Ex-minister Majithia says Amritpal spoiling Punjab’s peaceful atmosphere, pro-Khalistan outfit hits back

Taking a dig at Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh, he said, “Here some people copy Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Sant Bhindranwale was the only one who was real.”

“He (Amritpal Singh) is a duplicate and indulges in wrongdoings. He is spoiling the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab,” Majithia told reporters at Kathunangal in the Majitha constituency of Amritsar district.

He said that infighting is ruining Punjab and nobody was ready to invest in Punjab. “Youths are migrating out of the state. If you want to bring industry and employment here, there should be brotherhood and harmony. Only brotherhood will ensure the development of the state,” said Majithia.

Blaming Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for the “disharmony in the state”, he said that some people are igniting the flames of disharmony in Punjab and the CM is doing nothing to contain them.

The former minister said that he was receiving calls from Hindu brothers in Amritsar who are worried about the situation.

“Why is the government not acting against those people who are talking ill about other religions? Is there a conspiracy to polarise? Do you want bloodshed in every street like in the 80s and 90s?” asked Majithia.

Reacting to Majithia’s criticism, the WPD said that Punjab politicians across party lines have always attempted to create fear psychosis among the Hindus against Sikhs.

Referring to Majithia’s communal remark on Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri’s killing, WPD said that it should not be seen as a communal killing as Suri was just a leader of one of Shiv Sena factions.

“When Sikhs talk about their rights, politicians tell Hindus that they are unsafe. It is easier to do such politics and secure votes than doing politics on issues like Punjab’s right to water, drug smuggling, and jobs for Punjabis. Now the onus is on Punjabi Hindus to decide if they want to believe in illogical theories of these politicians or give an ear to the Sikhs’ rights and find out if they are profitable or damaging to them,” it stated.

On the sidelines of the murder, the outfit said it had held talks only with Punjabi Hindus but also with the Jats of Haryana. “None of them took sides in Suri’s killing. “Besides, Majithia never criticised Suri’s hate speeches. Suri was booked for using vulgar language against the Sikhs, Dalits, Muslims, and women. These Shiv Sena people were given maximum police security when Majithia’s government was ruling the state,” the WPD stated.

Sudhir Suri was shot dead in Amritsar on November 4.

With Majitha making an indirect call to take action against “people who are talking ill about other religions,” the pro-Khalistan outfit alleged that the former minister has given an open invitation to the union government to launch an attack on WPD head Amritpal Singh.

Amritpal Singh’s Twitter account was withheld in September at the request of the union government without giving any solid reason.

Meanwhile, the union government in reply to an RTI query on November 11 declined to make public its copy of complaint to Twitter demanding to withhold Amritpal’s Twitter handle.

The RTI query by Jaspal Singh Maan from Malout demanded the copies of complaint made by the government to Twitter and the reply sent by Twitter.

The union government replied that it is empowered to give directions for blocking access to information by the public under section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. “The due process being followed is defined in The Information Technology (Procedure and safeguards for blocking for access of information by public) Rules, 2009,” it said.

The IT Act, of 2000 empowers the government to block information from public access under specific conditions. They include the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or “for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above”.