public. And the government should come down heavily on the political patronisation of all anti-national elements. The Punjab state must win back the hearts and minds of the disaffected people of Punjab. Winning the confidence of the people is the only real long term solution to this protracted crisis.
El Singh
Amritpal not an ultra, release Bandi Singhs
It is still a mystery pertaining to a radical preacher, Amritpal Singh, whether he is fugitive or got arrested by the Punjab Police. Instead of releasing ‘bandi singhs’ who are in jails for more than three decades, cops have arrested more Sikhs who had allegedly staged a protest demanding release of the former ones, raised a big question mark on democracy. Amritpal’s associates and followers have been detained by police citing anti-social elements. A person who encourage youths to get baptised and shun drugs, who demands to have state that is free from all kinds of evils, is given a tag of “terrorist”. On the contrary, Ram Rahim who has done limitless crimes, a rapist and murderer often gets parole at the times of elections. Besides, the term ‘Khalistan’ meaning of which is ‘Pure Land’ or place where no evils shall prevail, this word has been associated with terrorism, nothing but a hoax. If India is a secular country then government should contemplate on its actions before being taken.
Sukhmeet Kaur
Step up efforts to arrest Amritpal
Though belated, the police swoop on radical preacher Amritpal Singh three weeks after his aides stormed the Ajnala police station to secure the release of one of their arrested activists has been widely welcome. While many of his associates have been arrested and sent to a jail in Assam, he succeeded in giving a slip to the Punjab Police on March 18. Since then, the authorities have come with several versions of his peculiar modus operandi for his escapade from the high-alert police dragnet. The police have, no doubt, arrested his core aides for several criminal cases but its failure to nab Amritpal who is traversing different cities across Punjab and adjoining Haryana has drawn severe criticism from the public in general and Opposition parties in particular. The people of Punjab have undergone traumatic experiences during the days of militancy in the state. What they want is peace, harmony, stability and prosperity. If he surrenders, well and good. Otherwise, the government should rev up its efforts to arrest the alleged criminal, establish his criminal credentials and take appropriate legal action against him.
Tajpreet S Kang
Police found wanting in whole episode
The self-styled preacher of pro-Khalistan outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ has been in the news for quite some time — be it his coming to India from Dubai, his coronation at Rode village, his ‘Amrit Parchar’ campaign, the ransacking of a gurdwara in Jalandhar by his supporters, their scuffle with police in Mohali or the storming of a police station in Ajnala to secure the release of an arrested person. The Punjab Police launched a major crackdown against him on March 18 after a gap of three weeks. Every rational-thinking citizen has expressed concern about the intention of the police and intelligence agencies. Political parties have also been critical of the Punjab Government’s dismal performance. Some questions need to be clearly answered. Why didn’t the police arrest him from his house? How can he escape when nearly 80,000 police and paramilitary personnel are put on round-the-clock alert for the purpose? How have several images and videos of the fugitive surfaced on social media using different vehicles, including motorcycle, a ‘desi jugaad’ and even crossing a railway bridge walking by changing his appearance multiple times? Is it that easy for him to move fearlessly in Punjab, Haryana and even Nepal? The whole story resembles a Bollywood thriller. Amid reports of his expected conditional surrender, Amritpal has appealed for calling Sarbat Khalsa on the occasion of Baisakhi to endorse his separatist philosophy. The Punjabis have already suffered the gruesome dark days of decade-old militancy in the state, courtesy political machinations in the struggle for power. Parties should refrain from playing a dirty and dangerous game again. The government should take strict action against him and his sponsors, whoever and wherever they are, to ensure peace, communal harmony, development and stability of the state.
DS Kang
Govt needs to show will, strong approach
The Punjab police’s recent onslaught against separatist Amritpal Singh and his supporters lacks professionalism and has raised several questions on their credibility. The police’s restrained action at the Ajnala police station can be justified to some extent owing to presence of Guru Granth Sahib’s saroop. But the delay and fiasco created afterwards to salvage the situation has raised several questions, the answers to which are still haunting the state with dangerous repercussions. The state and the people have already witnessed a long bloody decade of innocent deaths and unprecedented destruction heralded through sponsored terror and extremist violence and any repeat in a most sensitive state can again lead to catastrophic situations with unimaginable consequences. Keeping in mind the past lessons, the AAP government should rise to the occasion with strong and unambiguous approach to deal with the situation on law and order front most efficiently at one side and maintaining cordial and transparent public rapport on the other.
Jagdish Chander
Central agencies need to reveal the truth
The efforts of the Punjab Police to try and apprehend Amritpal Singh are very late and not properly executed. The way he got his follower released by putting the police in a tight spot in Taran Taran was totally unacceptable. The police had to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid sacrilege. Then he visited the Golden Temple and met the Akal Takht Jathedar. The government just dragged its feet and didn’t catch him immediately. This man was a clean shaven Sikh, who did a driver’s job in Saudi Arabia for 10 years. The ISI of Pakistan got him to another country and made him enter Punjab and promote Khalistan in Punjab. When the police tried to nab him, he gave them a slip. He is now on the run from one place to another, creating an embarrassing situation for the police. Many of his associates were caught and were shifted to prisons in Assam. The Punjab Government requested the Home Minister to send the Central armed forces in Punjab which were duly implemented. Now, it’s the duty of the CBI and other central agencies to thoroughly investigate and reveal the truth.
Dr JS Wadhwa
Not much credible info available on matter
At times, it becomes hard for a common man to fathom some of the political and administrative actions. Not much information has been disclosed by the administration, on the Amritpal matter, which remains inconclusive, with the general public relying on media for any updates, which might be speculations or allegations. Whatever may have been the rationale behind the authorities doing so, the well-being of the nation or the citizens must be the focal point. They are answerable to the people and cannot remain evasive for long. The armed troops must be equipped with technology and devices to counter the menace drones, which have lately been availed of by anti-national elements for drugs and arms trafficking. A constant vigil must be kept on the separatists, including their call history, social media accounts, crime records and affiliations, and all other vital details. There should be better coordination among the police, army, RAW, NIA, NCB, cyber cell and all other vital agencies. India needs to strengthen its national and international networks and consider signing pacts with supportive countries for co-action in tackling impediments in the maintenance of stability in the subcontinent, which if disturbed, would be detrimental to international normalcy. As for the ongoing quest for Amritpal, it could be just said, ‘Wait and watch’.
Anshika Kohli
Intel agencies need to play pro-active role
‘Where there is a will, there is a way.’ The Punjab Police’s crackdown on separatist forces by not even firing a single shot and ensuring no causality is laudable. After taking a few activists in their custody, the police charged them under the National Security Act (NSA). As the maintenance of law and order has always been the priority of the state government, Chief Minister S Bhagwant Singh Mann recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. After the meeting, many companies of paramilitary forces were sent the state to safe guard the interests of the civilians and to maintain peace. Punjab is one of the prosperous states in the field of agriculture. The heavy industry in future will only open its units in Punjab if there’s no law and order problem. The intelligence wing of the Police should keep a strict vigil on the anti-social elements so that they refrain from carrying out their nefarious designs. Appropriate action should be taken on a war footing against all those indulging in anti-social activities in future without any delay.
Rajat Kumar Mohindru
