Fearing unrest by Amritpal on Baisakhi, Punjab Police cancels leaves
Fearing unrest by Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh on Baisakhi, all leaves for the Punjab Police personnel have been reportedly canceled until April 14. This comes after the Waris Punjab De chief urged Akal Takht—the top Sikh religious body—to hold Sarbat Khalsa, a mass gathering of Sikhs. The police have not canceled the meeting but suspect that it will be used to disrupt peace.
Why does this story matter?
Singh has been on the run since March 18 after the Punjab Police launched a manhunt to nab him. He was booked under the National Security Act (NSA) on suspicion of being a Pakistani agent. The action comes as he seeks to revive the Khalistan movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the 1980s, which was crushed by the government.
Take out procession from Amritsar to Bathinda on Baisakhi: Singh
In two videos, Singh reportedly appealed to the jathedars or chiefs of Akal Takht to carry out a religious procession from Akal Takht in Amritsar to Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo near Bathinda before gathering for Baisakhi. However, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the top gurudwara body, said that only the Akal Takht can decide whether to call a Sarbat Khalsa.
Sarbat Khalsa can't be called individually: Sikh leaders
Moreover, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said Sarbat Khalsa won't be convened but a three-day congregation at Damdama Sahib will be held from April 12-14 to mark Baisakhi. He said that there's a marked difference between an annual congregation and Sarbat Khalsa. Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh also said that Sarbat Khalsa cannot be called on demands of an individual or group.
Last Sarbat Khalsa held in 2015
Sarbat Khalsa is a historic congregation concerning the long-term future of the Sikh community. Sarbat Khalsa was called on only two other occasions before—in 1986 and 2015. It takes months to organize, as Sikh groups across the world follow a procedure.
Singh had cosmetic surgery in Georgia to resemble Bhindranwale: Reports
Reports have also surfaced that before coming to India in August 2022, Singh underwent cosmetic surgery in Georgia to resemble Bhindranwale, who Singh has been trying to project himself as. Intelligence officials reportedly got the information from Singh's associates imprisoned in Dibrugarh Central Jail.
