New Delhi: As the manhunt for fugitive Khalistani sympathiser and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh enters its fifth day, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has come under fire from the Opposition parties including Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal who are demanding Punjab Chief Minister’s resignation.
Shiromani Akali Dal released a list of numbers to provide legal aid to the youths who have been arrested and condemned the "indiscriminate arrests".
Punjab Police Recovers Bike He Fled On, Reaches Amritpal's Residence
Jalandhar Senior Superintendent of Police, Swarndeep Singh said that the police have recovered the bike on which Amritpal escaped police's net. "He changed clothes at local gurudwara, had food and then went away on motorcycle. Babaji who's being questioned by police now had admitted that Amritpal came here," told a local eyewitness in Jalandhar to news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police today reached at Amritpal Singh's residence in Amritsar's Jallupur Khera village.
Opposition Launch Attack On Bhagwant Mann Government
Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly and Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa alleged that the operation to nab Amritpal was done in Jalandhar, eyeing a by-election, instead of arresting him from his village in Amritsar and demanded CM Mann’s resignation.
“He (Amritpal Singh) could have been arrested from his village in Amritsar but the operation was done in the Jalandhar area given the Jalandhar by-elections. All this happened under a strategy...We came here to demand his (CM Mann's) resignation.”
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Raja Singh Warring questioned Amritpal’s escape in presence of police officials and doubted the intention of Punjab and the Central government.
“How did Amritpal escape in the presence of police officials? It means Amritpal was aware of the plan. I doubt the intention of both the Punjab and Central govt. There is some conspiracy behind it,” Warring said.
Akali Dal Shares Helpline Number To Provide Legal Aid To Detainees
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said that his party was ready to provide legal help to all the Sikh youths arrested in the crackdown by the Punjab Police.
“Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to provide complete legal assistance to all Sikh youth arrested in the ongoing extra-constitutional crackdown in Punjab and ensure their rights are not trampled upon by AAP Punjab,” Badal tweeted.
He condemned the “indiscriminate arrests of innocent Sikh youth, especially the Amritdhari youth on mere suspicion through resort to extra-constitutional methods” and demanded the immediate release of all those arrested.