MP Amritpal’s father under house arrest

Jailed pro-Khalistan activist and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh’s father Tarsem Singh was detained at his house in Jallupur Khera village by the Amritsar police on Tuesday to prevent him from taking part in a protest by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha in Mohali.

SAD(A) chief detained at native village

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SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann and his supporters were placed under house arrest in Talania village, Fatehgarh Sahib, on Tuesday morning so as to prevent him from participating in the protest of Qaumi Insaaf Morcha in Mohali.

Iqbal Singh Tiwana, chief spokesman of the party, said an announcement was made at Fatehgarh Sahib on December 26 that a protest will be held at Mohali on January 7 for the release of Sikh prisoners who have completed their sentences.

He said in the early morning, a police team swooped on Mann’s residence. He said cops were deployed in large number near the house to not let him move out. Tiwana termed the police move as a murder of democracy. OC

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Following his house arrest, Tarsem Singh recorded a video message and called upon people to join the Morcha in large numbers. He also condemned the police action and targeted Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for the ‘oppression’. Tarsem Singh had recently announced plans to launch a new political party, the name of which would be announced at Maghi Mela in Muktsar.

Tarsem Singh alleged that the government was weakening democracy by creating an atmosphere of fear in the village. “Police forces have been deployed throughout the village since Monday night. By denying people the right to voice their anger, the Bhagwant Mann government is undermining democracy,” he added.

The police let him off in the afternoon. Some other Sikh activists, including Ranjit Singh of Damdami Taksal, were also reportedly detained to stop them from joining the morcha.