Chandigarh, April 16 :    Chandigarh, April 16:  Controversy surrounds the 'arrest' of Khalistan Commando Force chief Wassan Singh Zaffarwal from a roadside hotel near Amritsar bus stand on April 11. While the government has described it as 'an arrest', senior police sources said it was mere 'eyewash' as the militant, who had sought political asylum in Switzerland, had 'given himself up'. 'There is no doubt that many terrorists are willing to come back to Punjab as the demand for a separate nation of Khalistan scarcely exists in the countryside now. They have families here and would like to get reunited with them. Whether Zaffarwal was 'arrested' or he 'surrendered' is immaterial. What is important is that people who had once terrorised the state are willing to join the mainstream,' a senior officer said. Zaffarwal's mother, Kulwant Kaur, who had been waiting for her son for years after he joined Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's group, is elated at the turn of events. 'This is our government. If he had not returned now, he would have never got a second chance,' she said. Zaffarwal's village, Chaudharpura Dera in Gurdaspur, has turned into a VIP village. His house has been given a fresh coat of paint and family members, who were earlier shunned by most people, have become the most sought-after in the district. Those who would keep a distance from them are now making a beeline for 'information' on Zaffarwal. 'My son has left terrorism and now wants to spread his word by democratic means. He should be welcomed back,' Kulwant said. Zaffarwal's 'arrest' has put the Parkash Singh Badal government on a sticky wicket. While Badal's detractors have started questioning the prudence of stage-managing the arrest, a debate is raging whether Punjab police, which allegedly had information of his whereabouts and had been 'following' him, failed to arrest him when he landed at Amritsar airport over a month ago. That Zaffarwal was made to talk to reporters and give clarifications about his whereabouts and whether he was arrested or had surrendered has added to the controversy. 'We received information about Zaffarwal's entry into Punjab from newspaper reports. What is intriguing is the way one of the country's most wanted terrorist was allowed to leave Raja Sansi airport without being challenged. It is a complete failure on the part of those responsible for security at the airport. If they cannot be hauled up for reasons best known to the government, we cannot be blamed either,' a police officer said. The police are apparently split on the 'arrest'. While one section feels he should be tried and punished for terrorising the state, another feels that with only seven cases against him, it would be difficult for them to keep him in jail for a long time. 'Let us face the fact. Will we be able to get witnesses to testify against him? In any case, many of them have either died or are untraceable. Many are also likely to change their statement or turn hostile,' an officer said. The issue has revitalised the Congress. The party has said that the episode had exposed the Badal government's proximity to militants. The rehabilitation of hardcore militants Amarjit Singh Chawla as Punjab public service commission member and Virsa Singh Valtoha as Punjab short service commission member, the Zaffarwal incident has provided another stick to the Opposition to beat the government with.