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War of words between Punjab CM Mann, Akal Takht Jathedar amid ongoing manhunt for Amritpal Singh

Akal Takht Jathedar Gyani Harpreet Singh had given a 24-hour ultimatum to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Monday to release all Sikh youths held during the crackdown on Amritpal Singh.

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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh hit out at each other in a tense engagement over Sikh youths detained as part of police crackdown on fugitive preacher Amritpal Singh and his outfit. 

Jathedar Gyani Harpreet Singh had given a 24-hour ultimatum to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Monday to release all Sikh youths held during the crackdown. Hitting back, CM Mann slammed the Jathedar for “provoking” people through an ultimatum. The Akal Takht Jathedar responded by saying that he has the right and duty to voice about “innocent” Sikh youths.

The Punjab Police on Sunday said that it had released 197 people out of total 353 taken into preventive custody amid the crackdown. Mann accused Jathedar of "favouring" the Badal family 
which leads AAP’s rival in the state Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He further said that Badals had "used" several Jathedars for their "vested interests". He further said that it would have been better if the Jathedar had the ultimatum in the sacrilege and missing 'saroops' of Guru Granth Sahib.

Earlier, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, had also criticised the Mann government for invoking the National Security Act against a few persons in the crackdown. He had responded to CM Mann’s comments saying, “Bhagwant Mann ji as you represent Punjab, I am also a humble representative of my 'qaum' (community). I also have the right and my duty to speak about the rights of the innocent youth of my 'qaum'.”

“First, let's save Punjab together and unite the mothers waiting for their innocent sons who have been put in jail and get their blessings,” he said referring to the ultimatum.  

Meanwhile, manhunt for Amritpal Singh is still on and has entered day 11 with the Khalistan leader successfully evading police till now. Latest CCTV footage showed Amritpal Singh without a turban and wearing a mask, walking on a street, believed to be in a Delhi market. The Punjab Police has told the Punjab and Haryana court that they are close to nabbing Amritpal Singh.
 

(Inputs from PTI)

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