Who Is Amritpal Singh, His Links To Deep Sandhu And Why Is He Being Compared To Bhindranwale?
Following the recent clashes between the supporters of radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh Sandhu and Punjab Police personnel, there are growing concerns in the state and beyond over the resurgence of the Khalistan separatist movement.
What happened in?Ajnala???
On Thursday, supporters of Amritpal Singh clashed with police personnel at the gate of Ajnala Police station in Amritsar during a protest against the arrest of one of his associates, Lovepreet Singh.
Amritpal Singh's supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and stormed the police station complex.
The supporters had stormed the police station on the outskirts of Amritsar city, demanding that Lovepreet Singh, alias Toofan, an accused in a kidnapping case, be released.
Who is?Amritpal Singh?
Amritpal Singh, a Khalistan sympathiser, has been quite active in Punjab for some time and has built a cult-like following in the state.
The 29-year-old, who was largely unheard of, shot into fame in September 2022 when he was appointed the head of 'Waris Punjab De', an organisation founded by Deep Sidhu.
The actor-turned-activist who became infamous for his involvement in the farmers' protest and the Republic Day mayhem in 2021 in Delhi had died in a road accident in February last year.
Waris Punjab De's declared aim is "to protect the rights of Punjab and raise social issues", but it is widely seen as a proxy Khalistan separatist movement.
Amritpal Singh returned from Dubai
Following Deep Sidhu's death, Amritpal Singh, who started his career working in his family-owned transport business, was announced as the new head of Waris Punjab De before moving to Dubai.
Amritpal Singh returned to India in September 2022 and immediately made his presence felt with an event held at Rode in Moga district, the native village of slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, in which he was officially anointed.
Another Bhindranwale?
Amritpal Singh, who claims to be a follower of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the infamous Khalistani separatist who was killed in Operation Blue Star in 1984, has been described as Bhindranwale 2.0 by some.
Like Bhindranwale, Amritpal Singh also moves around with armed men accompanying him.
Recently he reportedly threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he will meet the same fate as former prime minister Indira Gandhi who was shot dead by her own guard.
Unlikely to revive separatist movement: Ex-RAW chief
With Amritpal Singh making waves across Punjab, many fear that the separatist movement in the state could be reignited.
However, former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Amarjit Singh Dulat said he did not foresee another outbreak of militancy in Punjab but stressed that the state also needs "empathy".
"What the Punjabi wants is his due, whether it's the farmer or the (on the issue of division of) river waters or the Chandigarh question (allocation of the city to Punjab or to Haryana)," Dulat told PTI.
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