Directing police to take strict action against the miscreants responsible for hoisting a ‘Khalistan’ flag in the Moga administrative complex, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday appealed to youngsters not to get swayed by the vicious propaganda of anti-India elements like terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and his Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
“You try to come to Punjab and I will teach you a lesson,” the Chief Minister warned Pannu, adding that any attempt to disturb the state’s peace would be dealt with an iron hand.
Amarinder Singh said he directed DGP Dinkar Gupta to ensure that the two miscreants identified in the Moga incident are arrested at the earliest so that deterrent action can be taken against them, as per the law.
Punjab Police has announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for the duo, whose CCTV grabs have been released.
Meanwhile, during his weekly #AskCaptain session, the Chief Minister urged all youngsters to not pay any heed to Pannu.
“Some get emotionally swayed by such vicious propaganda,” he cautioned.
Reacting to Pannu’s call for raising black flags to mark India’s Independence Day, the Chief Minister said the Punjabis in India were prosperous people and not interested in indulging in such acts at the behest of someone sitting in Canada or the US.
“Why should they (the people of Punjab) do it, if you have the guts, you come and do it,” he dared Pannu, adding that if the SFJ leader wanted, he could make his Khalistan at the place where he was hiding out.
“Pannu does not even look like a Punjabi, and does all this only for extracting money,” he warned youth.
Congratulating the people on the eve of Independence Day, Amarinder Singh said the unparalleled sacrifice and valour of Punjabis and Sikhs was acknowledged by the whole world.
The tales of their bravery could be found everywhere, he said, adding that the Andaman Islands’ ‘Kaala Pani’ was replete with their examples, and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre also bore testimony to their sacrifice.
Nobody knows how many people died at Jallianwala Bagh, he said, adding that there was a need to ascertain the number.
After Independence too, Punjabis have always led from the front in all the wars fought by India, be it in 1962, 1965, Bangladesh war, or Kargil or even the recent skirmishes with China, Amarinder Singh said, recalling that Punjab’s brave son from Mansa town Gurtej, of 3 Punjab, was brutally attacked but he took down 12 Chinese before making the supreme sacrifice.
There is no region or state in the country where Punjabis have not excelled, be it industry, agriculture or services, he added.