Deep Sidhu stated in run-up: Picture abhi baki hai… Jan 26 plans as much as Almighty

On January 20, precisely every week earlier than the Republic Day violence, when Delhi Police and farm unions have been in talks over safety guidelines for the tractor parade, Punjabi movie actor Deep Sidhu, who has been named within the Delhi Police FIR on the Red Fort incident, went on Facebook to livestream a number of tractors en route from Punjab to Delhi and stated: “Picture toh abhi baki hai mere dost”.
And on January 23, he shared an online channel interview, in Punjabi, during which he stated: “We can’t plan what will happen on January 26. It would be out of our calculations. It would be unpredictable. It is up to the Almighty, what happens on January 26. We humans cannot say anything.”

The first eight-minute-long Facebook publish had over 2 lakh views and is one among a sequence displaying how Sidhu, given the chilly shoulder by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) for the reason that Singhu protests began on November 26, reached out to farmers over the unions’ heads and stored elevating the pitch.

In truth, one theme he stored underlining in these messages was the “need for unity” amongst protesters, a not-so veiled snub to the farm leaders. It was level he made on Tuesday, too, after the Red Fort incident.

Denying that he had instigated the group and claiming that the Nishan Sahib flag was hoisted in a “flow of emotions”, Sidhu stated: “I had warned that our leaders had taken a decision which is against the youth’s sentiments.”
Protesters internet hosting flag at Red Fort in New Delhi (Express Photo/Praveen Khanna)
Sidhu is now within the cross-hairs of the Opposition, who alleged Wednesday that he was near the BJP and a part of the “conspiracy” to discredit the protests. Referring to Union Minister Prakash Javadekar’s remarks that motion ought to be taken in opposition to all of those that instigated the group, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “Agree with Prakash Javadekar on this. So to catch the culprits, we can start with this name: Deep Sidhu, campaigner-in-chief for BJP MP Sunny Deol, who admits his role to the media… Judging by these photos, his associates won’t be hard to find either.” Tharoor posted images of Sidhu and Deol with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sidhu with Home Minister Amit Shah. He additionally posted {a photograph} of Sidhu at Red Fort on Tuesday.

On January 19, Sidhu defended BKU (Haryana) president Gurnam Singh Chaduni and himself in opposition to the allegations of farmer unions and highlighted the belief deficit between farmer unions and himself. Chaduni, a member of SKM, was suspected by farmer unions of holding talks with political events.
“We should have faith in our man even if he is sitting with the enemy…It happened with me also. I am tagged as a BJP-RSS man for campaigning for Sunny Deol for just 20 days. Now they are doubting Gurnam Singh Chaduni for just attending a meeting. There may be a difference of opinion, but it shouldn’t mean that you tag anyone as the enemy’s man. It is not the right approach,” he stated in an interview to an online channel which he shared on Facebook.

On January 21, Sidhu interviewed an unnamed man who he launched as a “hero”. The man, who recognized himself as a farmer protester on the Singhu border, claimed that some farm union leaders needed to maneuver to the Burari floor on November 26 itself however he had defied these orders and requested the group to stay at Singhu. “It was the decisive moment. If we had shifted ground, the Modi government would have the upper hand,” he stated. That nine-minute-long interview was watched by 2.25 lakh individuals.
On January 22, Sidhu issued a message calling for unity, linking that to the tractor parade. In a Facebook Live watched by 1.34 lakh customers, he stated: “I want to make a request to farmer unions that we all should become one by forgetting our differences. January 26 is a test for us. We should be so united that even air can’t pass through us. It is time for us to take inspiration from the Guru Granth Sahib and move forward with unity.”

On January 24, he stated he “appreciated…farmer leaders for the firm stand they took on farm laws.” That evening, he shared an unconfirmed map of the route plan of the parade, together with an excerpt from a poem to explain how Sikhs misplaced regardless of placing up an excellent battle in opposition to the British simply because there was no Maharaja Ranjit Singh to steer them.
On January 25, he referred to the violence after the loss of life of George Floyd within the US, whereas speaking in regards to the non-violence being practised by farmer protesters. “Shops were looted in the US and there was largescale violence. But here, our civilisation reacts with calm and no innocent has been hurt,” he stated. He additionally referred to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, saying that no chief stands for his phrases and his individuals as Bhindranwale did within the latest historical past of Punjab.

In one other publish, he shared a Punjabi track devoted to Sikhs killed in 1984 and the aftermath of the riots.

After some protesters, principally youths, took over the stage at Singhu for hours on the evening of January 25 – Sidhu was amongst those that addressed the group – he posted one other video calling for unity and urging farm union leaders to take choices that have been acceptable to all. “If any of us try to hurt the unity now, we should also be ready to face the consequences. Nobody should be seen as a rival. Nobody should make it an ego issue. Farmer union leaders should take a decision that is acceptable to all,” he stated.
His final one-line message on Facebook, posted earlier than the daybreak of January 26, was: “It’s absolutely necessary for us to stay together now.”
Meanwhile, the Congress and AAP named Sidhu on Wednesday to allege a “conspiracy” by the Centre. Addressing a press convention, Congress chief Randeep Surjewala stated: “A concerted conspiracy aided and abetted by the Modi government took place to malign the entire farmers’ movement… A set of people with a pre-meditated motive of violence…who have nothing to do with the SKM were permitted to enter the premises of Red Fort… climb on to its columns and put a flag there. This is sacrilege, unacceptable and those who did it…Deep Sidhu and gang… they have been seen in the past with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister….”

The AAP alleged that Sidhu and “central agencies” had infiltrated the protests and instigated violence.
– With ENS, New Delhi