It is a victory of party workers and the teachings of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, said Simranjit Singh Mann after winning the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-poll on Sunday.
He also said that he will raise the issues of the "Indian Army committing atrocities in Kashmir," "killing of tribal people in Bihar and Chhattisgarh calling them Naxalites."
Notably, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a religious leader and political revolutionary. He led a violent Pakistan-backed campaign for a separate Sikh state. In 1982, he moved into the Golden Temple complex, gathered like-minded followers and allegedly stocked weapons. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered Operation Blue Star to check these activities. This led to a confrontation with the military in 1984 and he and several others were killed.
Mann, who was a candidate from Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) won the by-poll defeating Aam Aadmi Party's candidate in Sangrur, the home turf of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Speaking to the media after his victory, he said, "It is a historic victory with which all the parties including BJP, Akali Dal, Congress, AAP will be perplexed because we have won after a long time. We will oppose the political parties in Parliament. Now there will be protests against us because we were mocked that we will not be able to win."
"It's a win of our party workers and of the teachings that Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale has given. The Sikh community is very upset with the death of Deep Singh Sidhu and Sidhu Moose Wala and now the Indian government will not behave in the same way that it is behaving with the Muslims, like their localities are being questioned, like the Indian Army is committing atrocities in Kashmir and killing Muslims on a daily basis. The tribal people in Bihar and Chhattisgarh are being shot dead calling them Naxalites. I will meet the candidate who is contesting for the presidential poll and discuss this," Mann said.
The leader demanded resignation of Punjab's Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and said, "He used to say that we will never be able to win, now he should resign because they have lost badly in their area."
Mann said that he wants trade with Pakistan to resume via Attari-Wagah border so that the farmers of Punjab could benefit.
"For me, the most important thing is to highlight the problems of farmers in Parliament. I want that the road to Pakistan be opened via Wagah border so that trade could be increased and the crops of our farmers could also be sold in Pakistan. I will raise the issues relating to China also because the BJP does not know anything about the Army. China has occupied much of our land," he said.
Meanwhile, Mann won the bypoll with 2,53,154 votes thus defeating the ruling party's candidate on a Lok Sabha seat held last by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
"This is a great win for our party. We have defeated all national parties in this bypoll. My priority will be to raise the issue of the poor economic condition of Sangrur including the condition of farmers under debt. We will work with the Punjab government," said Mann.
"I am grateful to voters of Sangrur for having elected me as your representative in parliament. I will work hard to ameliorate the sufferings of our farmers, farm-labour, traders and everyone in my constituency, he added.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal congratulated Mann and said, "I sincerely and wholeheartedly congratulate Sardar Simranjit Singh Mann and his party on their electoral victory in Sangrur parliamentary bypoll and offer them our best wishes and cooperation. We bow before the mandate of the people in a true democratic spirit."
( With inputs from ANI )
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