Himachal Govt Seals Borders After Khalistan Flag Found Tied to Assembly Gate

Khalistan flags were tied to the main gates and walls of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha complex at Tapovan in Kangra district on Sunday.

(Photo: PTI)

Hours after Khalistan flags were reportedly found tied on the gate and boundary wall of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Dharamshala on Sunday, 8 May, the state government ordered for all inter-state borders to be sealed and put blockades in place.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Police (DGP) Himachal Pradesh, Sanjay Kundu, has asked district police chiefs to ensure checking of vehicles entering the state.

The DGP's message read, "In view of the incidents of khalistani elements in neighbouring states and also incident of tying a khalistani banner in Una district on 11 April and recent incident of hoisting banners and graffiti of Khalistan on the outer boundary of Vidhan Sabha as well as the threat posed by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) regarding the announcement of the 6th June 2022 as voting date for Khalistan referendum in Himachal Pradesh, entire state will remain on high alert from today," India Today reported.

Six preventive measures, including putting the Special Security Units and bomb disposal squads on high alert, have been implemented.

'Cowardly Incident': Himachal CM Jairam Thakur

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur has ordered a probe into what he strongly condemned as a "cowardly incident," and stated that "there is a need for more security arrangements." ANI news agency reported.

"FIR has been registered against whoever tied Khalistan flags & wrote Khalistan outside the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Dharamshala today. Investigation process has been initiated; our efforts are to nab them as soon as possible," he said.

"Strict action will be taken against the accused. For some days, we have been observing that some powers are behind carrying out such incidents; they will not be successful or spared," he added.

Earlier, he tweeted in Hindi, saying:

"I condemn the cowardly incident of raising Khalistan flags at the gate of Dharamshala assembly complex in the night. There is only a winter session in this assembly, so there is a need for more security arrangements here during that time."

Police Issues Statement

"An FIR has been registered u/s 153-A, 153-B IPC and section 3 of HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985 relating to hoisting the banners & graffiti of Khalistan on the outer the boundary of Vidhan Sabha (sic)," police said, as per ANI.

"Section 13 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) has been added to the FIR. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, General Counsel to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has (been) made the main accused in the case," the police added.

"ADGP-CID, IG/DIG Ranges and Distt. SPs have been directed to seal all interstate borders/barriers and keep strict vigil at the places of probable hideouts," the police further said in a statement.

'Himachal Is a Cordial State'

Earlier, in a separate tweet with a video of him speaking about it, the chief minister asserted that "Himachal is a cordial state and peace should prevail here."

"We have told the police that strict action should be taken against the perpetrators."

Other Reactions 

Superintendent of Police Kangra Khushal Sharma said, "We have removed the Khalistan flags from the Vidhan Sabha gate. It could be an act of some tourists from Punjab. We are going to register a case today," as reported by ANI.

He added that the incident may have happened either late night on Saturday or early morning on Sunday.

Additionally, sub-divisional magistrate Dharamshala, Shilpi Beakta, said that "this is like a wake-up call for us to work with more alertness," and that a case will be filed under the Himachal Pradesh Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985, the ANI report added.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar said, "I condemn banners & writings put up outside the assembly building. Some anti-social elements are carrying out such activities to disturb the harmony of the state."

Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia has also reacted to the incident, tweeting about it in Hindi.

"The government which cannot save the Legislative Assembly, how will it save the people," he wrote.

The incident has occurred just a few days after Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu had issued a call to hoist the Khalistani flag in Shimla.

(With inputs from ANI.)