Simranjit Singh Mann, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) candidate, won the Lok Sabha bypoll in Sangrur, Punjab, which fell vacant after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann vacated the assembly seat post his win in the state poll in March. He attributed his victory to Khalistani separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and said he would raise the issues of “Indian Army’s atrocities in Kashmir” in parliament. “It’s a win of our party workers and of the teachings that Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale have given,” newly-elected Sangrur MP, who worsted AAP candidate said Gurmail Singh by a margin of 6,070 votes said.
The Sangrur seat in the home turf of Bhagwant Mann. Simranjit Singh Mann was last elected from the same seat in 1999. Simranjit Singh Mann and his pro-Khalistan stance Talking to media after winning the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, Simranjit said: “I am grateful to our voters of Sangrur for having elected me as your representative in Parliament. I will work hard to ameliorate the sufferings of our farmers, farm-labour, traders and everyone in my constituency.” Khalistani separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was killed during Operation Bluestar which was carried out in June 1984 by the Indian Army to flush out terrorists hiding in the Golden Temple complex. Simranjit also said that he will raise the issues of the “Indian Army committing atrocities in Kashmir,” “killing of tribal people in Bihar and Chhattisgarh calling them Naxalites.” Simranjit, 77-year-old, Sangrur MP dedicated his victory to late actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, accused of being the key conspirator of the Red Fort violence on the Republic Day 2021, and slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. Don’t Miss: Explained: What AAP’s loss in Sangrur bypoll means for the party’s future “It is a historic victory with which all the parties including BJP, Akali Dal, Congress, AAP will be perplexed because we have won after a long time. We will oppose the political parties in Parliament. Now there will be protests against us because we were mocked that we will not be able to win,” the newly-elected Sangrur MP said. He further claimed, “The Sikh community is very upset with the death of Deep Singh Sidhu and Sidhu Moose Wala and now the Indian government will not behave in the same way that it is behaving with the Muslims, like their localities are being questioned, like the Indian Army is committing atrocities in Kashmir and killing Muslims on a daily basis. The tribal people in Bihar and Chhattisgarh are being shot dead calling them Naxalites. I will meet the candidate who is contesting for the presidential poll and discuss this.” Simranjit Singh Mann wants to resume trade with Pakistan Simranjit Singh Mann’s win doesn’t augur well for Punjab and India. Soon after his win, the Sangrur MP said that he wants trade with Pakistan to resume via Attari-Wagah border so that the farmers of Punjab could benefit. “For me, the most important thing is to highlight the problems of farmers in Parliament. I want that the road to Pakistan be opened via Wagah border so that trade could be increased and the crops of our farmers could also be sold in Pakistan. I will raise the issues relating to China also because the BJP does not know anything about the Army. China has occupied much of our land,” he said. Simranjit Singh Mann: Khalistan hardliner The bio on the “Official A/C (account)” of Simranjit Singh Mann, unverified by Twitter, reads: “President Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), 2 times MP, won with highest margin of votes in 1989, striving for #Khalistan (sovereign state for Sikhs).” In a post on Monday, he said: “I am grateful to our Punjabi Sikh diaspora across the world for having supported me in the Sangrur parliamentary election. You have always stood by our party and I shall work towards living upto your expectations! Let’s work together towards justice, peace and prosperity.” In his post on 5 May, Simranjit Singh Mann appealed to Nordic countries not recommend the Hindu Indian state to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
In another post, shared on 18 April, he said “Humungous Human Rights breaches of scholars, writers and journalists of Kashmir take place with impunity. Neither Hindu India nor Islamic Pakistan take cognizance.”
Who is Simranjit Singh Mann? Born in Shimla in 1945, Simranjit Singh Mann, a former IPS officer resigned in protest against Operation Bluestar in 1984. On 6 June every year, he and his supporters congregate inside the Golden Temple complex and raise pro-Khalistan slogans to mark the anniversary of Operation Bluestar. He joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1967. During his service, he held various posts including superintendent of police (Vigilance), SP (Headquarters), senior superintendent of police (SSP), Ferozepur; SSP Faridkot and group commandant of Central Industrial Security Force. Dubbed ‘Budda Jarnail’ by some of his critics, Simranjit was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tarn Taran in 1989 and Sangrur in 1999. In the Punjab Assembly election 2022, he had contested from the Amargarh seat but was defeated by the AAP’s Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra by a margin of 6,043 votes. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .