Amritpal Singh, a separatist leader currently jailed in Assam under the National Security Act or NSA, is purportedly set to enter the electoral fray as an Independent candidate for the Khadoor Sahib seat in Punjab, according to his legal representative.
His lawyer Rajdev Singh Khalsa asserted after a meeting with Amritpal Singh in Dibrugarh jail that the separatist leader has agreed to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the interest of the Khalsa Panth.
“Bhai sahab accepted my request in the Panthic interests… He will fight as an Independent candidate,” claimed Khalsa, highlighting Amritpal Singh’s commitment to representing the community’s concerns.
Amritpal Singh, the head of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ outfit, has been detained since April of the previous year under the NSA. Along with nine associates, he remains confined in Dibrugarh jail.
His father, Tarsem Singh, refrained from commenting on the matter until meeting his son, scheduled for the following day. Tarsem Singh noted that Amritpal Singh had previously shown no inclination towards political involvement, indicating a potential shift in his aspirations.
Amritpal Singh’s controversial background, styled after deceased Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, has drawn attention. His arrest in Moga’s Rode village last year followed a lengthy pursuit by authorities, including an escape and evasion in Jalandhar district.
The Punjab Police initiated action against Amritpal Singh and his associates after a violent incident in Ajnala in February, during which they clashed with law enforcement personnel, resulting in multiple charges, including attempts to murder and disrupting public order.
As Amritpal Singh ventures into the political arena from behind bars, his candidacy raises questions about the intersection of activism, separatism, and electoral democracy in Punjab’s complex socio-political landscape.
