Amritpal was brought to the jail on April 23 after he was arrested from Moga district in Punjab.
Listen to this article
AAP govt sees ‘deep conspiracy’, cites Amritpal emergence and rise, says blasts after preacher held
x
00:00
1x1.5x1.8x
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab Thursday saw “a deep conspiracy” in various incidents in the state starting from violence in Patiala last year to emergence of Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh and lately the three low intensity blasts at Golden Temple in Amritsar, even as the Opposition continued to target the government for being unable to handle law and order situation.
AAP chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said there “certainly is a deep conspiracy” and the details will be clear very soon. “I do not want to blame anyone at this juncture. But there is certainly a conspiracy. If you join the dots and look at the pattern, everything seems to be designed. Be it the Patiala violence, Devi Talab Mandir violence, emergence of Amritpal on the scene, his activities, and soon after the his arrest, the series of blasts…”.
“DGP Gaurav Yadav has already given an indication. The police will be interrogating the accused in the blasts at Golden Temple in Amritsar and we will all know,” he added.
The Punjab Police earlier in the day arrested five persons in connection with the low-intensity blasts near the Golden Temple, hours after a third explosion took place in the area. The latest explosion occurred on Wednesday midnight in Galiara, the pathway and park around the Golden Temple, behind Guru Ram Dass Inn building. A low-intensity explosion had taken place on a heritage street near the shrine on May 6. The second one occurred in the same area in less than 30 hours after the first blast.
The motive behind the explosions is yet to be ascertained, Yadav said, adding, “We will investigate if the arrested accused are part of a self-radicalised module or worked at the behest of some other persons”.
Earlier during the day, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan took to social media to say that the series of blasts near Guru Ramdass Serai near Golden Temple is a matter of concern, “the forces doing this are anti-Panth, anti-Punjab and peace-disturbing groups…some of the accused have been arrested, efforts are on to get to the bottom of these incidents,” he said in a tweet.
Later, he issued a statement expressing deep concern over the blast incidents and urged people to remain calm. He said that “anti-Punjab forces are not being able to tolerate the peace, communal harmony and progress of the state and are conspiring to scare the pilgrims coming from all over the world to Sri Darbar Sahib”. The Punjab government, he added, will never allow these kinds of nefarious activities of anti state elements.
Story continues below this ad
The Speaker asked the police to quickly arrest the perpetrators along with the masterminds of these incidents and further strengthen the security arrangements in the state.
Another AAP spokesperson Ahbab Grewal said, “It is for everyone to see. There is a pattern. Politics of religion was on and gangsters were being harboured (in the state). Now, a new party is ruling the state. We have different politics. Our politics revolves around education and health. Everybody knows what is happening. Why has sacrilege taken place?”
Earlier, Leader of Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa had sought to corner the government. “Even the blasts couldn’t wake the AAP government from its deep slumber. The CM must explain why he couldn’t beef up the security in the vicinity of Darbar Sahib after the first blast that occurred on Saturday night. Police have suspected it was an IED blast. The priorities of CM towards the deteriorated law & order situation can be gauged from the fact that 1,200 security guards are protecting him and his family while 2,500 police personnel have been protecting the 25 lakh population of Jalandhar district,” Bajwa had said.
Arshpreet Khadial, a Congress spokesperson said that the AAP was inexperienced. “There is no law and order in the state. What is stopping them from ordering an inquiry into these blasts,” he asked.
Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India.
Professional Background
Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state.
Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions.
Special Projects:
Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship.
Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government:
1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs
"Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA.
"Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor.
"Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas.
2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls
"Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections.
"AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections.
"Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership.
3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy
"Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government.
"Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP.
4. Welfare & Economy
"Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program.
"Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025).
Signature Beat
Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens.
X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More
4 min read
