Son of Indira Gandhi killer to contest from Faridkot
Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, a resident of Mohali's Phase 5, is yet to visit Faridkot but claimed that many people from the parliamentary constituency have asked him to contest the elections.
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Khalsa had unsuccessfully fought the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda seat as Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) candidate and had polled 1.13 lakh votes. He had also unsuccessfully contested the 2007 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections from Bhadaur seat in Barnala as SAD(A) candidate. (Express Photo) The son of one of the assassins of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi Thursday said he will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Faridkot seat in Punjab as an Independent candidate.
Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa ( 45), a resident of Mohali’s Phase 5, is yet to visit Faridkot but claimed that many people from the parliamentary constituency have asked him to contest the elections. “I decided to contest from Faridkot about a month ago. Many villagers of Faridkot had approached me to contest, so I made the decision. I will reach the constituency next week,” Khalsa told The Indian Express. Khalsa is the son of Beant Singh.
Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, who were the then-prime minister’s bodyguards, killed Gandhi on October 31, 1984 at her residence. Khalsa said the key issue that he will be raising in the election is punishment for those responsible for the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. “That’s why I chose Faridkot constituency as sacrilege happened in 2015 there during the SAD-BJP rule and till date the culprits haven’t been punished. It is really sad that the so called Panthic party — Shiromani Akali Dal — couldn’t provide justice in the case,” said Khalsa.
The incidents related to the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and police firing at anti-sacrilege protesters at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan took place in 2015 in the Faridkot district. Two persons were killed in the police firing at Behbal Kalan.
The issue turned into the major reason behind the downfall of the SAD, which was reduced to 17 seats in 2017 Assembly elections that was won by the Congress, and to three seats in the 2022 Vidhan sabha polls. “The other issues I will highlight is the easy availability of drugs, which is ruining the life of the youngsters in Punjab. Also the level of education has gone down, due to which Punjab youth are not finding employment opportunities. Employment scenario can be improved if the standard of education is improved”.
Khalsa had unsuccessfully fought the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda seat as Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) candidate and had polled 1.13 lakh votes. He had also unsuccessfully contested the 2007 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections from Bhadaur seat in Barnala as SAD(A) candidate.
In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he again tried his luck from Fatehgarh Sahib seat as Bahuja Samaj Party candidate but lost again. He didn’t contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the subsequent 2022 Assembly elections. Asked why he was not contesting on any party’s ticket, Khalsa said, “I never approached any party in the past. Rather they used to approach me. This time, I decided to contest as an independent”.
Khalsa’s grandfather Sucha Singh and mother Bimal Kaur had remained MPs from Bathinda and Ropar constituencies respectively in 1989. They both were elected on SAD (Amritsar) ticket.
“I am sure people of Faridkot will support me and any Panthic organisation. Those who want to walk along, are most welcome,” said Khalsa.Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held on June 1.
The Aam Aadmi Party has fielded actor Karamjit Singh Anmol from Faridkot Lok Sabha seat while the BJP has named singer Hans Raj Hans for the polls.
The Faridkot seat is currently represented by Congress MP Mohammad Sadique.
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