Chandigarh/Milpitas(California)The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) strongly condemns what appears to be continued high-handedness toward Mohanjit Singh, a young Punjabi who exercised his democratic right to question and protest against the Punjab government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
According to information available to NAPA, Mohanjit Singh was granted bail and released following the protest. However, reports that he continued to face pressure and alleged official high-handedness even after securing his release are deeply disturbing and demand immediate clarification from the Punjab government and police authorities.
Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director of NAPA, said: “A young person who raises questions before an elected Chief Minister is not an enemy of the state. He is a citizen exercising his democratic rights. Granting bail should mean that the legal process is respected—not that a young protester is subjected to further pressure, intimidation or harassment.”
NAPA cautions the Punjab government against creating an atmosphere in which young people become afraid to question those in power. Democracy cannot function when questions are answered with police pressure and protests are treated as crimes rather than expressions of public dissatisfaction.
“Punjab has a proud history of speaking truth to power,” Chahal said. “Governments come and go, but the people’s right to question their rulers remains. Bhagwant Mann’s government must understand that a police uniform cannot replace political accountability, and a barricade cannot permanently silence public opinion.”
NAPA calls upon the Punjab government to ensure that Mohanjit Singh is not subjected to any retaliatory action merely because he participated in a peaceful protest or raised questions against those in power. If authorities have legitimate allegations against him, those allegations should be dealt with transparently through due process and the courts—not through intimidation or administrative pressure.
Chahal further said that Punjab belongs to its people, not to any political party. The Chief Minister and every elected representative must be prepared to face questions from ordinary citizens, including young people. Peaceful dissent is not a threat to democracy; silencing peaceful dissent is.
NAPA also urges Punjab Police to maintain political neutrality and ensure that law-enforcement powers are not misused against peaceful protesters. Any allegation of misconduct or harassment involving Mohanjit Singh should be independently examined, and responsibility should be fixed if wrongdoing is established.
“We strongly believe that the government should answer the questions being raised in Punjab’s villages and streets—not attempt to bury those questions under police deployment. The people of Punjab deserve governance based on dialogue, accountability and respect for democratic rights,” Chahal said.
NAPA will continue to monitor developments concerning Mohanjit Singh and urges all concerned authorities to uphold the rule of law, constitutional freedoms and the dignity of every citizen.