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Amritpal Singh
Singh during Khalsa Vaheer 2022
2nd Jathedar of Waris Panjab De
Preceded by	Sandeep Singh Sidhu
Personal details
Born	1993 (age 30–31) Jallupur Khaira, Baba Bakala, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Known for	Anti-drug, Soveriegnity and Amrit Parchaar campaigns

Bhai Amritpal Singh Sandhu (born 1993) is an Indian Punjabi political activist campaigning for Sikh rights. He heads an organisation called Waris Panjab De.

Leadership (2022–present)

Inauguration

After the sudden death of Deep Sidhu, a letter was published by Waris Panjab De on 4 March 2022 declaring Amritpal Singh as the organisation's leader. When Singh returned to Punjab from Dubai, an official inauguration ceremony was held on 29 September 2022 at Rode in Moga, the native village of the former Jathedar of Damdami Taksal, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He took Amrit in Anandpur Sahib after being elected. His succession is disputed by some aides of Sidhu and critics claim that he wasnt endorsed by Sidhu's family.

Amrit Parchaar campaigns

In Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan in October 2022, Singh's first Amrit Parchaar campaign took place, where around 647 people took Amrit and became part of Khalsa Sikhs. Next he started a 'Ghar Wapsi' Campaign where 927 Sikhs, Hindus and Christians in Anandpur Sahib took Amrit making headlines on newspapers, the Haryana Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee under the Haryana Government gave him support. Afterwards he held another large Amrit Parchaar campaign in Amritsar where 1,027 Sikhs and Hindus from across India took Amritpan to became Khalsa Sikhs.

On 23 November, the 'Waris Punjab de' organization started a "Khalsa Vehir" campaign. He also organized Amrit Sanchar and anti-drug campaigns.

Sudhir Suri murder

In November 2022, Sudhir Suri, a Shiv Sena Politician was murdered by Sandeep Singh Sunny, who allegedly had a Waris Punjab De sticker on his vehicle. Punjab Police placed Amritpal Singh under a preemptive house arrest briefly, as a precautionary measure in anticipation of retaliatory violence against him, although he had no prior connection with Suri nor with the murder. After being released from house arrest, Singh did an Amrit Parchaar campaign in Haryana.

Controversies

In January 2022, the late actor and activist Deep Sidhu had blocked the current leader of Waris Punjab De, Amritpal Singh for 15 days before his death. According to the advocate and brother of Deep Sidhu, Mandeep Singh Sidhu gave a statement “An impression is being given that Deep Sidhu had groomed Amritpal and our family is a party to the decision to appoint Amritpal as the head of Waris Punjab De. This is totally untrue.” Moreover, Mandeep Singh Sidhu added that Amritpal Singh has no knowledge about the struggles of farmers and managed to illegally hijacked Waris Punjab De “an organisation found by Deep Sidhu after much study and research.

On 25 September 2022, he announced his presence in Punjab and participated in the large gathering at holy city of Anandpur Sahib. Later on, he started his first phase of Punjab tour, Khalsa Vaheer which started from Akal Takhat Sahib, Amritsar

In October 2022, the Christian community staged a four hours-long protest against Amritpal at PAP Chowk for his remarks about Jesus Christ. In one of his speeches, Amritpal said, "Jesus who could not save himself, how he will save everyone else?" The protestors demanded that an FIR (abbreviation meaning 'First Information Report') should be lodged against him under 295A of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) for "hurting religious sentiments and attempting to aggravate communal divisions".

In October 2022, an ex-army man and the president of Bharatiya Kisan Union Joginder Singh Ugrahan had criticised Amritpal Singh and said that, “Amritpal Singh had never went to college and have no experience about the agriculture and Sikhs spirituality." Further, Amritpal Singh had been in allegations to be associated with the party which calls Shaheed Bhagat Singh a terrorist.

On 2 October 2022, the president of the Shiv Sena (Thackeray), Punjab youth wing held a press conference and urged the state government to arrest Amritpal for his "seditious activities", saying, "He dresses like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and always surrounds himself with armed men. He often talks about reviving the Khalistani movement." He added, "He does not talk about preaching Sikhism to which, in any case, we have absolutely no objection. The problem is that he talks about forming a separate Sikh state on the lines of what Bhindrwala wanted." A few days after, on 7 October, his Twitter account was withheld in India for his remarks and pro-Khalistani tweets. The Ministry of Home Affairs also instructed the state government to remain vigilant over the activities of Amritpal.

In December 2022, Amritpal's supporters came under scrutiny for removing and burning chairs from a Sikh Gurdwara in Jalandhar. They had argued that this was against the Sikh Rehat Maryada and that everyone should sit at an equal level below Guru Granth Sahib. When Amritpal was notified that they were set on fire, he told his aides to stop this and question the Gurdwara management committee responsible for the chairs.

