Ludhiana Police, under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, arrested anti-Khalistani activist Arshdeep Singh Saini on November 30. Saini is accused of making such a post on social media, which pointed towards the increasing migration of illegal Bangladeshis in Ludhiana and the resulting demographic change. Police confirmed his arrest on Wednesday (December 3), saying that he has been arrested for posting material that creates disharmony and disagreement in the society.
Arshdeep Singh Saini returned from the UK in 2014, living in Rupnagar district of Punjab and has around 13,000 followers. He describes himself as “Ramdas, nationalist and Hindu Sikh.
His post on November 27, in which he had written that the number of illegal Bangladeshis was increasing in Ludhiana, was later deleted. These Bangladeshis are taking over local businesses, especially in fruit-vegetable and other daily wage jobs. He also mentioned the increasing number of mosques in the city, saying it was a sign of demographic change.
After this post, on November 28, Ludhiana Cyber Crime Police registered an FIR against Saini under sections of the Indian Justice Code (BNS) and IT Act. Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma told the media that Saini had been sharing provocative, communal and social disharmony posts on X for a long time. Police allege that Saini’s activities appear to be part of an ISI-affiliated toolkit aimed at escalating communal tension in Punjab.
The police commissioner also said that initial investigation found Saini’s content targeting several religious groups and the profiles of his followers point to a planned strategy that seeks to spread hatred in the society.
Before his arrest, Arshdeep Singh Saini was known for exposing anti-India and Khalistani elements on social media. He had also objected to US-based Khalistani JS Dhaliwal’s pro-Pakistan remarks in a post on November 30, in which he had written, “What could be the reason for Khalistanis feeling a sharp pain in the buttocks when India snatches Sindh from Pakistan?”
This entire matter has further intensified the political debate on freedom of expression, use of cyber laws and emerging sensitive issues in Punjab.
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