AMRITSAR - Lovepreet Singh, a Dalit Sikh, became another victim of India’s draconian UAPA law which is being misused by the state to target Sikhs. 

Singh, 23, was booked by Amritsar police alleging a pro-Khalistani wall writing. On 13th July he was summoned by NIA after which he committed suicide. He was called by NIA after 21 months since the case was first registered.

The spate of arrests under UAPA in Punjab have only increased recently under garb of the so-called 2020 Khalistani referendum. Sikh boys belonging to 18-21 years age are being booked & thrown in jail. Recently one of those arrested was also part of serving langar at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh. Many activists and lawyers in Punjab have held that these recent arrests are frivolous and flimsy. The oft repeated Khalistani charge is being ‘used’ and mis-used in Punjab since long decades now. The unfortunate suicide of Lovepreet Singh is an urgent reminder to say, UAPA must be repealed.

Recently UAPA is being used vehemently by Narendra Modi regime as a tool to silence pro-democracy activists and students in Delhi and Maharashtra. It is time to revisit and resist this draconian law so that innocent lives like those of Lovepreet Singh can be saved.