Preacher, ‘influencer’, ideologue: Meet Amritpal Singh, head of Waris Punjab De

As he took charge of Waris Punjab De — the Sidhu family claims it is a faction of the organisation the actor had founded — Amritpal, amid slogans of “Khalistan Zindabad”, made sure to remind thousands who had gathered there of the importance of Rode as the place from where the “the struggle was launched” and the place from where “they will again lead the struggle” for “panth’s azaadi”.

Rode is the native village of slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Amritpal calls Bhindranwale his “inspiration”, and is quick to discount any comparisons with him. “I am not even equal to dust of his feet. I will only walk the path shown by him,” said Amritpal who dresses like the slain militant and copies his mannerisms.

Most in the gathering, and Punjab, had only seen or heard Amritpal on social media before he flew down from Dubai, where he had been working as dispatcher in the family-owned transport business for the past over 10 years, and burst into the border state’s religio-political scene with his fiery oratory skills promising to free the youth from the clutches of drug menace and revive the ‘panth’ of yore.

A resident of Jallupur Khera in Amritsar, Amritpal is the youngest of the three children of Tarsem Singh and Balwinder Kaur. While Tarsem keep shuttling between Dubai and India, Balwinder Kaur lives in the village. Though he remained active on Facebook since 2012 when he went to Dubai, often taking up issues concerning Punjab, Amritpal never had much traction before 2019 when he came out in support of farmers’ agitation against the now-repealed agri laws. He was also a vocal supporter of Deep Sidhu and the role the Punjabi actor played in the farm stir. Amritpal’s reach on social media increased by leaps and bounds after he got associated with Deep Sidhu.

It was during a Facebook Live session in 2019, when responding to allegations from a person that he was being funded by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Amritpal, in a lighter vein, said: “Now, don’t wish me Ram Ram. Wish me Salam Waleikum. Now, I am being connected with the ISI”.

Now, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to the Punjab government expressing concern over the alleged suspicious activities of Amritpal. The Centre has asked the state to remain vigilant. Former chief minister and BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh warned the Aam Aadmi Party government to wake up against the activities of “such forces which are inimical to Punjab” and the nation.

“People of Punjab want to know who are the forces behind this youth who had recently moved to Punjab from Dubai…it is the duty and responsibility of the state government to confront such forces and their activities,” said the veteran leader. He said that drones from Pakisatan have in the recent past dropped arms and ammunition several times in Punjab and asked if “people are being activated to use this ammunition for anti-India activities”.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring wrote to state police chief Gaurav Yadav Friday stating that there is a “growing concern among people over what he (Amritpal) says and what he does”. Warring said nobody has any issues with Amritpal’s religious preaching or the way he tries to baptise youth, but “it must be verified what is the purpose of Waris Punjab De, and how come Amritpal landed out of blue from Dubai where he was well settled”. The Congress leader said
“Punjab cannot afford yet another era of violence and bloodshed”.

A leader of state-based Shiv Sena (Thackeray) has urged the state government to immediately arrest Amritpal for his “seditious activities”. His Twitter account ‘@sandhuamrit10’, which had over 11,000 followers was withheld in India on Friday.

Finance Minister Harpal Cheema in the recently-concluded Assembly session, had said that the AAP government would investigate the background of Amritpal.
Those who have been following Amritpal, say the criticism and the opposition that he is facing was bound to happen. The self-styled preacher had been waging war on social media against regional and national political parties, feminists, activists, Khalsa Aid and even some pro-Khalistan groups such as Dal Khalsa for the last couple of years.

Amritpal found his playground in Facebook Live sessions and Clubhouse — a social audio app — where he would debate on the politics and Sikh affairs, something that brought him close to Deep Sidhu.

Known for his offensive language, and unapologetic nature, Amritpal defended Deep Sidhu on social media especially after the actor was arrested and most political parties, and farmer groups had shunned him following the incident of the hoisting of Nishan Sahib at Red Fort in New Delhi during a tractor parade on January 26, 2021. Amritpal went after anyone who spoke directly or indirectly against Deep Sidhu.

Incidentally, actor’s brother Mandeep has said that family never made Amritpal the head of ‘Waris Panjab De’. “None of us, including Deep, ever met him. He was in touch with Deep over phone for sometime but later he had blocked Amritpal. We do not know how he has declared himself as head of Waris Punjab De. He is misusing our name to propagate anti-social activities,” Mandeep had told the Indian Express.

Responding to such allegations, Amritpal had said that Deep Sidhu would block or unblock his close circle friends due to security reasons as his phone was under continuous surveillance of investigative agencies as per court orders. “Deep had two numbers. We were working together even before Waris Punjab De was launched. People know that. I don’t need to prove it,” Amritpal told The Indian Express.

Soon after Deep Sidhu died in a road accident on February 15, declared Deep Sidhu as a “quomi shaheed” (martyr of the Sikh community). He also declared that “people like Sidhu, who are on Guru’s duty, can never die in such accidents; we know…who killed him”.

After he returned to Punjab in mid-August 20, Amritpal started tapping the following that Deep Sidhu had cultivated. Amritpal moved around in the state for one month and met heads of many Sikh political and religious organisations and the Nihang bodies seeking their support. He also asked the youth, who had been following Deep Sidhu, to become baptised Sikh. He himself became a baptised Sikh — he had started growing hair last year — on September 25 along with around 1,000 others.
Soon after taking charge of Waris Punjab De, Amritpal issued a general apology saying he was sorry if he had hurt anyone with his words and promised a new beginning.

Incidentally, Amritpal often attacked gangster-turned activist Lakha Sidhana in the past. However, soon after Punjab Police booked Sidhana in an NDPS case, Amritpal came out in his support.

In his old photographs, Amritpal is mostly seen sporting T-shirt and denim jeans and in short hair. There’s no hint of the religious preacher’s look that he now
dons. However, as he started moving around Punjab, he chucked the T-shirts and jeans for the traditional Sikh attire, especially those designed the way Bhindranwale used to wear. Earlier, Damdami Taksal faction head Ram Singh gifted a steel arrow to Amritpal after which he was accused of copying Bhindranwale, who too used to move around holding a steel arrow. Like Bhindranwale, Amritpal’s politics has remained pro-Khalistan and a resolution too was passed in the gathering on September 29 asking Government not to take any legal action against those who are waging a ‘peaceful struggle’ for Khalistan in India and abroad.

As of now, the only political party that has openly come out in Amritpal’s support is Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). Its president and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann, who attended the Rode gathering, said “raising demand for Khalistan is no crime…the foundation of Khalistan will be laid soon.”

Amritpal’s rise in just a few months is being credited to the vacuum created in Sikh politics. The Shiromani Akali Dal and its factions have been struggling in electoral politics. There have been many claimants to fill the space, and Amritpal is one of them though he has said that he would never be into electoral politics but may support link minded candidates. The trust deficit among the youth in the governments at state and Centre is also being seen as a reason behind the rise of figures like Amritpal