A day after Amritpal issued a video message breaking his silence over the crackdown on him and his aides, a purported audio message of Waris Punjab De chief surfaced over social media on Thursday. In the audio message, Amritpal can be heard asking Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to call Sarbat Khalsa (Sikh congregation) to prove he is the head of the community. Hours later his second video went viral on Facebook in which the radical Sikh leader can be seen almost repeating what he said in the audio clip. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio and the video clip.
“Some are saying that the video was shot by police in custody. There are allegations that the cops have made me say things on the video, and this is not my style of speaking. I want to make it clear that I am not in custody. I am not habitual in making videos or facing the camera, and the second thing is that on the day the video was shot my health was not good,” Amritpal said.
Amritpal also rubbished news reports which said that the radical Sikh preacher has set conditions for his surrender. “I have raised no demand before the police, as some reports are saying. I did not say anything about it. I have not put any conditions. I urged the jathedar to call Sarbat Khalsa to prove he was the head of the community. There should be no politics in this, as it is the time for our ‘qaum’ (community) to unite. That is why I am saying that Sarbat Khalsa will prove our unity and presence,” the pro-Khalistan leader said. Amritpal said he doesn’t fear jail or torture and will stay on his path fighting for his community.
In the video message, Amritpal said that he will not flee to another country.
{{/usCountry}}In the video message, Amritpal said that he will not flee to another country.
{{/usCountry}}“Some people are saying that I turned fugitive. I can never think about being a fugitive even in my dreams,” he said.
Further piling pressure on Sikh bodies and the jathedar, Amritpal said, “He (jathedar) is facing allegations that he works for a family, this is the right time to prove everyone wrong. He should firmly stand with the qaum (Community). Also, I suggest the Khalsa Wahir should start from Akal Takht and culminate at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo on Baisakhi and Sarbat Khalsa should be convened there on the same day,” he added.