Virsa Singh Valtoha
Virsa Singh Valtoha | |
|---|---|
 Valtoha (second from right) | |
| Member of Punjab Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 2007–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Gurchet Singh |
| Constituency | Khem Karan |
| Chief Parliamentary Secretary | |
| In office 2012-2017 | |
| Succeeded by | Sukhpal Singh Bhullar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1960 (age 65–66) |
| Party | Shiromani Akali Dal |
| Spouse | Palwinder Kaur |
| Children | 1 |
Virsa Singh Valtoha is a former SIkh militant and Indian politician belonging to Shiromani Akali Dal party. He is a former member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly who represented Khem Karan.[1][2]
Family and early life
His father's name is Sohan Singh. Virsa Singh Valtoha's son's name is Mr. Gauravdeep Singh, who is advocate at Punjab And Haryana High Court. He is also the president of SOI (Student Organization Of India) from Majha Zone (Punjab). [3] Valtoha received training in being a granthi, but chose to pursue higher education instead. In 1981 Valtoha was unable to pass first year English examination for his bachelor of arts. Valtoha joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist) youth-wing out of frustration, but in 1982 he left and joined the All India Sikh Student Federation instead.[4]
Militancy
After joining the AISSF Valtoha came in contact with Kewal Singh, cousin of AISSF president Amrik Singh, who took him to the Golden Temple. According to Valtoha he began to routinely visit the Temple and grew closer to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He would engage in volunteer work for the AISSF.[4]
In November 1982 Harminder Singh Sandhu, AISSF general secretary, asked Valtoha to join a company of youths in throwing bombs at the house of Punjab education minister Harcharan Singh Ajnala. Valtoha would do as asked along with Anokh Singh.[4]
During the Asian Games in 1982 Valtoha and others were given the task to throw leaflets and bombs, but were unsuccessful.[4]
After this incident Valtoha "proved his worth" and he became a regular participant of Bhindranwale's hit squads. In March 1983 Sandhu told Valtoha that a case had been registered against him in relation to an explosion in Delhi. This convinced Valtoha to abandon his studies and to live with Bhindranwale's men in Guru Ram Das Serai. He became an AISSF office secretary as well.[4]
On February 16, 1983, Valtoha and Anokh Singh were sent by Sandhu and Ranjinder Singh Mehta to kill police inspector Bua Dass. Anokh Singh supplied the weapons. Valtoha and Anokh stalked Bua Dass and shot at him as he went on a walk with his brother. Bua Dass would be killed,[5][6] but Valtoha would not shoot. On hearing Valotha did not fire Bhindwale who "...was otherwise in a very happy mood, felt a little annoyed with me (Valtoha)."[4]
On March 5 Sandhu and Satinderjit Singh instructed Valtoha to throw bombs and pamphlets during a non-aligned meet in Delhi. On March 7 Valtoha and others threw pamphlets in multiple places including Gurdwara Bangla Sahib and the letter boxes of the USA and Saudi Arabia embassies. Another group of militants threw bombs at Palika Bazar and Inter-State Bus Terminal injuring 7.[7][8][4][5]
In January 1984 Bhindranwale, in a sign of Valtoha having joined the inner-circle of AISSF, would give Valtoha a .38 revolver. In February Gurinder Singh Bhola, Mathura Singh, Surjeet Singh, and Valtoha attempted to rob Syndicate Bank in Amritsar, but would be unsuccesful.[4]
On March 19, 1984, the AISSF was banned and Harbans Singh Manchanda, president of Delhi Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, supported the decision. Amarjeet Singh Chawla, Bhola, and Valtoha were instructed to kill Manchanda in revenge. Valtoha and fellow militants stole a car in Delhi and tailed Manchanda's vehicle on the 28th. As Manchanda had stopped at a red light in his car. Bhola and Valtoha walked to opposite sides and fired at Manchanda. Bhola fired 14 bullets while Valtoha fired 6 killing Manchanda and injuring two other occupants.[9][10][11] Bhindranwale was greatly pleased with this and forgave Valtoha of his past discretions.[4]
In May 1984 Valtoha, Bhola, Chawla, Labh Singh, and Dalbir Singh Fauji conspired to kill former Punjab chief minister Darbara Singh to fulfill Bhindranwale's personal wish. The plan would not materialize due to Bhola's arrest.[4] In the same month Amrik Singh, Bhindranwale, and Sandhu plotted to hijack a plane in Srinagar, but would not occur.[4]
Valtoha would be arrested during Operation Bluestar.[4]
Political career
