SAD (Amritsar) names Kattu as its candidate for Jalandhar bypoll

Commenting on the arrest of Papalpreet Singh, a close aide of the fugitive Amritpal Singh, Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann said it was a direct threat to the freedom of the press

Shiromani Akal Dal (Amritsar) has announced Gurjant Singh Kattu as the party’s candidate for the forthcoming Jalandhar byelection.

SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann. (HT Photo)

The party president and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann told reporters in Bathinda on Tuesday that the party nominee would succeed in the polls.

Kattu is the personal secretary of Mann.

Commenting on the arrest of Papalpreet Singh, a close aide of the fugitive Amritpal Singh, Mann said it was a direct threat to the freedom of the press.

“Papalpreet is an active journalist and he has been arrested unfairly under National Security Act (NSA). Threat to the press would remain among our main key issues in the Jalandhar bypoll. The government should ensure that Papalpreet is not subjected to custodial torture,” said the MP.

Mann said the party would organise a conference at Talwandi Sabo on the occasion of Baisakhi on April 14 and urged the Sikh community to gather in large numbers. He said the government should desist from trying to create panic among Sikh devotees by deploying security personnel at the shrines.