Khalistan flags outside HP assembly: Cong hits out at Jai Ram govt, AAP stages protests

AAP on Tuesday held a state-wide protest against the hoisting of Khalistan flags at the HP Vidhan Sabha gate by unknown miscreants and submitted a memorandum to the governor seeking tough action against the culprits

With no headway in the case related to the appearance of Khalistani flags and graffiti in the Vidhan Sabha Complex in Dharamshala, the Congress trained its guns at the Jai Ram Thakur-led state government for overlooking the repeated threats issued by the banned organisation, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged state-wide protests.

Khalistan flags were found tied on the main gate and slogans scrawled on the walls of the HP Legislative Assembly complex at Dharamshala in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India. (HT FILE)

Congress president Pratibha Singh has expressed concern over the threats issued by SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and urged the government to act promptly and arrest the separatist leader immediately.

“Sitting in a foreign country, he is openly challenging the state government and the government is unable to do anything, which is regrettable,” she said while addressing the media in Shimla.

She urged the government to ensure that Pannun is arrested and brought to justice.

“He had threatened the state government also during Himachal Day, but the government did not take action even at that time and now he is again issuing threats. The government should take the matter seriously,” she said.

She also questioned the funding being received by AAP and demanded it to disclose the sources from which it got the money. She expressed doubts that Pannum could have a bigger hand in funding AAP.

The banned outfit has given a call for holding the ‘Khalistan referendum’ in Himachal on June 6. The government stepped up vigil and increased surveillance on the interstate border.

AAP on Tuesday held a state-wide protest against the hoisting of Khalistan flags at the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha gate by unknown miscreants and submitted a memorandum to the governor seeking tough action against the culprits.

The party also cornered the state government on the issue of lapses in security and demanded the chief minister to step down. A large number of AAP workers gathered at the district collectorate and raised slogans against the government. They also burnt an effigy of Khalistan and demanded the government to identify and arrest the culprits.

Addressing the party workers in Dharamshala, AAP state spokesperson Pankaj Pandit took a dig at chief minister Jai Ram Thakur stating that the incident had proved that the current government is “inefficient”.

Pandit said the incident of hoisting Khalistan flags and scrawling graffiti was a failure of the state government. Had there been adequate security arrangements, this incident would not have happened.

Neglecting the Vidhan Sabha complex at Dharamshala also puts a question mark on the government’s efficiency, said Pandit.

“Was it logical for the chief minister to hold a rally at Kotla after such an incident?” he asked.

Another AAP leader Colonel (retd) Manish Kumar said: “If the head of the state cannot protect an important institution like the state assembly from where the policy is decided then he should immediately step down from his post.”

He alleged that the law and order situation in the state has totally collapsed under the BJP rule.