Khalistan flags were draped over the gate of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Dharamshala, while walls were painted with pro-Khalistan graffiti.
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, and AAP leaders among others condemned the putting up of Khalistan flags at the gate of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Dharamshala and sought strict action against people who were involved in it on Sunday. Pro-Khalistan graffiti was also painted on the walls of the Assembly.
Mr Singh requested the CMO of Himachal Pradesh to take stern action against such evil acts.
"Strongly condemn the act of putting up Khalistan flags at the gate of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. These are acts of fringe elements who are trying to disturb the peace and brotherhood of our country, which will not be tolerated," he tweeted, adding, "Urge the Himachal Pradesh CMO to take strict action against the perpetrators."
CM Jairam Thakur had ordered an investigation after this incident. He stated that there will be a review of security along the borders and neighbouring states which includes Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Punjab.
However, the state police said they suspect the involvement of tourists from Punjab.
CM Jairam Thakur said that the culprits had taken advantage of the police deployment inside the Assembly campus.
CM Thakur also tweeted this morning, "I condemn the cowardly incident of raising Khalistan flags at the gate of Dharamshala Assembly Complex in the dark of night. Only winter session is held here, so there is a need for more security arrangements only during that time."
An intelligence alert was issued on April 26 that indicated a warning of such an incident, sources said.
The alert claimed that Gurupatwant Singh Pannu, chief of Sikhs for Justice had issued a letter to the Himachal Pradesh CM stating that a flag of Bhindranwale and Khalistan would be hoisted in Shimla, according to the sources.
The state had banned vehicles carrying Bhindranwale and Khalsitani flags, which agitated the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
The Aam Aadmi Party attacked and shamed the BJP by asking how will its government save the people of the country when it failed in ensuring national security. The party called it “a huge security failure.”
Arvind Kejriwal-led party demanded that either Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur “immediately” resign or the Union government “sack” his government in Himachal Pradesh.
Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia also tweeted on this incident stating “Khalistani flag at Himachal Legislative Assembly building is a huge failure of security arrangements. The Chief Minister of Himachal should resign immediately or the central government should immediately sack the Jai Ram Thakur government.”
Manish Sisodia said that the draping of the Khalistan flags outside the gate of Himachal assembly gates was a complete failure of the BJP government in dealing with the matter pertaining to national security and keeping the respect of the people of the hill state.
Himachal Pradesh assembly polls are to be held later this year, the AAP recently found itself at the centre of a controversy after the BJP accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's social media in-charge in the hill state Harpreet Singh Bedi of openly supporting the Khalistan referring to a series of his tweets posted on the microblogging site a few years ago.
AAP expelled Bedi from all posts in the party over his alleged pro-Khalistani tweets, saying that the views expressed by him in his posts on the micro-blogging site were “against the Aam Aadmi Party's ideology”.
(with inputs from PTI)