Nothing to do with Amritpal, our family doesn’t agree with his ideology: Deep Sidhu’s brother

Waris Punjab De was originally floated by Deep Sidhu on September 30, 2021 but was taken over by self-styled radical leader and Bhindranwale follower, Dubai-returnee Amritpal Singh, after Deep’s death.

‘Waris Punjab De’ has been in the eye of a storm after Amritpal, along with hundreds of supporters, clashed with police and stormed Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23. They used Sri Guru Granth Sahib as a shield and waved swords and weapons to get their aide, booked in an alleged kidnapping case, freed from police custody.

Deep Sidhu (left) headed ‘Waris Punjab De’ before Amritpal Singh.

Mandeep, who was overseeing construction works at the memorial site for Deep when The Sunday Express met him, said their group cannot align with Amritpal’s “at any cost” since ideological difference makes them “stand far apart”. “My brother had launched Waris Punjab De with another ideology…not the one he (Amritpal) is now taking it to. Deep had clearly said that talks are the (only) way but Amritpal is clearly asking youths to pick up weapon. He is misusing Deep’s name and portraying him as a separatist,” Mandeep said.

Waris Punjab De followers enter Ajnala police station near Amritsar, Thursday. (Express Photo: Rana Simranjit Singh)

Both groups named “Waris Punjab De” — led by Amritpal and Mandeep — are registered as separate entities under the Societies Registration Act and both factions use Deep Sidhu as its face and call him their inspiration on social media.

“Violence, weapons are not our way. We are not waging any battle against the government. We will fight for the rights of Punjab but there is a way to do that,” Mandeep said. “We got our group registered separately at Fatehgarh Sahib in July last year to make it clear to police and other authorities that we have nothing to do with Amritpal Singh’s group and its activities.”

He said he has heard some of Amritpal’s speeches and “he sounds too extreme, too violent. (But) youths like it and he will get more followers.”

Mandeep said, “He used my brother’s official Facebook page just five days after his death…he took over the FB page of Waris Punjab De. They created a new logo of Waris Punjab De and posted from Deep’s page on February 20, 2022 that all his fans should follow that page.”

Waris Punjab De logo which is used by Deep’s family-backed group.

Deep, his brother said, already had more than 5 lakh followers on Facebook and it created an impression that Amritpal was his “authorized successor”. But, he asserted, “that was never with our permission.”

Mandeep said, “Amritpal claims he was in touch with my brother before his death but we have no proof of that. His (Amritpal’s) number was blocked on Deep’s phone. Most of Deep’s close associates who were with him when he had floated Waris Punjab De said they do not know Amritpal and how he can be made the president (of the group), but then some others said Amritpal should be the president. However, as a family we were not willing to make Amritpal the president of my brother’s venture. At the time we were too (emotionally) shattered to get into all this and tell people that he was made the (organisation’s) head without the family’s consent.”

Mandeep, who was also served NIA notice for helping Deep in the farmers’ protests against the farm laws, which were later repealed, said: “Whatever happened on Republic Day was in the heat of the moment. Deep had not instigated violence; instead, he had gone there to bring protesters back from the Red Fort. Protesters had reached there two hours before him.”

Deep was arrested by Delhi Police for his alleged role in the Republic Day violence in 2021 and hoisting of Sikh flag at the Red Fort in Delhi. He was later granted bail.

Mandeep said pro-Khalistan slogans raised during Deep’s cremation in Ludhiana were “public sentiment”, and the family had not asked them to shout those slogans. “Instead, we had asked for additional security. Deep…never said we need a separate country. Amritpal talks of a separate country for Sikhs, and that’s the difference between us and them”.

The logo which is used by Amritpal-led group.

He said the two sides got their groups registered separately since “police were asking us a lot of questions.” He said, “We are registered as ‘Waris Punjab De’ at Fatehgarh Sahib; theirs is registered as ‘Warris Panj-aab De’ at Moga. People will slowly understand the difference.”

On the Ajnala violence, Mandeep said that was also a failure of police and government. “This way anyone can storm inside the police station and get anyone freed with pressure,” he said.

Mandeep shared stage with Amritpal

While Mandeep said he can never agree with Amritpal’s extremist ideology, he had, however, attended Deep Sidhu’s first death anniversary programme organized separately by the Amritpal group at Budh Singh Wala village of Moga on February 19. Amritpal had honored him with a siropa at the event, and Mandeep gave a brief speech while sharing the stage with him.

Mandeep said, “I did not go there to support Amritpal but to attend a programme held in my brother’s memory.”

Mandeep Sidhu had, however, shared stage with Amritpal on Deep Sidhu’s first death anniversary programme held by Amritpal’s group at Buddh Singh Wala village of Moga.

At the event, Amritpal announced that despite all differences, he had immense respect for Deep Sidhu’s family.

Welcoming Mandeep from the stage, Amritpal had said: “Today, Deep’s brother is among us. (It was) said that we have issues with them; that we are against them and they are against us. I have never uttered a word against anyone. Yes, differences are created when we do not sit together, but today he has come here, I am thankful to him… tussi shaheed da parivaar ja ho, tussi jo hukam laonge saanu manzoor houga, assi peeche ni hatde… (you are family of our martyr, we will never disobey your orders).”

But what probably has widened the rift between Amritpal and Deep’s family is not just the difference in ideologies, as Mandeep put it, but also an emotion, said Harnek Singh Uppal, alias Fauji, a Nawanshahr-based ex-serviceman and president of Waris Punjab De faction backed by Deep’s family. He said: “Deep’s family, including his mother and brother, were the real forces who stood behind him when Deep was booked by Delhi Police. After Deep’s death, Amritpal came from Dubai but did not bother to meet his family even once, or express condolences. The family was still in shock and all of sudden a man came and took over their son’s dream project for Punjab. We decided to stand with the family and get a separate organisation registered. Using Sri Guru Granth Sahib as a shield in a personal case and indulging in violence can never be our way.”