Valtoha first became involved in the All India Sikh Student Federation during the time of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. During this period he was allegedly behind multiple killings and bomb blasts.[12] Valtoha was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly from the Valtoha constituency in 2007.[13] During the 2012 Punjab election, Valtoha constituency underwent boundary delimitation. Valtoha then successfully contested the Punjab Assembly seat from Khem Karan.[1] Valtoha served as an MLA from 2007-2017 and a chief parliamentary secretary from 2012-2017. He was a member of the Akali Dal top-decision making body.[14]
Controversies
For using casteist remark
Valtoha has been accused of insulting dalits (a historically discriminated community of lower caste people placed at the end of the caste pyramid, who constitute 36% of the states population in India), by a member of an opposition party in the legislature.[15] Due to a casteist slur by Virsa Singh Valtoha, former Ravidassia M.L.A. Tarlochan Singh Soondh hurled a shoe towards Valtoha in the Punjab State Legislative Assembly[16]
Giani Harpreet Singh also accused Virsa Singh Valtoha of issuing threats to his family, abducting his daughter,[17] and raising caste remarks against him for being a Dalit Sikh.[18]
Electricity theft by Valtoha family
In March 2020, Virsa Singh Valtoha was fined ₹1.9 lakh for electricity theft at his residence in Amarkot, near Tarn Taran, Punjab. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) conducted a raid and discovered that Valtoha's property was illegally drawing power. The sanctioned load was 4.85 kW, but the actual consumption was 11 kW, with unauthorized connections bypassing the meter. Additionally, the team found wires connected directly from a transformer, indicating deliberate power theft.[19][20]
Claiming B. R. Ambedkar Fanned Casteism
During a TV discussion in 2016, Valtoha accused Dr. B. R. Ambedkar of promoting casteism by advocating reservations. This remark drew sharp backlash from the AAP, which demanded legal action and later saw public protests in Tarn Taran, including effigy burning.[21][22]
Threats to Officials - Video Goes Viral
In 2017, a video circulated showing Valtoha allegedly threatening Tarn Taran’s Deputy Commissioner (DC) and police officers. He warned them against harassing Akali workers, stating he had taken note of names and would act accordingly. The Congress condemned the act as intimidation of officials.[23][24]
Electoral performance
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAD | Virsa Singh Valtoha | 52,085 | 52.8 | ||
| INC | Gurchet Singh | 40,735 | 41.3 | ||
| CPI | Kiranbir Kaur | 3,088 | 3.1 | ||
| Majority | 11,350 | 11.5 | |||
| Turnout | 98,632 | 83.0 | |||
| Registered electors | 118,796 | [25] | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAD | Virsa Singh Valtoha | 73,328 | 49.5 | ||
| INC | Gurchet Singh | 60,226 | 40.6 | ||
| Majority | 13,102 | 8.9 | |||
| Turnout | 147,983 | 82.1 | |||
| Registered electors | 180,145 | [26] | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INC | Sukhpal Singh Bhullar | 81,897 | 53.0 | ||
| SAD | Virsa Singh Valtoha | 62,295 | 40.3 | ||
| AAP | Bikramajit Singh | 6,568 | 4.3 | ||
| NOTA | None of the above | 1,484 | 0.70 | ||
| Majority | 19,602 | 12.8 | |||
| Turnout | 153,020 | 77.60 | |||
| Registered electors | 199,211 | [26] | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAP | Sarvan Singh Dhun[29] | 64,541 | 41.64 | ||
| SAD | Virsa Singh Valtoha | 52,659 | 33.98 | ||
| INC | Sukhpal Singh Bhullar | 28,859 | 18.62 | ||
| SAD(A) | Harpal Singh Baler | 3,270 | 2.11 | ||
| NOTA | None of the above | 1,832 | 1.18 | ||
| SAD(S) | Daljit Singh Gill | 422 | 0.27 | New | |
| Majority | 11,882 | 7.66 | |||
| Turnout | 1,54,988 | 71.08 | |||
| Registered electors | 218,055 | [30] | |||
| AAP gain from INC | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Amritpal Singh | 404,430 | 38.62 | New | |
| INC | Kulbir Singh Zira | 207,310 | 19.80 |  24.15
| |
| AAP | Laljit Singh Bhullar | 194,836 | 18.61 |  17.30
| |
| SAD | Virsa Singh Valtoha | 86,416 | 8.25 | 22.26
| |
| BJP | Manjit Singh Mianwind | 86,373 | 8.25 | New | |
| Margin of victory | 197,120 | 18.82 | 5.38
| ||
| Turnout | 1,047,165 | ||||
| Independent gain from INC | Swing | ||||
References
- ^ a b "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 2012 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF PUNJAB" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ "Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Shiromani Akali Dal". Akali Dal Badal. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "MyNeta Profile". Association for Democratic Reforms. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Santhanam, Raju (9 May 2024). "From the India Today archives (1985) | The 'terror confessions' of Virsa Singh Valtoha". India Today. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ a b White Paper on the Punjab Agitation. India. 1984. p. 116.
