Agencies
NEW DELHI: The repeal of three farm laws has opened the gates for many Sikh leaders to join the BJP.
After the entry of top Delhi Sikh leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa into the saffron party two days ago, former Punjab Police director general (DGP) Sarbdeep Singh Virk (aka SS Virk) on Friday joined the BJP along with 28 others, including leaders from the Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party.
Among those who joined the BJP are former Akali Dal MLA Sarabjit Singh Makkar;Â Akali leader Avtar Singh Zira who is the son of former Akali minister Hari Singh Zira; Aam Aadmi Party leader Gurpreet Singh Bhatt and industrialists Manvinder Singh Ranauta and Harcharan Singh Ranauta.
Interestingly, SS Virk has been highly critical of Hindutva forces in the past.
Inducted into the Maharashtra cadre in 1970, Virk is a former DGP of Punjab and Maharashtra Police. He was in the forefront of the Punjab Police fight against the militancy in the 1980s. He survived three attempts on his life by pro-Khalistan militants and was injured in 1988.
Awarded the Padma Shri in 1988, he was later suspended on charges of corruption. After he was cleared by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Virk went back to Maharashtra Police and later became its DGP.
Virk’s decision to join the BJP seems to be part of a larger gameplay as he is close to former chief minister Amarinder Singh who has decided to ally with the BJP for the upcoming Punjab assembly elections.
Since Virk comes from Chhangla village in the the Dasuya assembly in Hoshiarpur district, it is speculated that he may be the BJP’s candidate from Dasuya.
Sarabjit Makkar is the second important Akali leader to join the BJP after the entry of former Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa into the saffron party two days ago.
AAP leader Gurpreet Bhatti, who also joined the BJP, contested the 2017 assembly elections from the Amloh constituency. He may be the BJP’s candidate this time either from Amloh or Khanna.
There are reports that many more Punjab leaders may join the BJP in the coming days.
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