Khalistan flags spring up at Assembly gate, Himachal seals state borders

In a late evening order, DGP Sanjay Kundu directed all senior police officers “to seal all inter-state borders and keep strict vigil at the places of probable hideouts” of the miscreants. The senior officials were also directed to keep the special security units, bomb disposal squads and quick reaction teams on high alert and “strengthen the security of dams, railway stations, bus stands, government buildings and vital installations”.

The DGP also issued directions to all field formations to “remain on high alert from today”, keeping in view “the incidents of Khalistan elements in neighboring states, the “incident of tying of a Khalistan banner in Una” on April 11, and “hoisting of banners and graffiti of Khalistan on the outer boundary of Vidhan Saba in Dharamshala”. He also cited the threat posed by the outlawed Sikhs for Justice announcing June 6 as voting date for Khalistan Referendum in Himachal Pradesh.

धर्मशाला विधानसभा परिसर के गेट पर रात के अंधेरे में खालिस्तान के झंडे लगाने वाली कायरतापूर्ण घटना की मैं निंदा करता हूं।

इस विधानसभा में केवल शीतकालीन सत्र ही होता है इसलिए यहां अधिक सुरक्षा व्यवस्था की आवश्यकता उसी दौरान रहती है।

— Jairam Thakur (@jairamthakurbjp) May 8, 2022

An FIR under Sections 153-A, 153-B of IPC, Section 3 of HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985, and Section 13 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) has been registered at Dharamashala police station against Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of the SFJ and others.

Earlier, Kangra SP Khushal Sharma said the banners might have been put late in night or early morning on Saturday. “We have removed the Khalistani flags. Investigation is going on,” the SP said. Condemning the incident, Chief Minister Thakur said the culprits will be caught soon.

“Only the winter session of the Assembly is held at Dharamshala, and hence it requires tighter security arrangements during that time only. Taking advantage of this, the cowardly incident was carried out, but the government will not tolerate it. The culprits will be caught soon. Action will be taken,” Thakur said.

SDM, Dharamshala, Shilpi Beakta said, “It is an alert call for us. We received information around 7.30am. We removed the flags and walls have been repainted. We are going to register a case under relevant sections of the Himachal Pradesh Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement Act), 1985.”

Meanwhile, the AAP slammed the BJP, asking how will its government save the people of the country when it failed in ensuring national security.

On Twitter, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said the putting up of the Khalistan flags outside the gate of Assembly building in Dharamshala was a “complete” failure of the BJP government in dealing with the matter pertaining to national security and keeping the respect of the people of the hill state. —WITH PTI