In December 2022, Singh's social media account on Instagram was erased worldwide. He had previous been banned from Twitter. Sikh groups pointed to a trend of social media bannings of Sikh activists by social media corporations due to pressure from the Indian government. Neither Instagram nor Twitter released their reasons for the bannings.

In February 2023, an F.I.R. was filed against the chief of Waris Punjab De, Amritpal Singh, and six other associates under sections 365, 379B, 323, 506, 148, and 149 of the IPC at the Ajnala police station. The press mentioned that the complaint was filed by Varinder Singh for kidnapping, theft, and voluntarily causing harm.

Additionally, Varinder Singh in his complaint alleged that he got kidnapped from the headquarters of the Damdami Taksal Ajnala faction run by Amreek Singh Ajnala and was beaten by the associates of Amritpal Singh.

References

1. ^ Menon, Aditya (6 October 2022). "Amritpal Singh: How a 29-Year-Old From Dubai Rose Dramatically in Sikh Politics". The Quint. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
2. "Deep Sidhu, actor-activist accused in Red Fort violence, dies in car crash". The Indian Express. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
   - Menon, Aditya (15 February 2022). "Deep Sidhu Dies in Accident: He Wanted Farmers Protest To Lead to Larger Change". TheQuint. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
3. Goyal, Divya (30 September 2022). "Khalistan on lips, Bhindranwale follower takes charge of Deep Sidhu's outfit, actor's kin say no link". Indian Express. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
4. "Preacher, 'influencer', ideologue: Meet Amritpal Singh, head of Waris Punjab De". The Indian Express. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
5. Jaskaran Singh (31 October 2022). "Haryana: HSGMC president praises Amritpal Singh for motivating youth to get initiated at Akal Takht". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
6. Matharu, Sonal (25 October 2022). "Fiery orator, 'Bhindranwale 2.0' — who's Amritpal Singh, new 'head' of Deep Sidhu's Waris Punjab De". The Print. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
7. "'Khalsa Vehir' march from Akal Takht to Kesgarh Sahib begin". TribuneIndia. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
8. "Amritpal Singh: Amrit Sanchar to focus on 'de-addiction' of youth". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
9. "'Sikh preacher' Amritpal Singh briefly put under house arrest". The Indian Express. 6 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
10. "Day after house arrest, Sikh 'preacher' Amritpal allowed to leave for Haryana". The Indian Express. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
11. Service, Tribune News. "'Deep Sidhu disliked Amritpal Singh, blocked his phone'". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
12. "What Explains Amritpal Singh's Mystifying Rise as the New Poster Boy of Radical Sikh Politics?". The Wire. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
13. "Members of Christian community hold four-hour protest in Jalandhar". Hindustan Times. 17 October 2022.
14. "Christians protest against Sikh 'preacher' Amritpal Singh for 'hurting religious sentiments', urge govt to book him". The Indian Express. 18 October 2022.
15. "What Amritpal Singh said? Christian community stage protest in Jalandhar over Waris Punjab De chief's controversial comment". True Scoop News.
16. "Christians demand arrest of Sikh activist Amritpal Singh, lodge protest at Jalandhar's PAP Chowk". Tribune News Service.
    - "अमृतपाल सिंह के विवादित बयान को लेकर इसाई समुदाय ने खोला मोर्चा, दी ये चेतावनी" [Christian community opened front regarding Amritpal Singh's controversial statement, gave this warning]. Punjab Kesari (in Hindi). 14 October 2022.
    - "ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਤੇ ਭੜਕਿਆ ਈਸਾਈ ਭਾਈਚਾਰਾ, ਰੱਜ ਕੇ ਭੜਾਸ ਕੱਢਦਿਆਂ ਕਹੀ ਇਹ ਗੱਲ" [Amritpal Singh was angry with the Christian community, and said this in a fit of rage]. Jagbani (in Punjabi). 17 October 2022.
17. Service, Tribune News. "'Deep Sidhu disliked Amritpal Singh, blocked his phone'". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
18. "Govt must arrest radical speaker Amritpal Singh, demands Shiv Sena". Tribune News Service.
19. "Preacher, 'influencer', ideologue: Meet Amritpal Singh, head of Waris Punjab De". The Indian Express. 8 October 2022.
20. "Amritpal Singh Twitter account suspended: Is government planning some big move against the Waris Punjab De Chief?". True Scoop News.
21. "Members of 'Waris Punjab De' burn chairs, sofas at Jalandhar gurdwara". Indian Express. 13 December 2022.
    - "Supporters of Amritpal create ruckus at gurdwara". The Tribune. 10 December 2022.
22. "Amritpal Singh's Instagram Suspended By The Government, Details Inside". Dariya News. 28 December 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
23. "Self-styled preacher and pro-Khalistani booked for theft by Punjab Police". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
24. "Self-styled preacher and pro-Khalistani booked for theft by Punjab Police". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 21 February 2023.

• 1993 births
• Living people
• People from Amritsar district