Dera Sacha Sauda De Mukhi Virudh Panthak Jathebandiyan

[admin]

in punjabi: http://www.ajitjalandhar.com/20070515/main1.php

in english:

Sikhs clash with Dera Sucha Sauda followers in Punjab, 12 injured
Punjab Newsline Network
Monday, 14 May 2007

BATHINDA: Atleast 12 persons were seriously injured in a communal clash between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda of Sirsa and certain Sikh organisations at Bathinda on Monday.

The clashing groups openly used sharp edged weaposns including swords and spears. Heavy police force was deployed after the incident, the reports reaching ehre said.

The Bathinda incident is seen as replica of Sikh-Nirnakari clash in Amritsar on April 13, 1978 in which about 13 Sikhs were killed in firing by folowers of Nirankari Chief Baba Gurbachan Singh. Nirankari were ex-communicated from Sikh Panth by Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. The Amritsar clash was turningpoint in the militancy that engufled the state for over two decades till late 90's.

The communal tension was building up between the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh organisations since the time of general Punjab assembly elections in February following dera head Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh backed the candidates fielded by Congress. The Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) had lost atleast 24 seats in the Malwa region of state.

In the recent few weeks there were reports of minor disputes between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh organisations who criticised the Dera Chief for serving vested interests.

An advertisement issued by Dera Sacha Sauda on Sunday in certain English newspapers was the flash point of today's violence. The Dera Chief was shown dressed like Sikh Gurus and he had called a congregation on Monday to baptise his followers, a practice which is prevalaent in Sikh religion. The Sikh organisations opposed the action of Dera Chief and marched towards function in the morning at around 8.30 AM. They were confronted by the Dera followers, police sources said.

It may be coincidence that Parkash Singh Badal was chief Minister of state both the times in 1978 and in 2007 when communal violence has rocked the state. Another coincidence is that SAD working president Sukhbir Singh Badal had left on 20 days foreign tour only on Monday morning.

A statement sissued by Chief Minsiter's officer here said that the Badal had appealed to all Punjabis to rise above communal or ideological differences and preserve and safeguard communal harmony in the State. "On its part, the government will deal with a firm hand with anyone trying to disturb peace and break law & order.

Punjab has already paid a heavy price for years of mindless violence and the state government is fully alive to the danger posed by some politically rejected and desperate elements to stoke communal fires in order to make political capital out of it. But we will not allow their designs to succeed at any cost," said the Chief Minister.

Badal also asked the people to remain fully vigilant against attempts to inflame communal and religious sentiments and to help the government in foiling such designs. Meanwhile the Chief Minister ordered a high level inquiry by the Zonal I.G. into the incidents of violence in Bathinda.


Punjab CM appeals for peace and harmony
Satinder Bains/Chandigarh
Atleast 12 persons were seriously injured in a communal clash between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda of Sirsa and certain Sikh organisations at Bathinda, 230 kms from here.

The clashing groups openly used sharp edged weaposns including swords and spears. Heavy police force was deployed after the incident, the reports reaching ehre said.

The Bathinda incident is seen as replica of Sikh-Nirnakari clash in Amritsar on April 13, 1978 in which about 13 Sikhs were killed in firing by folowers of Nirankari Chief Baba Gurbachan Singh. Nirankari were ex-communicated from Sikh Panth by Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. The Amritsar clash was turningpoint in the militancy that engufled the state for over two decades till late 90's.

The communal tension was building up between the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh organisations since the time of general Punjab assembly elections in February following dera head Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh backed the candidates fielded by Congress. The Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) had lost atleast 24 seats in the Malwa region of state.

In the recent few weeks there were reports of minor disputes between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh organisations who criticised the Dera Chief for serving vested interests.

An advertisement issued by Dera Sacha Sauda on Sunday in certain English newspapers was the flash point of today's violence. The Dera Chief was shown dressed like Sikh Gurus and he had called a congregation on Monday to baptise his followers, a practice which is prevalaent in Sikh religion. The Sikh organisations opposed the action of Dera Chief and marched towards function in the morning at around 8.30 AM. They were confronted by the Dera followers, police sources said.

It may be coincidence that Parkash Singh Badal was chief Minister of state both the times in 1978 and in 2007 when communal violence has rocked the state. Another coincidence is that SAD working president Sukhbir Singh Badal had left on 20 days foreign tour only on Monday morning.

A statement sissued by Chief Minsiter's officer here said that the Badal had appealed to all Punjabis to rise above communal or ideological differences and preserve and safeguard communal harmony in the State. "On its part, the government will deal with a firm hand with anyone trying to disturb peace and break law & order.

Punjab has already paid a heavy price for years of mindless violence and the state government is fully alive to the danger posed by some politically rejected and desperate elements to stoke communal fires in order to make political capital out of it. But we will not allow their designs to succeed at any cost," said the Chief Minister.

Badal also asked the people to remain fully vigilant against attempts to inflame communal and religious sentiments and to help the government in foiling such designs. Meanwhile the Chief Minister ordered a high level inquiry by the Zonal I.G. into the incidents of violence in Bathinda.

[admin]