Khalistani Flags, Slogans Found at Himachal Pradesh State Assembly Prompt Police Probe

Several flags of the secessionist Khalistan movement were found tied at the gates and walls of the Himachal Pradesh State Legislative Assembly in Dharamshala city on Sunday morning.

Pro-Khalistan slogans were also found written on the walls of the complex.

After the Kangra Police were informed about it, a team reached the spot; it removed the flags and cleared the slogans.

"Some miscreants had put up five to six Khalistani flags on the outer gate of the state legislative Assembly and had written Khalistan Zindabad (Hail Khalistan) slogans on the wall. The flags have been removed and the writings have been cleared,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Nipun Jindal told media.

He also said that a case has been registered and an investigation has been initiated.

“The police are scanning the CCTV footage of the nearby areas to nab the culprits,” he added.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh State Chief Jairam Thakur condemned the act.

In a series of tweets in Hindi he wrote: “I condemn the cowardly act of putting up Khalistan flags at the gate of State Assembly complex in Dharamshala. Only the Winter Session is held in this Assembly, so there's a need for more security arrangements there during that time. The incident will be probed and strict action will be taken."

“The cowardly incident has been carried out by taking the advantage of this, but we will not tolerate it. This incident will be investigated quickly and strict action will be taken against the culprits. I dare those who did this that if they have courage, then they should come out in the broad daylight, not in the night,” he added.

According to media reports, an intelligence alert was issued on 26 April mentioning that such an incident might take place.

The alert claimed that Sikhs for Justice Chief Gurupatwant Singh Pannu had issued a letter to the Himachal Pradesh State Chief stating that a flag of Bhindranwala and Khalistan would be hoisted in Shimla, media reports suggest.

Netizens have also reacted sharply to the incident. Sharing a video shot by Indian news agency ANI, a user questioned the action taken by State Chief Thakur and said that “the more Modi is bending in front of them more they are slapping back harder”.

Another user shared a photo from the site, wondering: “Why does it happen that wherever AAP and Delhi State Chief Arvind Kejriwal reach, Khalistani become active there?”

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh State government banned vehicles from carrying Bhindranwale and Khalsitani flags, which agitated the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

The organisation had announced that it would hoist the Khalistani flag on 29 March, but it could not do so due to heavy security.

The Khalistan movement, started in early 1980s, seeks to establish an independent country for Sikhs carved out of the north Indian state of Punjab, located on the India-Pakistan border. The secessionist movement witnessed a rise in violence in the 1980s. But it almost fizzled out in the 1990s after the Indian authorities took stringent action against it.