Punjab cops didn’t act against Amritpal Singh supporters to avoid sacrilege, says AAP MLA

A day after Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh and his supporters stormed the Ajnala Police station to free his aide, an AAP minister clarified.

That the cops had restrained themselves during the clash as the self-styled Sikh preacher had brought a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib to the police station.

“Amritpal Singh indulged in lawlessness in Ajnala. Many theories are being woven by the national media. I want to make it clear that the Punjab Police and the Punjab government are very strong,” AAP MLA Aman Arora said.

He claimed that the police personnel on duty might have acted against the protesters had Amritpal Singh supporters not brought a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib to the police station.

“It is because of the religious sentiments that the Punjab Police did not use force. Amritpal Singh was carrying Guru Granth Sahib to the police station. Punjab Police were restrained and did not want to disrespect Guru Granth Sahib,” Aman Arora said.

The Punjab minister posed a question to Waris Punjab De head Amritpal Singh, asking, “The person who talks about Sikhism is taking Guru Granth Sahib to the police station. Is that right?”

The minister said that Amritpal Singh wanted to get an FIR registered against him cancelled, and used religion to apply pressure.

“Amritpal Singh tried to create the scene just to avoid his arrest, which is not justified. Hence, it is because of the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib that police did not act, ” Aman Arora said.

The AAP leader said that the complainant, Varinder Singh, was a former follower of Amritpal Singh. He had questioned Amritpal Singh on social media, following which he was allegedly kidnapped and beaten up.

“Now the law of the land will work. Accordingly, the FIR has been registered,” Aman Arora said.

Speaking to India Today, DGP Gaurav Yadav said, “We had given assurance that the probe (into the complaint registered against Amritpal Singh and others) will be fair and open. They were allowed to protest peacefully. But they attacked the police. The police were restrained as they came with the Guru Granth Sahib.”

The DGP slammed the “cowardly attack” by Amritpal Singh’s followers. He added, “We are identifying the protestors. Action will be taken against them.”

Meanwhile, Amritpal Singh on Friday claimed that the police were lying. “It is very good if they respected Guru Granth Sahib, but this is not true (claims of him taking a copy of Guru Granth Sahib to police station), ” Amritpal Singh said.

Police should take action but…: ASG
Reacting to the clash in Ajnala between police personnel and Amritpal Singh supporters, Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain said that the law and order situation in Punjab was deteriorating day by day.

“The police should take stern action against such people, but in most cases no action is taken and in some cases (like Ajnala ) it also goes on the back foot under pressure. The irony is that the Punjab government, instead of taking action against these elements, is questioning the appointment of a governor and disrespecting the Constitution,” Satya Pal Jain said.

The additional solicitor general of India said that the AAP-led government in Punjab had become directionless and was losing its grip on law and order.