Chandigarh, Dec. 2 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) on Monday directed the Punjab government to produce the "foundational material" that led to the rejection of Khadoor Sahib MP and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh's parole plea to attend the winter session of Parliament. The state government had rejected his representation reportedly citing potential law-and-order issues after receiving a report from the district police on November 26. The order was passed by the bench presided over by chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry during the hearing of the plea filed by the Sikh radical leader, challenging the Punjab government's decision. Appearing for Amritpal, senior advocate Rajwinder Singh Bains submitted that the state government has misused its discretion under Section 15 of the National Security Act (NSA) by issuing a "cryptic" rejection order without connecting the decision to any specific material. Amritpal is not seeking to enter Punjab, but only to discharge his parliamentary duties in custody, it was argued. "The parole could be structured with strict conditions. The petitioner is ready to undertake that he would abide by the conditions imposed," Bains added. "How does this harm national security (to state's claim that allowing parole could pose a threat to national security)? Discretion must be lawful, rational and fair. They must explain why attendance in Parliament poses a danger," he submitted while elaborating that the MP wishes to take up the issue of damages suffered due to the Punjab floods in August, which affected 800-odd villages in his constituency. When the demand was opposed by the Punjab government, Bains even suggested that Amritpal could be allowed to attend the ongoing winter session virtually. "Infrastructure exists in jails and Parliament. What is the harm in allowing a sitting MP to participate virtually?" he asked, adding that technology and precedent showed institutions could adapt when circumstances required. Bains also questioned Punjab's stand that his speech could pose a threat to national security. "..They say my speech will set the country on fire. Where is the material? How does my attendance in Parliament endanger the nation?" Bains asked. Bains also cited the case of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who was permitted by a Delhi high court on November 27 to attend the winter session. Appearing for the Punjab government, senior advocate Anupam Gupta opposed the parole and said that allowing Amritpal on any platform - physical or virtual, carried "grave risks". "Once an MP gets a national or global platform, the consequences for security are profound. A single speech can pose serious danger to the safety and survival of Punjab and the nation. It can set the five rivers on fire. One can only err on the side of caution," Gupta said. He also pointed out that Amritpal has not even challenged his fresh detention under NSA, which started in April this year. The state's apprehension was grounded in Amritpal's "background and his conduct" and that state's uneasiness is justified. "The grounds of detention are serious. All constitutional and statutory procedures under the NSA have been followed. The material is voluminous. We have supplied him with everything," Gupta submitted, seeking time from the court to produce the material on record on the adjourned date of December 5. Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain informed the court that there is no provision for MPs attending the Parliament virtually. "They have to be present on the floor of the House. Otherwise, anybody from anywhere could claim a right to speak. There is no provision at all for virtual participation," he submitted. Amritpal has been under detention at Dibrugarh jail in Assam since his arrest in April 2023 under the National Security Act (NSA) even as his nine other associates were brought back to Punjab earlier this year. Amritpal Singh, who styled himself after slain militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested in Moga's Rode village on April 23, 2023, after a month-long hunt. The Khalistan sympathiser had escaped the police net in Jalandhar district on March 18, 2023, switching vehicles and changing appearances. The radical Sikh preacher won the Khadoor Sahib seat with 1.9 lakh votes as an Independent in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and was administered the oath of office on July 5, 2024. Since then, he has not attended the Parliament....