New Delhi: Calling the Punjab Police’s massive manhunt for Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh “extra-constitutional” and a “conspiracy”, opposition party Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday offered legal aid to those arrested in the crackdown.
“Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to provide complete legal assistance to all Sikh youth arrested in the ongoing extra-constitutional crackdown in Punjab and ensure their rights are not trampled upon by AAP Punjab,” Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal wrote on Twitter.
The conservative party, which counts the top religious body of Sikhs as its ideological mentor, has also released a list of helpline numbers for coordinating the effort.
SAD leader Virsa Singh Valtoha asked the AAP government to immediately withdraw the National Security Act (NSA) invoked against the Sikh youths arrested during the crackdown.
Addressing a press conference in Amritsar, Valtoha said that it was shocking to see that the Punjab Police registered cases against some Sikh youths under the NSA on instructions from the state government and have sent them to Dibrugarh jail in Assam.
Invoking the NSA in an ordinary law and order situation cannot be termed wise in any manner, he claimed.
Valtoha said the Akali Dal has always advocated that those who violated the law should be punished.
Altogether, 154 people have been arrested since police began its crackdown Saturday against those linked with the preacher and his group, ‘Waris Punjab De’.
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