Bhagwant Mann meets Amit Shah; Centre sends 18 CRPF-RAF companies to Punjab

Mann, during his meeting with Shah, informed the Union minister about the circumstances leading to the Ajnala incident. After the meeting, Mann, a tweet in Punjabi, said that the “Centre and Punjab will work together on the issue of law and order”.

“In the meeting with @amitshah we discussed the issue of drones and drugs on the border… The issue of shifting the barbed wire on the border was also discussed…Asked to release Punjab’s stalled rural development fund soon…Centre-Punjab will work together on the issue of law and order,” he said.

Sources said a meeting was called earlier this week in the MHA to discuss the current situation of Punjab where senior officers of intelligence agencies were also present. “In the meeting, they discussed about the current law and order situation in Punjab and also about Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh Sandhu, who along with his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station to secure the release of an arrested associate,” a source said.

The intelligence agencies, apprised the meeting that after monitoring Amritpal’s activities for four-five months, they have prepared a dossier on the 30-year-old, recording more than 10 hate speeches, flaunting of weapons by his associates, his activities in cyberspace, social media accounts, visits to drug rehabilitation centres, among others. “The intelligence agencies are now trying to ascertain about the funding route of Amritpal and also scanning the role of all the financiers,” a source said.

In the meeting, the Punjab government had requested to provide security personnel of the CAPFs to maintain law and order and also for the upcoming festival, Hola Mohalla — a three-day Sikh festival, in which Nihang Sikh warriors perform Gatka, mock encounters with real weapons, tent pegging and bareback horse-riding.

“The CRPF has been asked to send 10 companies of Jharkhand-based units, and 8 of RPF to Punjab from March 6 to March 23 for maintaining law and order. All the company commanders have been asked to share their numbers with the control room at all levels and the security personnel should be equipped with latest anti-riot equipment along with operation scale arms and ammunition,” said an official, adding that the stay of these companies could be extended after consultation between the state and the Centre.

On Thursday, in the 40-minute long meeting, Mann is learnt to have told Shah that Pakistan was patronising drug mafia and drones from across the border were dropping contraband in Punjab. Mann also took up the issue of delay in posting of Punjab cadre IPS officer as Chandigarh SSP after Kuldeep Singh Chahal was repatriated by Governor Banwarilal Purohit. The state government has already sent a panel of IPS officers to Purohit, who is also Chandigarh administrator. But the posting orders have yet not been issued.

The CM is also learnt to have taken up the issue of holding up of Rural Development Fund (RDF) to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore by the Centre. The CM is learnt to have told Shah that the state procures foodgrains for the country on behalf of Centre and it was justified in levying taxes to ensure that the infrastructure required for procurement was set up and maintained.

A Punjab government statement later said that the Mann also urged Shah to provide liberal funds to ensure modernization of the state police force for effectively combating the new challenges. He said that the need of the hour is to provide ultra modern gadgets and weapons for checking cross border infiltration and drone attack from across the border. He said that this is most important for preserving the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country.

Mann also had detailed discussion with Shah on the gangsters nabbed by Punjab. Mann said his government is duty bound to maintain law and order in the state at every cost.

The Chief Minister also flagged the issue of problems being faced by the farmers having land across the fence.

Mann was accompanied by Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, Special Principal Secretary to CM Ravi Bhagat and others.