Amritpal Propped Up by Intelligence Agencies, says Badal

On 16 May, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal launched a frontal attack on Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh, saying Panjabis should understand the conspiracy behind fielding Amritpal as an independent from the Khadoor Sahib constituency. ‘You should determine whether a person who acquired Sikhi Saroop (appearance) one year ago is fit to lead you or your own 103-years-old party which is steeped in the blood of our forefathers,’ Badal said addressing a gathering at Baba Bakala for party’s Khadoor Sahib candidate Virsa Singh Valtoha. ‘I urge the people to evaluate whether Amritpal has been propped up by central [Indian] agencies. What other explanation can be for a person who first propped up, then projected and arrested, and is now being kept in safe custody only to be used as a candidate in the parliamentary elections to counter the popularity of the SAD.’ Badal pointed out Amritpal had said he would not enter politics and was only interested in amrit parchar (Sikh initiation ceremony) and fighting the drug menace. ‘Amritpal was facilitated to file his papers despite being incarcerated under the National Security Act in Dibrugarh. The families of Bandi Singh (Political Prisoners) are with SAD.’ (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 18, Story 3). SAD is also casting doubts on Amritpal because his lawyer Rajdev Singh Khalsa, a criminal lawyer from Barnala, is a former Sikh hardliner. Khalsa announced Amritpal’s candidature and is leading Amritpal’s campaign. Khalsa has had a checkered career from being an old guard Akali leader, a Member of Parliament from Sangrur, leader of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Sikh branch), to supporting AAP, joining the SAD (Taksali) and now the BJP.