Tag: Akal

Akal Takht Jathedar, SGPC criticise authorities for stopping Amritpal’s wife at airport

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Amritsar: The Akal Takht Jathedar and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Friday criticises the authorities for stopping fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh’s wife Kirandeep Kaur at an airport here from boarding a flight to the UK.
In a video statement issued here, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said that stopping Kaur at an airport in Amritsar was not right from any angle as she was headed to her parental home.
Governments shouldn’t create an atmosphere of panic in the region and Kaur should not have been stopped, said the Jathedar of Akal Takht, which is the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body of the Sikhs, also condemned the act of stopping Kaur at the international airport.
SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami alleged that the Punjab government and the police administration are creating an atmosphere of terror among the youth.
Kaur was stopped from boarding a flight to London at the Sri Guru Ram Dass International Airport here on Thursday.
She was questioned by the immigration authorities and some other officials for more than three hours and thereafter, asked to return along with some relatives who had come to see her off at the airport.
Police had visited Kaur’s house numerous times earlier as well and questioned her and her family, Singh said.

“Moreover, she is a British national. She didn’t commit any crime and if the government wants to ask or enquire anything from her, they should respectfully visit her residence,” said the Akal Takht Jathedar.
Dhami, in a statement, said that the history of Punjab is of protecting and respecting the daughters and sisters, “but it is not right for the present government to stop daughters like this while suspecting them”.
“Such acts do not suit the government which disrespects the beliefs of Punjab,” he said.
Dhami said that it is the right of every citizen to visit their family and go anywhere.
“Detaining someone without charge is a direct violation of human rights and the government should avoid such acts,” he said.
Singh married Kaur, a UK-based Non-Resident Indian, on February 10.
Kaur, who is a British citizen, reached the airport at around noon to board the flight to London but was stopped by the immigration staff and later, the Punjab Police was informed.
More than a month after a police crackdown against Amritpal Singh and his aides, the radical preacher continues to remain elusive even as a manhunt to nab him is underway.
Police launched the crackdown against Singh and members of his outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ on March 18.
He and his associates were booked under several criminal cases related to spreading disharmony among classes, attempt to murder, attack on police personnel and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duty by public servants.
Singh got married to Kaur in a simple ceremony at Jallupur Khera, his native village in Amritsar.
The ‘Anand Karaj’ (marriage as per Sikh rituals) was held with a limited gathering of family members from both sides at a gurdwara in Baba Bakala in Amritsar.
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#Akal #Takht #Jathedar #SGPC #criticise #authorities #stopping #Amritpals #wife #airport
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023
348 people held during Amritpal crackdown freed, Punjab govt tells Akal Takht

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Chandigarh: The Punjab government has informed the Akal Takht that 348 of the 360 people taken into preventive custody during a police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh have now been freed.
The Akal Takht Jathedar’s personal secretary Jaspal Singh on Thursday said a message was received from the state government that the rest would also be released soon.
Earlier this week, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had given an ultimatum to the state government to release all Sikh youths held during the police crackdown against Amritpal Singh and his aides.
The Jathedar had also condemned the state government for invoking the National Security Act against a few people during the police crackdown.
A few days prior to the Jathedar’s ultimatum, the Punjab Police had said that out of those detained, nearly 30 were hardcore criminals. The rest would be released after verification, a senior police official had said.
Meanwhile, police have stepped up security in and around Amritsar and Bathinda amid reports that Amritpal Singh may surrender after entering any of the two Sikh shrines the Golden Temple in Amritsar or the Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Bathinda.
Vehicles are being checked at several places in other districts, including Hoshiarpur, in search of the head of ‘Waris Punjab De’.
Amritpal, who has been on the run since March 18 when the police crackdown was launched, appeared in a video on Wednesday.

In the undated clip, he urged the Akal Takht to summon a “sarbat khalsa” a congregation of Sikhs to discuss issues concerning the community.
The Punjab Police on Tuesday night launched a massive search operation in a Hoshiarpur village and many adjoining areas following inputs that radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aides could be in the area.
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#people #held #Amritpal #crackdown #freed #Punjab #govt #tells #Akal #Takht
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 30, 2023
CM Mann hits out at Akal Takht Jathedar for ‘provoking’ people with ultimatuma

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Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Tuesday hit out at Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh for “provoking” people through an ultimatum to the AAP government to release all Sikh youths in a police action against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aides.
Mann accused the Jathedar of favouring the Badals and also told him that the Badals had “used” several Jathedars for their “vested interests”.
The CM told the Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, that it would have been better had he issued the ultimatum in the sacrilege and missing ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib.
Mann’s reaction came a day after the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpeet Singh had given a 24-hour ultimatum to the AAP government to release all Sikh youths who were held during the police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aides.
The Jathedar also condemned the state government for invoking the National Security Act against a few people during the police crackdown.
The Jathedar of Akal Takht in Amritsar had convened a special gathering of Sikh organizations, including intellectuals, Sikh lawyers, journalists, religious and social leaders to discuss the current situation in Punjab following the March 18 action against elements of ‘Waris Punjab De’ headed by Amritpal Singh.
Lambasting the Jathedar over his ultimatum, Mann in a tweet in Punjabi said, “Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib ji. Everyone knows you and SGPC have been favouring the Badals.
Look at the history, many Jathedars were used by the Badals for their own interests. It would have been better had you given the ultimatum for the sacrilege and missing ‘saroops’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji instead of provoking happily living people.”

