Amid police hunt for Amritpal, SGPC chief: ‘stop arresting innocent Sikh youths’

The SGPC president’s remarks come at a time when the state police is in the middle of a massive crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates and has arrested 112 people, including members of ‘Waris Punjab de’, an outfit headed by him. The state government has suspended mobile internet and SMS services till Tuesday noon.

Dhami said that Punjab’s Sikh youths have not only contributed to the progress of the state but also that of the country and the world. “But it is sad that Sikh youths are looked at with suspicion repeatedly. The present government of Punjab is also making a similar mistake,” he said.

“The government should not create an atmosphere of terror in the state in the guise of any phenomenon. It would be a big mistake of the government to present the practice of consciousness in the Sikh youth as a crime”, said Dhami, adding that the “misuse of government machinery only for political gain” is not justified.

Advising the Punjab government to stop such actions, the SGPC president said if the government is sincere and serious, it should provide employment opportunities to the youth.

On Sunday, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had said that governments should refrain from creating “an atmosphere of terror in Punjab for political interests”.

The Jathedar also said governments should refrain from adopting the “practice of oppression and illegal detentions” of the youth who speak for their rights in democratic manner.