Following Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh’s record-breaking win in the Lok Sabha elections, another NSA detainee and Khalistani supporter has announced their plans to contest in the upcoming bye-elections in Punjab. Kulwant Singh Rauke, who is lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail along with Amritpal Singh, announced that he will contest the Barnala assembly by-election. Khalistani Amritpal, who contested the election from jail, was recently elected the Sri Khadoor Sahib's Member Parliament (MP) of the Lok Sabha by a huge margin in Punjab.
The announcement was made by his brother Maha Singh. Maha Singh said, “I spoke to my brother on the phone on Friday. He has decided to contest the Barnala by-election while in jail. We will fully support him.”
Who is Kulwant Rauke?
Kulwant Singh Rauke (38), a resident of Rauke Kalan village in Moga district, has worked as a clerk in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). According to reports, Punjab Police had detained Amritpal Singh and his associates during the action against the members of Waris Punjab De on charges of participating in terrorist activities under the National Security Act (NSA).
Rauke's father Charhat Singh was also detained by the police on 25 March 1993 during the militancy period in Punjab. However, he mysteriously disappeared, rumoured to have been killed in a police encounter. Maha Singh said, “Till date we do not know whether he was killed in a fake encounter or he is still alive. We have no proof of his death. He was taken away by the police and he never returned” His father was also imprisoned under NSA in 1987.
Talking about his father, Maha Singh informed that he was a leader of the Youth Akali Dal and was detained for supporting Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's pro-Khalistan movement in Punjab. Later he also became the Sarpanch of his village and on 25 March 1993, the police forcibly took him from his house. Maha Singh said, “We don't know what happened to him, because we never found his body”.
More about Amritpal Singh's Waris Punjab De
The Waris Punjab De organization was formed by actor Deep Sidhu in 2021. Sidhu's name was associated in the Red Fort violence on 26 January 2021. Deep Sidhu was killed in a road accident on 15 February 2022 following which Amritpal took the reins.
Pradhan Mantri Bajeke also announced to contest the election
Following Amritpal’s historic win, Rauke is now the second NSA detainee to announce his candidature in the upcoming bye-polls. Bhagwant Singh alias ‘Pradhan Mantri’ (Prime Minister) Bajeke had also announced to contest the bye-elections. Bajeke had announced to contest the bye-elections from Gidderbaha seat of Muktsar district earlier this week , where Amarinder Singh Raja Warring was the MLA before being elected MP. This announcement was made by Bajeke's minor son. By-election is to be held on Barnala seat after AAP's Barnala MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer won the Lok Sabha election from Sangrur.