Anandpur Sahib MC president intervenes to stop migrants from being forced out of Punjab

At a time when social media is abuzz with claims of migrant labourers being forced out of Punjab, the municipal council president of Anandpur Sahib, Harjeet Singh Jeeta, has taken a firm stand to uphold communal harmony.

Jeeta has lodged a formal complaint with the local police and Ropar SSP, alleging that a group of miscreants attempted to forcibly remove pilgrims hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from the holy city and put them on trains.

The incident comes amid rising hate being spread against migrant labourers following the Hoshiarpur case, in which a migrant worker has been accused of killing a six-year-old child. The incident has triggered online campaigns targeting migrant workers in Punjab, sparking fears of communal tension.

Speaking to The Tribune, Jeeta said the incident in Anandpur Sahib occurred during the intervening night of September 16 and 17, after videos began circulating online. “I saw viral social media clips showing some miscreants bullying pilgrims from UP and Bihar inside the Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib complex. On reaching the spot, I learned they were trying to check IDs and forcibly take the pilgrims to the railway station. I rushed there and stopped them,” he said.

Calling the act an attack on Sikh religious traditions, Jeeta said, “It is against Sikh tenets to turn away anyone who comes to a gurdwara. This was a deliberate attempt to create communal strife. Such incidents, if unchecked, can damage the image of Punjabis, especially Sikhs, across the country.”

The MC president also revealed that after he intervened, he has been facing trolling on social media. “I acted on my conscience. As a Sikh, I am free to go to Patna Sahib in Bihar to pay obeisance. Similarly, pilgrims from those states have every right to visit Anandpur Sahib,” he asserted.

Ropar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said he was yet to receive the complaint, while Anandpur Sahib SHO Danish Vir Singh confirmed that a complaint had been filed and the matter is under investigation.