BJP-TMC Engage in War of Words As IPS Officer Alleges Being Called 'Khalistani'

A war of words between TMC and BJP erupted after a Sikh IPS officer accused a group of saffron party activists of hurling ‘Khalistani’ jibe at him during a scuffle in Dhamakhali. Following the incident, TMC shared a video of a protest staged by the Sikh community outside the BJP office and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s apology over the same.

IPS officer Jaspreet Singh, who was deputed at Dhamakhali and had put up barricades to stop West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari from visiting Sandeshkhali located just across Kalindi River, was allegedly called a ”Khalistani” by a group of BJP supporters. A video of the incident surfaced on social media.

“Just because I am wearing a turban, you people are calling me a Khalistani? Is this what you have learnt? If a police officer wears a turban and performs his duty honestly, he becomes a Khalistani for you? Shame on you,” he was heard saying to the BJP supporters.

Politicians React to IPS Officer-BJP Activists ‘Khalistani’ Jibe Row-

• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the BJP’s “divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries”, and condemned the “audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of Sikhs, revered for their sacrifices and unwavering determination to our nation”.
• ”Today, the BJP’s divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI. I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their SACRIFICES and UNWAVERING DETERMINATION to our nation. We stand firm in protecting Bengal’s social harmony and will take stern lawful measures to prevent any attempts to disrupt it,” the TMC supremo said in an X post.
• Congress also shared the video on its X handle and wrote, “Look at the degraded behavior of BJP people. A police officer who served the country day and night was called a Khalistani because he wore a turban. This is a very degraded mentality.”
• TMC MLA Partha Bhowmick took to microblogging site X and wrote, “Labelling an IPS Officer as ‘Khalistani’ simply because they wear a turban is not just narrow-minded, it’s downright repugnant. Do you even comprehend the concept of religious tolerance, or are you busy spewing your venomous rhetoric?”
• Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Amritsar President Harjinder Singh Dhami also condemned the “intentional character assassination” of IPS officer Jaspreet Singh.
• “The intentional character assassination of a Sikh IPS officer S. Jaspreet Singh by the BJP leaders in West Bengal is highly condemnable. Leaders who have such thinking in the country should never forget that Sikhs have made the most sacrifices for the freedom and protection of the country. Sikhs do not need to get a certificate from anyone, rather they know how to perform services for the nation in accordance with their traditions and customs. It is a big question that such people in the country deliberately create an atmosphere of hatred but the governments remain silent. Those who create such an atmosphere should be punished so that people who are honestly doing their duty in different areas do not have to be victims of such hate,” Dhami wrote in an X post.

BJP Reacts to ‘Khalistani’ Jibe Row

West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the police officer levelled the said allegations because he wanted “better posting”.

“The police officer is saying that ‘Khalistani’ has been told to him. He is doing that because he wants better posting. He has self-declared,” Adhikari said.

Earlier, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, who was accompanying Adhikari during the clash with the police, claimed that the officer wasn’t fulfilling his duties and dismissed the allegation that BJP supporters called him a ’Khalistani’.