Amritpal Singh, a prominent Sikh preacher, has publicly distanced himself from comments made by his mother regarding his alleged support for Khalistan, as per a statement released by the Khadoor Sahib MP.
“When I came to know about the statement made by ‘Mata ji’ (mother) yesterday, I felt hurt. Though I believe that ‘Mata ji’ made this statement unknowingly, even then such a statement should never come from my family or anyone who supports me,” read a statement issued by Singh through his team on Saturday night.
"Dreaming of a 'Khalsa Raj' is not a crime but a matter of pride. Countless Sikhs have sacrificed their lives for this vision, and we cannot stray from this path."
“I have said many times from stages that if ever I had to choose between ‘Panth’ and family then I will always choose the ‘Panth’,” the statement, titled 'official statement by Bhai Amritpal Singh,' asserted.
Singh's mother, Balwinder Kaur, had earlier stated to reporters in Amritsar on Friday, during Singh's oath-taking ceremony as a Lok Sabha member, that her son does not support Khalistan. She urged for his release so he could address the issues he campaigned for in the elections.
Later, Kaur clarified in a video message that her statement was misrepresented by the media.
In his statement, the jailed ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief also said, “It fits well with a historical incident in which Sikhs accompanying Banda Singh Bahadur were being martyred, a 14-year-old youth’s mother tried to save him by saying that he was not a Sikh. Then youth said if this woman says I am not a Sikh then I declare that she is not my mother.
“Indeed, this example is quite severe for this incident but from a principle point of view, it is understandable.” “I warn my family to never even consider a compromise on Sikh Raj, let alone speaking against it. There should be no such mistake while interacting with ‘Sangat’,” it said."
During the oath-taking ceremony, Singh and Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, both on parole, were sworn in as Lok Sabha MPs on Friday.
Singh, currently imprisoned under the National Security Act in Assam's Dibrugarh district, was temporarily released to Delhi for four days to attend the oath ceremony.
Running as an independent candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Singh secured victory from the Khadoor Sahib constituency, defeating Congress candidate Kulbir Singh Zira by a significant margin of 1,97,120 votes.
Styled after the late Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Singh was arrested alongside nine associates under stringent security laws. His arrest stemmed from an incident in Moga's Rode village last year, where he and his supporters clashed with police while attempting to free an associate from custody.
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