E-Paper
Ludhiana influencer’s killing: Faridkot MP honours Mehron’s father
Independent MP Khalsa visited Mehron village in Moga on Tuesday and honoured the murder accused’s father Baljinder Singh.Speaking to reporters, Khalsa expressed his “gratitude” to Mehron for his “act”.
Religious vigilante Amritpal Singh Mehron, who is stated to be hiding in the UAE after allegedly killing a Ludhiana-based woman social media influencer as part of his moral policing, is getting support from several people, including Faridkot parliamentarian Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa and digital creators.
Independent MP Khalsa visited Mehron village in Moga on Tuesday and honoured the murder accused’s father Baljinder Singh.Speaking to reporters, Khalsa expressed his “gratitude” to Mehron for his “act”.
“Jo ve eh hoya hai asi usdi shalaha karde haan (whatever it happened deserves commendation). Immoral content on social media platforms has a nuisance value for all age groups using mobile phones,” said Khalsa, son of former PM Indira Gandhi’s assassin Beant Singh and leader of Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) party.
The MP said, “It is unfortunate that those posting immoral content on social media platforms are being provided police security, whereas those working against it are being harassed by the authorities.”
Akal Takht Sahib’s head granthi Giani Malkit Singh on Monday justified Kanchan’s murder, stating that the act was “appropriate” in light of her alleged role in promoting obscenity.
A young farmer activist from Haryana’s Ambala, Navdeep Singh Jalbera, who shot to fame during the farmer agitation against three central farm laws, announced on his Facebook page his support for Mehron.
Jalbera was called ‘water canon boy’ when attracted international media attention in November 2020, when farmers from Haryana and Punjab were rushing to Delhi on tractor-trailers, breaking police barricades, and he had jumped over a moving tractor after closing a nozzle of a water cannon trying to stop them.
Jalbera, who has 1.14 lakh followers on Facebook, posted a video terming Mehron as “quoam da heera” and “we have a great respect for him for his action.”
Another digital content creator, Bhana Sidhu, who has 1.42 lakh followers on Facebook, posted his photo with Mehron with a caption “Amritpal de naal khade haan”. The photo was posted after Mehron was named as the main accused in Kanchan’s murder.
Sidhu posted several videos of Mehron where the latter was threatening social media influencers to stop posting ‘vulgar’ content online.
Another social media enthusiast, Bhinda Harry Sangha, with over 2 lakh followers on his FB page, lamented those criticizing Kanchan’s murder.
He posted a video stating that Kanchan deserved ‘sodha’ or religious punishment by the community for defaming Sikhism.
“She wrongly portrayed herself as a Sikh and posted vulgar content,” he said in a video.
Content indecent but killing totally wrong: Women’s panel chief
Talking to mediapersons, Gill said she would write to the Prime Minister, Punjab chief minister, governor and DGP to come out with strong laws to stop spreading vulgarity on social media by influencers.
“India is a culturally rich country. If we can regulate content related to arms and pornography, why not have strict provisions for dealing with vulgarity, nudity and anything which is indecent should be banned,” said Gill.
She said controversial influencer Kamal Kaur’s content being served on social media was totally vulgar but her killing was totally wrong.
“It was a cold-blooded murder. I am totally against the immoral acts but nobody has the right to kill anybody in the name of vigilantism,” said the chairperson.
Gill said society in general should also raise the issue. “How can a family accept money earned through indecent acts and videos,” she questioned.
“This vulgarity and indecency should not be linked with women empowerment. Freedom of speech is not vulgarity and indecency. Freedom of speech is about making you empowered for good reasons not for spreading vulgarity and indecency. It is adversely impacting our culture and leaving a bad impact on the kids,” said Gill.
