Amid criticism, Bhagwant Mann on why Amritpal Singh wasn’t arrested on March 18

Amid criticism by the Opposition for the delay in nabbing Amritpal Singh, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said he did not want any bloodshed during the operation and in an attempt to arrest the radical preacher on that day, “maybe, bullets could have been fired. But we did not want any bloodshed”.

“As home minister and chief minister, I am sharing with you that had we arrested him on March 18, then bullets would have been fired. We did not want to do that. We could have done anything during the Ajnala violence also when they (Amritpal and his supporters) carried the palanquin carrying the Guru Granth Sahib, but I did not want anything done. I appreciate the police for exercising such restraint,” Mann said in a video message hours after the Punjab Police arrested the ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief from Moga district’s Rode village.

The Opposition, however, targeted the state government over the operation, with former CM and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi calling it a “drama”.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said the AAP government “defamed the Sikh community” by its handling of the situation.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala took on both the state and central government, saying that many questions still remained unanswered.

Mann also said he was in touch with senior officials throughout Saturday night about the operation and asserted that those who try to disturb peace will face action as per law.

“I did not sleep the whole night and I was in regular touch with senior officials over phone after every 15 minutes, half an hour to get information. I wanted that entire thing (operation to arrest Amritpal) should be done in a peaceful manner,” he said.

Mann thanked the people of Punjab for their cooperation and said he does not want the youth to be misled by people with vested interests who run their shops by driving a campaign against the country.

Punjab’s land is fertile and anything can grow here, but “seeds of hatred will never grow nor will these be allowed to grow”, Mann said.

Mann said that he wants the youth of Punjab to hold degrees in their hands, appointment letters for occupying high posts and medals in top sporting events.

The arrest came more than a month after the state police launched the crackdown against him following the storming of the Ajnala police station by his supporters to secure the release of an arrested associate.