It was learned that Khalistan was going to be announced in a few days and Bhindranwale’s capture was necessary to prevent his plan from succeeding. In June 1984, the army laid siege to the Golden Temple. Trains and buses coming to Punjab were stopped. Phones were switched off and foreign media were barred from outside the state. On June 3, a curfew was imposed in Punjab and for the next 48 hours, armored vehicles and tanks of the army were outside the Golden Temple. Bhindranwale was killed on 6 June but with a lot of blood. The Sikh community was very angry at this action of the government. Resignations of many Sikh leaders also took place. Although 83 army soldiers were also martyred in this operation. More than 1500 people were arrested.
Indira’s assassination after Blue Star and…
Four months after Blue Star, on 31 October 1984, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her two Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh. After this, anti-Sikh riots broke out across the country. Thousands of Sikhs lost their lives. The separatist organization Babbar Khalsa bombed an Air India flight from Canada to London in 1985 to avenge Bhindranwale’s death. 329 people died in this. All this happened because of that single Bhindranwale and his hateful anti-national thinking. In such a situation, the Government of India does not want to allow Amritpal Singh to become the ‘second Bhindranwale of Punjab’. Further, before the separatist elements move forward on the demand of Khalistan, they were started being sheared.
Amritpal threatened Shah
Ever since the people of the country saw a crowd of thousands carrying swords and guns outside a police station in Punjab, a different kind of apprehension began to take birth. Is Punjab being pushed again towards terrorism and separatism? Why doesn’t the government take action against Amritpal Singh who openly talks about Khalistan? Has a new Bhindranwale been born in Punjab in the form of Amritpal Singh? Many such questions were on the minds of the people for the last few weeks. There was upheaval from Punjab to Delhi.
Central security agencies were assuming that the Punjab Police had sufficient reason to take strict action against Amritpal Singh. The Punjab Police was asked from the Center to take action. Here, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reached to meet Home Minister Amit Shah. It is said that Shah expressed concern over the growing popularity of Amritpal as a radical Sikh leader and also said that the Ajnala incident was not handled properly by the Punjab Police.
Shah clearly told Mann to take strict action against separatist elements in the state. A day before this, Shah had discussed the same issue with the Governor of Punjab. Amritpal Singh was not only fueling separatism but also disrespecting the constitution. He had threatened Shah saying that he would meet the fate of Indira Gandhi and was giving the example of former Punjab CM Beant Singh for respect. It is being told that his organization Waris Punjab De is getting funding from Pakistan.
Amritpal arrested or not?
The Punjab Police on Saturday initiated action against radical preacher Amritpal Singh. 78 people associated with ‘Waris Punjab De’ organization have been arrested by the police and Amritpal Singh is absconding. Although there is also talk that self-styled Sikh preacher Amritpal has been taken into custody near Nakodar but there is no official confirmation. Internet services have been suspended in Punjab till 12 noon on Sunday. Amritpal’s convoy was stopped by the police in Mehatpur village of Jalandhar district.
Punjab Police has requested people not to panic at all and not to spread fake news, hate speech. Last month, Amritpal and his supporters, brandishing swords and pistols, barged into the Ajnala police station in Amritsar. The pictures and videos that the whole world saw from there were astonishing. The mob clashed with the police to free a close friend of Amritpal. Six policemen, including a superintendent of police, were also injured. Later the police officers told that they did not take action as they had brought Sri Guru Granth Sahib as a shield.
