'Dreaming of Khalsa Raj not a crime': Amritpal Singh disowns mother's statement
Chandigarh, Jul 7: Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh has distanced himself from his mother's statement in which she had said that her son was not a Khalistani supporter, according to a statement issued by the Khadoor Sahib MP.
"When I came to know about the statement made by 'Mata ji' (mother) yesterday, I felt hurt. Though I believe that 'Mata ji' made this statement unknowingly, even then such a statement should never come from my family or anyone who supports me," read the statement issued by Singh through his team on Saturday night.
"Dreaming of 'Khalsa Raj' is not a crime but a matter of pride. Lakhs of Sikhs sacrificed their lives to fulfil this dream and we cannot think of stepping aside from this path.
"I have said many times from stages that if ever I had to choose between 'Panth' and family then I will always choose the 'Panth'," said the statement issued under the title 'official statement by Bhai Amritpal Singh'.
Singh's mother Balwinder Kaur on Friday, when he took oath as a member of Lok Sabha, had told reporters in Amritsar that her son is not a Khalistani supporter and demanded that he be released immediately so that he can work on the issues on which he fought the elections.
Kaur later in a video message said the media twisted her statement.
In his statement, the jailed 'Waris Punjab De' chief also said, "It fits well with a historical incident in which Sikhs accompanying Banda Singh Bahadur were being martyred, a 14-year-old youth's mother tried to save him by saying that he was not a Sikh. Then youth said if this woman says I am not a Sikh then I declare that she is not my mother.
"Indeed, this example is quite severe for this incident but from a principle point of view, it is understandable."
"I warn my family to never even consider a compromise on Sikh Raj, let alone speaking against it. There should be no such mistake while interacting with 'Sangat'," it said.
Singh's mother on Friday while replying to a question, had said, "He is not a Khalistani supporter. By speaking about Punjab's rights and saving Punjab's youth (from drugs), can anyone become a supporter of Khalistan."
"He fought elections within the ambit of the Constitution and took oath. One should not say such a thing. He will raise Punjab's issues and will save youth (from drugs)," Kaur had said.
Singh and Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who were granted parole to take oath as members of the Lok Sabha, were sworn in as MPs on Friday.
They took oath in the chamber of the Lok Sabha speaker after completing formalities.
Singh is lodged in a prison in Assam's Dibrugarh district for offences under the National Security Act. He was flown from Assam to Delhi on a four-day custody parole for taking oath.
Having fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent, Singh won from the Khadoor Sahib seat defeating Congress candidate Kulbir Singh Zira. He won by a margin of 1,97,120 votes.
Singh, who styled himself after slain Khalistani Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was jailed along with nine of his associates under the National Security Act.
He was arrested in Moga's Rode village after he and his supporters on February 23 last year barged into the Ajnala police station breaking barricades, brandishing swords and guns, and clashed with police personnel in an attempt to free one of his aides from custody.
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Rupee falls 32 paise to all-time low of 95.20 against US dollar
Mumbai, Apr 30 (PTI): The rupee depreciated 32 paise to an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, weighed down by elevated Brent crude oil prices, hovering around USD 122 per barrel, and strong American currency.
Forex traders said the USD/INR pair may see further downside, as rising crude oil prices are likely to sharply impact India's import costs, while concerns over potential wider conflict in West Asia are fuelling investor anxiety.
Meanwhile, the US dollar added to gains after the US FED Reserve kept rates unchanged. Safe-haven demand was also boosted by another diplomatic setback between Washington and Tehran.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.01 against the US dollar, then lost some ground and touched an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in initial trade, registering a fall of 32 paise over its previous close.
On Wednesday, the rupee depreciated 20 paise to close at an all-time low of 94.88 against the US dollar.
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"The main effect on the rupee has been from the rising oil prices, which touched USD 120 per barrel and looked headed for further upside as the US continues with its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran does not allow any ship/tanker to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.01 per cent higher at 98.96.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 3.16 per cent at USD 121.76 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex tumbled 821.79 points to 76,674.57 in early trade, while the Nifty dived 287.3 points to 23,890.35.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 2,468.42 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue with their sale of Indian Equities and debt (the yield touched 7 per cent on Wednesday) and are also dollar buyers consistently," Bhansali added.