- ^ Dilagīra, Harajindara Siṅgha (1997). The Sikh Reference Book. Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark. p. 689. ISBN 978-0-9695964-2-4.
- ^ "March 10, 1983, Forty Years Ago: Pak President Ziaul Haq calls for 'just settlement' of J&K 'problem'". The Indian Express. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ Dhillon, Kirpal (22 December 2006). Identity and Survival: Sikh Militancy in India 1978-1993. Penguin UK. p. 152. ISBN 978-93-85890-38-3.
- ^ "DSGMC president Harbans Singh Manchanda murder in Delhi sends security forces in a tizzy". India Today. 30 April 1984. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Tully, Mark; Jacob, Satish (1986). Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle. Pan Books. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-330-29434-8.
- ^ "March 29, 1984, Forty Years Ago: Sikh Leader Shot". The Indian Express. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "Modus operandi of terrorists: Chilling details from AISSF activist Virsa Singh Valtoha". India Today. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 2007 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF PUNJAB" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ^ "Punjab: Valtoha is SAD pick for Khadoor Sahib". Hindustan Times. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "Caste bomb explodes in Punjab assembly, MLA flings shoe". The Times of India.
- ^ Kaur, Sukhdeep. "'Caste slur', shoegate, and all the drama as curtains down on Punjab assembly". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ Singh, Surjit. "Punjab: Citing slander, security threats, Giani Harpreet Singh quits". Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ Jagga, Raakhi (19 October 2024). "At centre of row between Akali Dal, Akal Takht, who is Jathedar Harpreet Singh". The Indian Express. The Indian Express. Retrieved 25 October 2024.[verification needed]
- ^ "Ex-SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha fined Rs 1.9 lakh for power theft". The Tribune. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
- ^ ਸਾਂਝਾ, ਏਬੀਪੀ (16 March 2020). "ਸਾਬਕਾ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਵਲਟੋਹਾ ਕੁੰਡੀ ਲਾਉਂਦਾ ਅੜਿੱਕੇ, ਵਿਭਾਗ ਨੇ ਠੋਕਿਆ 1.96 ਲੱਖ ਜ਼ੁਰਮਾਨਾ". ABP Sanjha (in Punjabi). Retrieved 7 September 2025.
- ^ "HC orders demolition of dangerously dilapidated Vasai buildings". Hindustan Times. 2 September 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Remark on BR Ambedkar: Cong protests against Valtoha in Bhikhiwind". Hindustan Times. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Video of Akali leader threatening Dy Commissioner goes viral". Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "In viral video, Akali ex-MLA Valtoha seen threatening Tarn Taran DC, SHOs". Hindustan Times. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "IndiaVotes AC: Valtoha 2007". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ a b Chief Electoral Officer - Punjab. "Electors and Polling Stations - VS 2017" (PDF). Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ Election Commission of India. "Punjab General Legislative Election 2017". Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ Election Commission of India. "Punjab General Legislative Election 2022". Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Punjab Election 2022: Complete List of AAP Candidates, Check Names HERE". www.india.com. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Punjab General Legislative Election 2022". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 18 May 2022.