Threat Letters Sent to BJP Leaders in Punjab Stir Controversy

Three Sikh BJP leaders received threatening letters at the party's Punjab office in Chandigarh, prompting a police investigation. The letters, accusing them of betraying the Sikh religion, referenced past killings of pro-Khalistan figures and hinted at potential violence. The situation has raised significant concerns in the region.

Three BJP leaders from the Sikh community allegedly received threat letters delivered to the party's Punjab office in Chandigarh, one of them said on Tuesday.

The letters were addressed to Parminder Singh Brar, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and Tajinder Singh Sran. Only the letter addressed to Sran was opened, but the two other letters appeared to be from the same source.

Sran said the letter addressed to him was sent through registered post and received at the party office on July 1.

The letter also contained a packet of powder, he said and suspected that it could be ''dangerous''.

Separate letters in the names of Brar and Sirsa were also received at the BJP office. However, these two letters were not opened.

Sran said he lodged a complaint with the Chandigarh Police and handed over the three letters for further action.

The police said they were examining the matter.

In the handwritten letter in Punjabi, the three leaders were called ''traitors.'' Brar -- a general secretary in the Punjab BJP -- and Sran were accused of ''interfering'' in the Sikh religion and ''misleading'' people at the behest of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP.

The letter mentioned that Sirsa -- a BJP national secretary -- was speaking the ''language'' of the RSS and would be taught a ''lesson''.

The letter also threatened to take revenge for the killings of ''several brothers in Canada and Pakistan''. It mentioned the names of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Canada last year, pro-Khalistan activist Avtar Singh, who was involved in the attack on the Indian High Commission in London and died last year, and terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who was killed in Pakistan last year.

It also referred to the Khalistan Zindabad Force terror outfit.