Chandigarh: Just four days after he joined jailed MP Amritpal’s party Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, calling the outfit a “gathering of secular”, former Enforcement Directorate deputy director Niranjan Singh walked away from it, citing differences on “non-negotiable issues”.In a Facebook post on Sunday evening, Singh wrote, “I dissociate myself from Akali Dal Waris Punjab De. I had given my support on the issues of drug menace in Punjab, high corruption, gangsters, extortion and involvement of police personnel in drug trafficking, but there are differences on some issues which are non-negotiable. The conduct of the persons in public life has to be within Constitution of India. I wish them well.”When contacted, Niranjan Singh confirmed the statement. “The conduct of the people who are part of Akali Dal Waris Punjab and the party should be clear, in line with the Constitution of India,” he said, adding: “I still treat them as secular people. The utterances of some of their supporters are not good.” .Without specifying the “utterances”, the former officer said all should conduct themselves “as per the Constitution”. “I have nothing more to add,” he said.Waris Punjab De functionary and Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali called the move the officer’s “will”. “Earlier, he expressed his wish to join Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De). He may have been pressurised. It is his will. We welcome it,” he added.Asked to take a name, Ayali said, “It should not be a secret as to who could have pressured him?”Ayali said Niranajan Singh’s move to step away from Waris Punjab De would not be a setback. “He could have some problem on some issues,” he added.Niranjan Singh said there was no pressure on him to distance himself from Waris Punjab De. “Who could put pressure on me? When someone attempted to put pressure on me, he was not successful,” he added.On Sept 23, when he joined Waris Punjab De in Chandigarh, Singh had said: “I am not a political person. I worked for Govt of India. I never had any intention of entering politics. But the situation in Punjab has been deteriorating for quite some time. There is virtually no law and order. We have become accustomed to living with corruption, drugs and a sense of being controlled. We have forgotten to raise questions.” He had declared that if Akali Dal Waris Punjab De formed govt, it would end the drug and corruption mafia.Niranjan Singh had shot to prominence while probing the money laundering aspect of the multi-crore drug racket in which, among others, he had questioned senior politicians.
