SAD cautions Punjab CM against 'indiscriminate' use of UAPA

Badal said clear cut directions should be given to the state police chief Dinkar Gupta not to register cases against Sikh youths under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for minor offences. In a statement here, the SAD president said there were “increasing” cases of Sikh youths being arrested and jailed for “minor misdemeanours” under the UAPA.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday cautioned Chief Minister Amarinder Singh against the alleged indiscriminate use of anti-terror law UAPA by the state police. Badal said clear cut directions should be given to the state police chief Dinkar Gupta not to register cases against Sikh youths under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for minor offences. In a statement here, the SAD president said there were "increasing" cases of Sikh youths being arrested and jailed for "minor misdemeanours" under the UAPA. "It is clear that the state police are misusing the UAPA which needs to be stopped immediately. Amarinder Singh needs to give clear cut directions to the state DGP that no Sikh youth should be picked up simply for seeing or forwarding some matter on the social media," said Badal.

He said "draconian charges were being slapped on youths and they were being dubbed as anti-nationalists". "Arresting such youths and putting them in jail amount to human rights violations," he said. Targeting Sikh youths in this manner would not only scar them for life but would also have far-reaching consequences including the propensity to spoil the peace and harmony in the state, said Ferozepur MP.

"We should be mindful of taking any step which can take Punjab back to the dark era," he cautioned. He also announced that the SAD would fight all such cases of Sikh youths implicated in false cases.