Chandigarh, July 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Akali Dal “Waris Punjab De” on Friday strongly criticised the registration of an FIR following its protest march in Chandigarh, alleging that the action was aimed at suppressing democratic voices demanding the release of Bandi Singhs and Khadoor Sahib MP Bhai Amritpal Singh.
The party said the march had been organised to press for the release of the Bandi Singhs and to seek permission for Bhai Amritpal Singh to raise Punjab-related issues in Parliament.
Senior party leader Bapu Tarsem Singh described the FIR as an attempt to weaken a peaceful movement that has consistently sought justice for the Bandi Singhs. He said the demand for their release had been pending for years and recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured the Sikh community during the celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash Purab that the issue would be addressed.
Tarsem Singh alleged that cases were now being registered against those participating in the movement despite people from different sections of society and various religious communities joining the campaign. According to him, the action was intended to discourage public participation and weaken the growing support for the cause.
He also questioned the credibility of the FIR, pointing out that it reportedly included the name of late former minister Ajaib Singh Mukmailpur. Calling it a serious factual error, he said the inclusion of a deceased individual exposed flaws in the police action. He expressed regret to the Mukmailpur family for the distress caused by the incident.
Describing the protest as peaceful, Tarsem Singh said people from Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities had participated in large numbers, adding that the issue of the Bandi Singhs transcended religious boundaries and had become a broader concern for Punjabis.
He urged the Chandigarh Administration not to create what he termed a false narrative around a peaceful democratic movement.
Senior party leader Manpreet Singh Ayali also criticised the FIR, alleging that it was an attempt to malign a disciplined and non-violent protest. He claimed that participants had strictly adhered to the designated route, followed traffic regulations and ensured minimal inconvenience to the public, including school vehicles and elderly citizens.
Ayali further alleged that the government’s action reflected an unwillingness to accommodate peaceful democratic dissent. He said concerns relating to Punjab, including the issue of the Bandi Singhs, were being ignored while those raising such demands were being targeted.
Thanking the youth, women and elderly participants who joined the march, Ayali said they had come together beyond political and factional differences to support the cause of justice and democratic rights.
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