The incidents related to the theft of a ‘bir’ (copy) of the Guru Granth Sahib, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters, and torn pages of the holy book being found scattered at Bargari had taken place in Faridkot in 2015.
In another case, 328 ‘saroops’ (copies) of Guru Granth Sahib had gone missing from the records of the publication house of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
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#Mann #hits #Akal #Takht #Jathedar #provoking #people #ultimatuma
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 28, 2023
Akal Takht Jathedar gives 24-hr ultimatum for release of Sikhs held following crackdown on Amritpal Singh

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Amritsar: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Monday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the state government to release all Sikh youths who were held during the police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aides.
He also condemned the state government for invoking the National Security Act against a few persons during the police crackdown.
The Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, had convened a special gathering of Sikh organizations, including intellectuals, Sikh lawyers, journalists, religious and social leaders here to discuss the current situation in Punjab following the March 18 action against elements of ‘Waris Punjab De’ headed by Amritpal Singh.
Addressing the gathering, the Jathedar gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the Punjab government for releasing all Sikh youths in Punjab, saying otherwise the anger of Sikh community would remain simmering.
He also attacked certain TV channels, accusing them of promoting hate propaganda against Sikhs by describing the youths who have been held as separatists.
The Jathedar asked the state government to revoke the detention of some persons under the NSA and demanded that those who have been sent to Dibrugarh jail in Assam should be brought back to Punjab so that law can take its own course.
He said it would be wrong to say that there was a threat to national security due to the Sikhs who have been detained.
Without naming anyone, Singh said the NSA should also then be invoked against those who speak about ‘Hindu Rashtra.’

The Jathedar said it would extend all help to those “innocent Sikhs” who have been held in this matter.
The Jatehdar claimed around 400 Sikh youths had been “arrested” and 198 had been released.
But the Sikh community wanted release of all arrested Sikhs, he said.
He also asked the police to release the impounded vehicles of the Sikhs.
Punjab Police on Sunday had said it has released 197 persons out of total 353 taken into preventive custody on apprehension of breach of peace and disturbance of law and order.
The police had last week launched a crackdown against elements of ‘Waris Punjab De,’ headed Amritpal.
The elusive preacher himself, however, gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Jalandhar district.
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#Akal #Takht #Jathedar #24hr #ultimatum #release #Sikhs #held #crackdown #Amritpal #Singh
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 27, 2023
You have 24-hr ultimatum, release arrested Sikhs: Akal Takht Jathedar to Punjab govt

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Amritsar: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Monday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the state government to release all Sikh youths who were held during the police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his aides.
He also condemned the state government for invoking the National Security Act against a few persons during the police crackdown.
The Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, had convened a special gathering of Sikh organizations, including intellectuals, Sikh lawyers, journalists, religious and social leaders here to discuss the current situation in Punjab following the March 18 action against elements of ‘Waris Punjab De’ headed by Amritpal Singh.
Addressing the gathering, the Jathedar gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the Punjab government for releasing all Sikh youths in Punjab, saying otherwise the anger of Sikh community would remain simmering.
He also attacked certain TV channels, accusing them of promoting hate propaganda against Sikhs by describing the youths who have been held as separatists.
The Jathedar asked the state government to revoke the detention of some persons under the NSA and demanded that those who have been sent to Dibrugarh jail in Assam should be brought back to Punjab so that law can take its own course.
He said it would be wrong to say that there was a threat to national security due to the Sikhs who have been detained.
Without naming anyone, Singh said the NSA should also then be invoked against those who speak about ‘Hindu Rashtra.’

The Jathedar said it would extend all help to those “innocent Sikhs” who have been held in this matter.
The Jatehdar claimed around 400 Sikh youths had been “arrested” and 198 had been released.
But the Sikh community wanted release of all arrested Sikhs, he said.
He also asked the police to release the impounded vehicles of the Sikhs.
Punjab Police on Sunday had said it has released 197 persons out of total 353 taken into preventive custody on apprehension of breach of peace and disturbance of law and order.
The police had last week launched a crackdown against elements of ‘Waris Punjab De,’ headed Amritpal.
The elusive preacher himself, however, gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Jalandhar district.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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#24hr #ultimatum #release #arrested #Sikhs #Akal #Takht #JathedartoPunjabgovt
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 27, 2023
Akal Takht Jathedar asks radical preacher Amritpal to surrender before police

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Chandigarh: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh Saturday asked fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh to surrender before police and cooperate with investigation.
The Jathedar of Akal Takht (the highest temporal seat of Sikhs) also questioned police’s competence, wondering why they have not been able to nab the self-styled Sikh preacher despite having such a big force.
“If Amritpal is out (of police net), then I will ask him to present (before police) and cooperate with (police) investigation,” said the Jathedar.
Singh’s remarks come in the wake of Punjab Police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and elements of ‘Waris Punjab De’, an outfit headed by him.
Amritpal has been on the run since March 18, when the police crackdown began.
Several images and videos have shown him taking multiple vehicles to dodge police.
The preacher himself gave the police a slip and escaped their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in Jalandhar district. His whereabouts are still unknown.
The Punjab government has slapped the strictest National Security Act against him and some of his associates.

In a video message on Saturday, the Jathedar said the biggest question in the mind of every Sikh living across the world is how Amritpal could not be arrested despite a big police force in the state. It raises a question over the functioning of the police, he said.
Singh said if the preacher has already been arrested, then police should say so.
The fugitive’s parents had earlier expressed apprehension that their son had already been held by police.
He also asked police to keep in mind that Sikh youths, who have been held in the Amritpal case, have not committed as big crimes as they have been projected to have committed.
Amritpal and his many associates have been booked in several cases by police.
The Akal Takht Jathedar has also called a special gathering of around 60 to 70 Sikh organisations, seminaries and Nihang organisations to discuss the situation in Punjab. No representative of political organisations has been invited.
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#Akal #Takht #Jathedar #asks #radical #preacher #Amritpal #surrender #police
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 25, 2023