Sukhbir terms Amritpal ‘pseudo’ panth sympathiser

According to Shiromani Akali Dal head Sukhbir Singh Badal, the central agencies were privy to Amritpal’s movements but didn’t take any action.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) head Sukhbir Singh Badal termed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who is fighting as an Independent from Khadoor Sahib LS segment, a ‘pseudo’ panth sympathiser.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal

Addressing poll rallies in Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi in favour of the party’s Khadoor Sahib candidate, Virsa Singh Valtoha, Sukhbir questioned Amritpal’s metamorphic rise.

“The Akali Dal has a panthic history of 103 years, but a man (Amritpal), who landed in Punjab from nowhere, became a staunch protector and sympathiser of ‘panth.’ People made him a ‘hero’ within two years of existence in Punjab’s political landscape before he was arrested for his violent approach,” Sukhbir said.

Amritpal is currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail under stringent National Security Act (NSA).

The SAD president said he is not the one to harbour personal grudges against anyone but there are many unanswered questions about Amritpal’s immediate existence and relevance in Punjab.

“Nobody knew where Amritpal came from and what panthic history does he have. A baptised Sikh he used Sri Guru Granth Sahib as a shield to attack a police station,” Sukhbir said, referring to Amritpal and his aides leading an attack on Ajnala Police Station on February 23, last year.

Sukhbir alleged that the central agencies were privy to Amritpal’s movements but didn’t take any action.

“The Central agencies let him grow politically. I will not let the youth of my state be killed by falling prey to conspiracies of central agencies who want to divide the Sikh community. I appeal to you (people) not to get swayed and remember that for the past 103 years, SAD has represented the panth and not someone who has been in jail for the last one year,” Sukhbir said.

Sukhbir further took a dig at Amritpal’s family for staging a protest for his immediate release from Dibrugarh jail.

“The panthic leaders like my father Parkash Singh Badal, Valtoha and others remained in jails for over a decade, but their families never asked for even shifting them to other jails. No paroles were given. Strangely, Amritpal wants to come out of jail as if issues he had fought for have been resolved,” Sukhbir said.