Punjab can't be governed from Delhi, says former RAW chief AS Dulat

Kolkata, February 25

Former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief AS Dulat has warned against “mis-governance” in the “sensitive border state” of Punjab and asserted that it can’t be “governed from Delhi”.

Dulat, however, said he did not foresee another outbreak of militancy in Punjab, but stressed that the state needed “empathy”.

“I am of the firm belief that neither Punjab nor Kashmir can be governed from Delhi. People are resentful of it,” the former RAW director told PTI video in an interview.

“Though Bhagwant Mann (Punjab CM) is a decent person, he is not competent…(Arvind) Kejriwal (Delhi CM) can’t run Punjab,” he said.

Dulat was replying to a question on the issue of Sikh radicalism in the light of the Amritpal Singh incident, where the pro-Khalistan preacher’s supporters stormed a police station in Ajnala on Thursday.

Several former senior police officers have advocated that Punjab be placed under President’s rule, after scenes of the violence were shown on national television.

Dulat pointed out that Punjab had borne the brunt of several wars, and needed to “be treated with empathy, needed to be understood”.

“What the Punjabi wants is his due, whether it’s the farmer or the river waters or the Chandigarh question,” Dulat added.