Amritpal’s Father Slams Punjab Govt Over NSA Extension, Calls It “A Blot on Democracy”

The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government is facing flak from the family of jailed MP and radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh after it extended his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) for another year. Amritpal’s father, Tarsem Singh, on Sunday accused the State Government of working in tandem with the Centre to keep his son behind bars, calling the latest extension a “blot on democracy” and a betrayal of the Khadoor Sahib electorate’s trust.

Amritpal, who was arrested on April 23, 2023, from Rode village in Moga after a dramatic month-long manhunt, has been lodged in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail under the stringent NSA. Despite contesting and winning the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary seat as an independent candidate during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he continues to remain in detention.

Reacting strongly to the fresh detention order issued on April 18, Tarsem Singh told reporters in Amritsar that the government has “thrown all rules to the wind” and extended the NSA solely out of political fear. “Amritpal fought elections, was elected as MP, and only wanted to raise the people’s issues. But they see his presence in politics as a threat,” he said.

He further claimed that the massive public turnout at the Baisakhi conference in Bathinda earlier this year had unnerved the political establishment. “They don’t have the courage to face him in the political arena, so they want to silence him behind bars,” Tarsem said.

Terming the extension as discriminatory, Tarsem alleged that “a separate law” seemed to apply for Sikhs in India. “This is not just an attack on Amritpal, but also on the democratic rights of Khadoor Sahib’s voters. Even while he is in jail, crime and unrest continue in Punjab. So what justification does the government have now?” he questioned.

Tarsem also lashed out at the government for failing to inform the family about the latest NSA extension. “We were neither informed nor given any notice. This is an injustice not only to my son but also to the people who voted for him,” he added.

He also suggested vested interests were working to keep his son incarcerated. “There are people whose ‘shops’ run on Amritpal being in jail. They fear their illegal operations would end if he is released,” Tarsem alleged.

There are reports that Amritpal’s third extension under the stringent NSA would be legally challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, just as previous detentions under NSA were contested.

An advocate, associated with Amritpal’s legal team, maintained that in case the state genuinely believed Amritpal is guilty, it should conduct a fair trial in the cases filed against him. “This is the third time the NSA has been extended. It shows the government’s inability or unwillingness to pursue a legal course through the criminal justice system,” added the advocate.

As per the order issued by the Amritsar District Magistrate, the extension was recommended by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and vetted by the state’s Home and Justice Department after reviewing intelligence inputs. “There is grave and imminent danger that on his release, Amritpal would indulge in activities prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order,” the order read.

The detention has now been extended for one more year starting April 23, 2025, just as his previous term under NSA expires.

Interestingly, while nine of Amritpal’s associates — also held under NSA following the 2023 Ajnala police station attack — were recently brought back from Dibrugarh jail to Punjab and booked under specific FIRs, Amritpal continues to be held in Assam’s high security prison. His aides now face legal proceedings in the Ajnala case, where Amritpal and his supporters, many armed with swords and guns, had stormed a police station demanding the release of one of his aides.

Amritpal, who heads the Waris Punjab De outfit and has been seen emulating the style of slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, had managed to evade arrest in March 2023 by frequently switching vehicles and disguises, leading to a state-wide crackdown that culminated in his eventual arrest.

The controversy over Amritpal’s continued detention under NSA has again brought to light the sensitive nature of Punjab’s politics, especially with rising sentiments around Sikh identity and the emergence of panthic voices in mainstream electoral politics. The creation of the Akali Dal Waris Punjab De earlier this year by Amritpal’s supporters during the Maghi Mela, signals a shift in political dynamics, something the traditional parties appear wary of.