Who is separatist Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, dubbed Bhindranwale 2.0?

Amritpal Singh is the chief of 'Waris Punjab De'.

Amritpal Singh, the chief of 'Waris Punjab De', has decided to fight the Lok Sabha elections from the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency in Punjab. He was arrested by Punjab police under the National Security Act (NSA) in April 2023 and is currently lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail.

Singh is now seeking bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to contest in the election. He wants to contest as an independent candidate from Khadoor Sahib that goes to poll on June 1.

A self-styled separatist leader and Khalistan sympathiser, Amritpal openly boasts about idolising slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

The controversial preacher made headlines in February 2023 when he led a swrod and gun-wielding mob of supporters that attacked a police station in Ajnala, demanding the quashing of an FIR and the release of his close aide. The police gave in to the pressure and the aide was released. The pictures and the clips of the mob triggered fears of the return of separatist violence in the border state.

His activities were bolstered by the steady popularity he began gaining on social media during the farmers’ protests against three farm laws that now stand repealed.

Soon, the youth leader started preaching about being a 'true Sikh' and started giving speeches about the importance for all to gain ‘shastra vidya’ or knowledge of weaponry. He has openly spoken against regional and national political parties, the Khalsa Aid, and feminist activists, among others.

The 31-year-old, who is married to an NRI, used to reside in Dubai and worked as a dispatcher in his family-owned transport business. He was enticed by the ways of protest leader Deep Sidhu and took over the reins of the organisation he constituted – Waris Punjab De – after his sudden demise in a road mishap.

However, as per reports, Sidhu's family was quick to dissociate from Singh, who began dressing like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and also started emulating his mannerisms; in fact, his followers often refer to him as 'Bhindranwale 2.0'.

"Bhindranwale is my inspiration. I will walk the path shown by him. I want to be like him because that's what every Sikh wants, but I am not copying him. I am not even equal to dust on his feet," Singh said.

An Indian Express report quoted Deep Sidhu's brother Mandeep Singh Sidhu as saying: "My brother made this organization for a social cause, to raise issues of Punjab and to provide legal aid to the needy, not to propagate Khalistan. Amritpal is talking about creating unrest in Punjab. He is befooling people using my brother's and Khalistan's name."