Radicals’ threat: Bittu gets bulletproof SUV
These people ran away from Punjab to Canada and other countries 20 years ago. Now, they have set up their businesses and are issuing venomous statements only to spoil Punjab’s peace.
LUDHIANA: The Punjab government has provided a bulletproof sports utility vehicle (SUV) to Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu in the wake of the recent threats given to him by some radical elements.
Three videos surfaced on social media recently wherein radicals, suspected to be based in Canada, have not only threatened Bittu but also chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
On Wednesday evening, a bullet-proof Mitshubishi Montero reached Bittu’s residence here at civil lines.
The vehicle was sent by the chief minister’s office as part of the upgraded security apparatus for the MP in the wake of “threat perception” to the leader.
Pickets are also being constructed outside the residence of the MP for Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel provided by the central government.
Speaking on the threat of radicals, Bittu said, “These people ran away from Punjab to Canada and other countries 20 years ago where they took asylum. Now, all these radical elements have set up their businesses and are issuing venomous statements only to spoil the peace of Punjab that has been achieved by so many sacrifices.”
He said Amarinder also had to face opposition from these people in Canada when he went there before the state assembly elections.
In the videos, Sikh radicals could be seen standing with the picture of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the backdrop. “You saw what happened to your grandfather. We will come one day and free Punjab and you will see it with your own eyes” said a radical in one of the videos.
Bittu said such videos are being circulated only to arouse the emotions of young Punjabis and spoil the peace in the state.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress general secretary Amarjeet Singh has claimed that he has received threat calls from unknown persons from France. He has submitted a letter to Punjab director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora in this regard.
Meanwhile, an official spokesperson regretted that organisations such as ‘Sikhs for Justice’, which was purportedly behind some of the video threats doing the social media rounds, were being supported, covertly, by certain Indian-origin members of the Canadian parliament.