Was in regular touch with officials throughout night, did not sleep: Punjab CM Mann
Amritpal Singh Arrest
Chandigarh, Apr 23: Hours after radical preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh was arrested by Punjab police, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann 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.
In a video message on Sunday, Mann also 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", the chief minister emphasised.
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.
He said people had given the responsibility to the Aam Aadmi Party, which entrusted him with the duty, as the chief minister, to protect the life and property of the people.
"For that, we may have to take any action or take tough measures but not against any innocent," he said, adding the law is taking its course.
Facing flak over the last month for the failure to arrest Amritpal, the chief minister stressed he did not want any bloodshed during the operation.
He said after he received information on Saturday night, "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 added.
Referring to the police crackdown on March 18 against Amritpal and his aides belonging to 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD) outfit, Mann said in an attempt to arrest the radical preacher on that day, "maybe, bullets could have been fired. But we did not want any bloodshed".
Amritpal, charged under the stringent National Security Act, was arrested in Rode village of Punjab's Moga district on Sunday morning after police personnel surrounded him, leaving him with no way to escape. He was taken to Dibrugarh in Assam where nine of his associates are presently lodged at Dibrugarh Central Jail.
Security in and around the jail premises has been beefed up since March 19, when four members of the 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD).
In the video message, Mann said, "Today Amritpal Singh has been arrested. Those who will try to disturb peace and harmony and break the law of the country will face action as per law. We will not trouble any innocent. We do not do vendetta politics.
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.
Recalling the February 23 Ajnala incident in which Amritpal and his supporters brought the Palki Sahib of Guru Granth Sahib, Mann said he had given strict instructions to the Director General of Police that utmost restraint has to be used and the 'maryada' (respect) of Guru Granth Sahib has to be preserved.
He said some police personnel sustained injuries in that incident, adding for "the holy Guru Granth Sahib, we can give any sacrifice".
He appreciated the "utmost restraint" shown by police incident while dealing with the situation.
Mann said that sometime back, an attempt to disturb law and order and brotherhood came to the notice in Punjab. "Immediately, action was taken on March 18," said Mann as he referred to the police crackdown.
"Some persons who play into the hands of country's enemies and some anti-social elements were nabbed," he said.
Amritpal Singh, who used to run an organisation that used to inspire youths to take up the gun or indulge in anti-social acts has also been arrested, he said.
"I want to thank the 3.5 crore people of Punjab that during the last 30-35 when this (crackdown) operation was going on, they maintained brotherhood and no untoward incident was reported," he said.
Peace, brotherhood and harmony are very strong in the state, he stressed.
Mann reiterated that Punjabis have made maximum sacrifices in the country's freedom struggle and brave Punjabis continue to safeguard the country's frontiers.
A few days ago, five of the four soldiers who died in the Poonch attack belonged to Punjab, he said.
"Punjab has always led the country - be it the country's freedom struggle or green revolution and Punjab will continue to lead. I want that the state should emerge at the top in various developmental parameters and then no one can stop our country from becoming number one in the world," he said.
Mann said that on Sunday he spoke to deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police and people are carrying on with their normal routine. There is no report of any untoward incident, he said.
"I want to assure you that Punjab will continue to make progress, like it has been doing during the past year," said Mann.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
