Simranjit Singh
Mann, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who quit the force in
protest against Operation Blue Star, has dedicated his Sangrur bypoll victory
to Khalistani separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhrindanwale. Mann, who leads
Shiromani Akali Dal-Amritsar, unrelated to the Shiromani Akali Dal, has pledged
to raise questions on rights of minorities and Adivasis in Parliament.

The
recently-elected Sangrur MP is reported to be sympathetic to the Khalistan
cause. The Khalistan movement, a separatist movement intended to create a
separate country for Sikhs, was crushed by the Indian state back in the 1980s.
However, remnants of Khalistan movement never died away.

Over the last few
years however, Khalistan symbols have returned to parts of Punjab and other
neighbouring states. Simranjit Mann’s victory, therefore, is certainly a sign
of the times.

Mann who dedicated
his bypoll victory to Jarnail Singh Bhrindanwale, the leader of the Khalistan
movement killed during Operation Blue Star, further spoke out on how the Indian
state was behaving towards minorities. He further said the deaths of Sidhu
Moose Wala and Deep Singh Sandhu have made a mark on the psyche of the people
of Punjab.

Also Read | Ex-cop dedicates Sangrur bypoll victory to Khalistani militant

Sangrur, from
where Mann won the polls, is close to Moose Wala’s own village. Moose Wala was
extremely popular in the region and his death had a deep impact. The Sangrur
constituency was earlier represented in the Lok Sabha by Bhagwant Mann, the
current chief minister of Punjab. It is his resignation as member of Parliament
(MP) that triggered the current bypolls.

There is anger in
the region over the Aam Admi Party (AAP) government paring down the security
detail of Sidhu Moose Wala the day before he was murdered on the open road.
Anger against AAP for failing to protect Moose Wala was one of the reasons
behind Simranjit Mann’s victory.

Meanwhile, AAP’s
Punjab unit has also faced trouble with regard to accessibility of local
legislators. AAP workers and citizens have raised complaints that local lawmakers
are nowhere to be found after the assembly polls. Further, the Indian Express
reported that there was active concern over the choice of Rajya Sabha
candidates.

Simranjit Mann
returned to political relevance during the farmers’ agitation. He was able to
build on the narrative of the Centre against Punjab and was able to fuel
divisive anger.