For six consecutive days,
authorities in India have been on a nationwide hunt for Amritpal
Singh, a hardline Sikh leader from the northwestern state of Punjab
who rose to prominence for supporting the Khalistan movement,
which calls for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland.
30-year-old Singh has been on the
run since March 18. To find him, authorities have deployed thousands
of paramilitary police and restricted Internet and mobile messaging
services across the state—forcing nearly 30 million people to go offline. Singh
leads a group called Waris Punjab De, which means “the heirs of Punjab,”
and made national headlines in February when hundreds of his supporters
stormed a local police station with guns and swords to demand the
release of a jailed aide.
So far, the police have arrested
more than a hundred people linked to the incident, including Singh’s
uncle and driver. On Sunday, an official told the local press
that the police preemptively arrested individuals who were “attempting
to disturb law and order in Punjab.”
Here’s what to know about the events unfolding:
Who is Amritpal Singh?
Singh is a self-styled preacher
who rose to prominence after the year-long farmers’ protests in 2020
against new agricultural laws proposed by Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi (the government repealed the laws in November
2021). Before this, he was a relatively unknown truck driver
who ran a car rental business in Dubai.
During the protests Singh joined
Waris Punjab De, an organization founded by actor and activist Deep
Sidhu, to mobilize farmers. After Sidhu was killed in a car crash in February
2022, Singh took over the organization and continued to campaign for Sikh
rights by giving impassioned speeches against rising Hindu
nationalism sentiments under the Modi administration, as well as social
issues like rampant drug addiction in Punjab.
His speeches resonated with many
Sikhs and have led to his rising popularity. Amritpal Singh is a hardline
Sikh leader who supports the Khalistan movement, which aims to create
an independent Sikh homeland. He leads a group called Waris Punjab De
and gained national attention when his supporters stormed a local
police station in February 2022. Singh rose to prominence during the year-long farmers'
protests in 2020 against new agricultural laws proposed by Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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