Bhagwant Mann breaks silence on Amritpal; 'Those using Guru Granth Sahib as shield...'

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said on Saturday that those using the holy Guru Granth Sahib as a shield for their purpose are not the 'heir' of Punjab, referring to the Amritsar violence on Thursday. "Shabad Guru Sheesh who carries Guru Granth Sahib ji with a shield to the police stations cannot be called "heir" of Punjab and Punjabiat from any side," Mann tweeted in Punjabi.

This was in reference to 'Waris Punjab De' head Amritpal Singh and his supporters storming the Ajnala police station for the release of their aide Lovepreet Singh alias Toofan with the Guru Granth Sahib. Amritpal had his supporters bring a vehicle carrying a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib for holding "amrit sanchar" (a Sikh ceremony) at the police station.

According to a senior Punjab police officer, there was no retaliation from the police over the rampage because the officers did not want to be accused of sacrilege if the holy text was damaged. 

Senior officer Harpal Singh Randhawa said that the Guru Granth Sahib was the reason why the police stood down from retaliating, and not the swords and guns that Amritpal and his aides were carrying. 

Bhagwant Mann claims situation is under control in Punjab

Earlier, Mann, who reached Mumbai with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, claimed that there is complete law and order in Punjab and that it is still a peaceful state. "The law and order situation in Punjab is under control. Punjab police is capable. Bullets were fired at social bonding in Punjab for 10 years. But people want to live together. Ours is a peaceful state," Mann said.

His statements followed the release of Toofan, who was accused of kidnapping and assault but walked free following the violence in Amritsar which injured half-a-dozen policemen. Both Toofan and Amritpal are members of the 'Waris Punjab De' which was founded on September 30, 2021, by actor-activist Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident on February 15 last year.

After Deep Sidhu's death, Dubai-returned Amritpal, a Khalistan sympathiser, was named the head of 'Waris Punjab De'. The radical preacher hailing from Amritsar's Jallupur Khera village moves around with armed men like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. His supporters also describe him as 'Bhindranwale 2.0'.