New Delhi: With the help of overseas Sikh separatists, Pakistan’s external spy agency ISI has been the brain behind pushing Amritpal Singh back to India with an aim to revive terrorism in Punjab, according to officials.
Singh, aged around 30, was a truck driver in Dubai before the ISI, with the help of Khalistan supporters based outside India, radicalised him so that he could plunge Punjab again into the dark days of terrorism, they said.
Threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Punjab Chief Minister Bagwant Singh Mann, the radical Sikh preacher had been openly making statements about declaring secession from India and forming Khalistan. He spoke about former prime minister Indira Gandhi and chief minister Beant Singh who were assassinated by terrorists.
While Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her own guards, Beant Singh was killed by Dilawar Singh, who acted as a human bomb. The radical preacher claimed that many Dilawars were ready in the current scenario of Punjab.
Be it his rally at Tarn Taran on this year’s Republic Day or his media interviews, he had openly supported separatism and the formation of Khalistan.
He incited the Sikh youths to resort to armed rebellion against the democratically elected governments in order to oppose the supposedly discriminatory treatment being mete to achieve the ‘ultimate goal’ of the formation of ‘Khalistan’, the officials said.
During a function at Rode in Moga district, Singh had said that governments run by non-Sikh have no right to rule over the people of Punjab and that the people of Punjab must be ruled over only by Sikhs.
He has been styling himself on the lines of terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during Operation Blue Star in 1984, by copying his attire, mannerisms, carrying an arrow, keeping a battery of armed bodyguards and taking the shield of religion.
Singh, who is at present on the run, is also alleged to have links with Lakhbir Singh Rode, head of the International Sikh Youth Federation who is sought for trial in India and wanted in cases of Arms Smuggling (including RDX explosive), conspiracy to attack government leaders in New Delhi and spreading hatred in Punjab.
Tracking his movements, the officials said that Singh, during his stay in Dubai, was in close touch with Rode’s brother Jaswant.
Having made his comeback to Punjab at the behest of ISI, Singh took the help of Amrit Sanchar to set up his organisation. Later he launched a campaign called ‘Khalsa Waheer’ and strengthened his organisation by going to the villages, they said.
He stirred up the issues of Punjab and started inciting the Sikhs against the government by invoking religion.
