‘Have Indian passport, but…’: Amritpal says Khalistan discussion ‘normal’ | Latest News India
Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh drew a parallel between “Hindu Rashtra” and “Khalistan” when defending the slogans calling for a separate state. Amritpal, the new face of Punjab’s fundamentalist fringe, said Khalistan is a “very normal discussion” in Punjab and only looks scary to outsiders because they see it through the media lens.
Radical Sikh leader and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh (right) along with his assistant Lovepreet Singh at the Golden Temple on Friday night. (Same Sehgal/HT)(HT_PRINT)
{{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
{{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
“Unless you’re Punjabi and you don’t visit the state very frequently and see it all through the media, it looks very scary. But it is not. Khalistan is a perfectly normal discussion here,” the self-proclaimed separatist preacher told ANI news agency.
“If someone says ‘Hindu Rashtra’, Zindabad, what is ‘Hindu Rashtra’? Where is it established? People don’t feel threatened by it,” he said, while claiming that the idea of “Hindu Rashtra” is completely opposite to the idea of “Khalistan”.
“Hindu Rashtra does not include other identities, either you are a Hindu or dead. They do not give you any options. The idea of Khalistan is so pure, their idea is the Raj of Khalistan,” Amritpal added.
The 29-year-old controversial pro-Khalistan leader said he does not consider himself an Indian citizen, calling the passport merely a “travel document” which does not make him an Indian.
{{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
{{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
{{#content}} {{/content}}
Amritpal also defended his earlier remarks on Union homeland Amit Shah, in which he had warned of “consequences” similar to those of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. On Thursday he said: “Amit Shah has said that he will not let the Khalistan movement stand up. I had said that the same thing was done by Indira Gandhi and if you do the same thing you will face consequences. If the Home Secretary says the same to those who are calling for ‘Hindu Rashtra’ then I will see if he stays Home Secretary.”
In defense of his testimony, Amritpal said: “When Amit Shah said he will suppress things, I said there will be consequences. It’s not just about the murder of Indira Gandhi as a consequence. It’s not a threat to the Home Secretary. I would say it’s a threat to us. If there are legal binaries in India, what are our options? I do not consider myself a citizen of India. I only have one passport, which doesn’t make me Indian. It is a travel document.”
{{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
{{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
(With inputs from ANI)