A former Indian
Police Service (IPS) officer who quit the force in protest after the infamous
Operation Blue Star, the military op at Punjab’s Golden Temple to kill Jarnail
Singh Bhrindanwale, has now become a member of Parliament from Sangrur.
Simranjit Singh Mann, leader of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) – unrelated to
Shiromani Akali Dal – who won the seat after over two decades has credited the
teachings of Jarnail Singh Bhrindanwale for his victory.

“It is a win of
our party workers and of the teachings that Jarnail Singh Bhrindanwale has
given,” said Mann after his victory Sunday. Mann’s invocation of the Bhrindanwale,
the leader of the Khalistani movement which sought a separate Sikh nation has
stirred a controversy in Punjab with many in the state’s political
establishment, especially from the Congress, denouncing the new member of
Parliament.

On Mann’s victory,
Ravneet Singh Bittu of the Congress party wrote on Twitter: “The mandate given
by people is always supreme and this time it has tipped in favour of Simranjit
Singh Mann. However, Mann’s ideology has proven toxic for Punjab & our
nation in the past. His Khalistani agenda is a threat to the peace &
integrity of Punjab & country.” “We as citizens must ensure that this peace
and integrity always remains intact,” wrote Bittu.

“Democracy lost
today in Sangrur…Punjab can’t be pushed back in the blind alley of violence and
terrorism

The Sangrur Lok
Sabha bypoll was triggered after Bhagwant Mann, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) MP
from the constituency resigned to become the chief minister of Punjab. The
contest was between Gurmail Singh of AAP, Dalvir Singh Goldy from Congress, Kewal
Dhillon from BJP and Simranjit Singh Mann of SAD-Amritsar. Simranjit was
victorious.

“The Sikh
community is very upset with the death of Deep Singh Sidhu and Sidhu Moose Wala
and now the Indian government will not behave in the same way that it is
behaving with Muslims, like their localities are being questioned, like the
Indian Army is committing atrocities in Kashmir and killing Muslims on a daily
basis,” news agency ANI quoted Simranjit Singh Mann as saying.