“I condemn the cowardly incident of raising Khalistan flags at the gate of Dharamshala Assembly Complex in the dark of night. This assembly hosts only the winter sessions. More security arrangements need to be made here,” Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur tweeted.
Khalistan flags were found tied to the main gate and boundary wall of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Dharamshala, early Sunday morning.
“We are inquiring about the matter and a case will be registered under relevant sections of the Himachal Pradesh Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985. This is like a wake-up call for us to work with more alertness,” Sub-Divisional Magistrate Dharamshala Shilpi Beakta told ANI.
“It might have happened late night or early morning today. We have removed the Khalistan flags from the Vidhan Sabha gate. It could be an act of some tourists from Punjab. We are going to register a case today,” Superintendent of Police Kangra, Khushal Sharma said.
Sharma added that a case will be filed today. Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, had last month, called for hoisting the Khalistani flag in Shimla. As a response to Pannu's threat, the Anti-Terrorist Front of India (ATFI) burnt the Khalistani flag outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Shimla and raised slogans against the demands of Khalistan. ATFI national president Viresh Shandilaya also offered a reward of Rs 50 lakh for anyone who would behead Pannu.
Shandilaya said that the Himachal police should book anyone who comes into the state with separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s photographs pasted on their vehicles or those who host the Khalistan flag in the state should be booked on sedition charges.