Wanted by Delhi Police for inciting violence during the tractor rally at Red Fort on Republic Day, gangster Lakha Sidhana, who carries a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head, has released a new video on social media. In the video, he has exhorted people to join in support of the farm agitation in Bathinda district’s Mehraj, the ancestral village of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on February 23.
Sidhana, who is on the run ever since the Delhi Police booked him for his involvement in the Republic Day violence in Delhi, stressed the importance of the Punjabi language and be united in the protests against the government. He asked Punjabis to promote their mother tongue throughout the world on World Punjabi Day (February 21).
In the video that was posted on Friday night, Sidhana urged people to gather in big numbers at the grain market in Mehraj, 35 km from the Bathinda district headquarters. “We are organising a farmers’ gathering in Mehraj of Bhatinda on February 23,” said Lakha Sidhana and urged people to reach the protest in large numbers.
The gangster also slammed the central government, accusing them of filing fake against demonstrators to hustle them into silence. “The government is trying to create a fear among the farmers by registering false cases against them,” said Lakha Sidhana.
The Republic Day violence accused also indirectly slammed the Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, saying farmer protests are now being championed by people who are not Punjabi.
Gangster Lakha Sidhana absconding since violence erupted in Delhi on January 26
The gangster Lakha Sidhana was about to be caught from the Singhu border area on January 26 but as the tractor rally crowd went rampaging, the accused switched off his phone and managed to flee from the area. In addition to Sidhana, actor-activist Deep Sidhu was also listed as one of the accused in inciting demonstrators to indulge in violence in Red Fort. While Sidhu has been arrested, Sidhana remains untraceable.
Since then, Delhi Police has been on the lookout to trace the whereabouts of gangster Lakha Sidhana, accused of fomenting violence during the tractor rally on the Republic Day when thousands of demonstrators breached barricades, clashed with the police and stormed the grounds of the iconic Red Fort.
After the violence swept over the national capital, Delhi Police named actor-activist Deep Sidhu and Lakha Sidhana in an FIR accusing the two of instigating the protesting farmers to storm the iconic monument and hoist flags, including Khalistani flags.