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Sikh-dera tensions on the boil
again
Nandgarh to send 11 Sikhs to shut down Salabatpura dera on March 22
WSN Bureau
 JHORAR
ROHI (HARYANA): Confrontation levels were at peak as many Sikh
panthic leaders and organisations remained adamant on participation
in a religious conclave at Jhorar Rohi village in Sirsa which is
being opposed by Sirsa Dera of rape and murder accused Gurmeet Ram
Rahim, and Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Balwant Singh
Nandgarh, announcing that Sikh jathas of 11-members will be sent
regularly from March 22 to ensure that the Salabatpura dera of Sirsa
fraudster is shut down for ever.
Both Haryana and
Punjab governments hurried about to contain the anger and rage in
the Sikh community after the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted
regular bail to Gurmeet Ram Rahim on March 6 in a case registered
when he hurt Sikh sentiments by imitating Guru Gobind Singh. The
Akal Takht last week reiterated its edict asking Sikhs to stay away
from the dera and its followers. "Follow the hukumnama of the Akal
Takht in letter and spirit," the five Sikh high priests said on
March 6 after the meeting.
But a meeting
led from the front by Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) on March 8 brought
matters to a head as Sikh organisations announced their decision to
participate at the Jhorar Rohi village conclave on March 11 and
March 12 and Sant Baljit Singh Dadu, who has emerged as a key figure
leading the charge, blasted the administration for trying to torpedo
Sikh efforts at having this meeting.
 Meanwhile,
the Sikh clergy slammed moves to impose Section 144 banning
gatherings in the area and said no one dare impose such restrictions
on this or any other gurdwara. Suikhs feel that the administration
in Sirsa was working as per the dictates of the Dera there but
district authorities said they apprehended dera-Sikh clashes.
The
administration has banned Sant Dadu’s entry into the village, thus
raising the tempers further. Jathedar Nandgarh said the only way
left was to send "Marjeevra Sikhs" from March 22 to shut down
Salabatpura dera in Punjab. Nandgarh is to lead representatives of
the Sikh organisations to Jhorar Rohi village on Wednesday morning (India
time) just as this WSN issue was going to the press.
Others who are
participating proactively included Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa,
president of the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha, Daljit Singh Bittu
of the Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), Bhai Baljinder Singh of the Ek
Noor Khalsa Fauj and Nihang Sant Charat Singh, chief of the Taruna
Dal.
From Sirsa, a
few members of the so-called peace committee tried to meet Jathedar
Nandgarh on Tuesday evening but failed to establish contact. It also
visited the village to convince the organizers that the conclave be
put off till the end of parliamentary polls but made no headway.
Main reason was the provocation created by the Sirsa dera activists
and the partisan attitude of the administration.
The ruling Akali
Dal in Punjab is overly worried about the outcome of the latest
confrontational phase as it would negatively impact the chances of
victory of its family member in Bathinda where Sirsa dera followers
are said to enjoy leverage in terms of votes. The Akal Takht has
asked political parties to stay away from the Sirsa Dera.
Earlier, Sikh-Dera
tension was witnessed at a gurdwara of Chandpur village in Fatehabad,
Haryana where too the administration had imposed restrictiosn under
Section 144 but that were removed later after the Sikhs expressed
resentment.
Punjab and
several other places in the country were on the boil in May 2007
after the Sikhs protested against the sect chief allegedly dressing
himself as Guru Gobind Singh. There has been no end to provocations
from the dera side.
11 March 2009
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