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Sikh-Dera Sirsa tensions explode in
Punjab
Police,
Sikhs exchange shots, Sant Daduwal under arrest, situation explosive
Gian Inder Singh
 Kotshamir/Bajakhana:
In a clear sign that tensions between the Sikh community and the
Sirsa dera have reached an explosive point, police and supporters of
Sikh holy man Sant Baljit Singh Daduwal exchanged heavy firing,
stone pelting and hand-to-hand fist fights after a group of Sikhs
led by Daduwal were told that they cannot reach the house of a
fellow Sikh for langar because followers of Dera Sirsa have objected
to it.
After the battle
that left several injured, Daduwal was arrested late Monday night
and has been sent into judicial custody till March 24. Some 90
others, all supporters of Daduwal and Sikhs demanding closure of the
dera, are also under arrest.
The incident
comes within hours of Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal publicly saying
he has no problem with the dera and possibly the dera issue was an
issue for the SGPC, and the SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar saying
that Sikhs must not adopt the path of confrontation. And this after
the Akal Takht hukumnama that asked the Sikh community to ensure
closure of Dera Sirsa!
Police said
there was threat of danger to peace and its action was to prevent
Sant Daduwal and his supporters from creating further provocation.
Sant Daduwal was
leading the religious gathering (Diwan) at Harjit Memorial Kabaddi
Stadium for three days and police said that Dera Sirsa followers had
alleged that the conclave witnessed some objectionable words about
dera head Gurmit Ram Rahim, currently named a prime accused in
multiple cases of rape and murder. It seems the dera followers had
decided to teach the Sikhs a lesson and had gathered at the house of
a follower Darshan next to the premises where arrangements for
langar were made.
 When around
1 am in
the night, after conclusion of the Diwan, Sant Daduwal was on his
way to the langar venue at the house of his follower, the local cops
swung into action and asked the Sikhs not to proceed towards the
langar. Sant Daduwal stuck to his guns even as Faridkot SSP Surinder
Singh Sodhi, Deputy Commissioner Faridkot V K Meena, SSP Bathinda
Ashish Chaudhry, SDM Jaito Jagdish Bhatia, Tehsildar Jaito Gursweak
Singh, and DSP Kotkapura Bikram Singh tried to argue him out of it.
When things
seemed to be getting out of hand, Duty magistrate Sandhura Singh and
SDM Harcharan Singh asked the police to rain lathis on the Sant and
his supporter Sikhs.
Amid Bole So
Nihal, firing started and soon both sides were matching shots. The
firing continued for nearly an hour. Sant Daduwal's new Innova SUV
vehicle, a mini bus and SSP's vehicles suffered a lot of damage and
many Sikhs as well as policemen were injured.
Though the
police failed to arrest Daduwal himself, it lay its hands on six
rifles of .12 bore, a rifle of .315 bore and two revolvers. Police
booked Sant Daduwal and some 40 of his supporters for attempt to
murder case and slapped Sections 307, 353, 186, 148, 149 and Arms
Act 25,27,54, 59 in the FIR at Jaito police station. Those arrested
by the Bathinda police included Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj chief Baljinder
Singh and Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha chief Sukhwinder Singh
Khalsa.
In protest
against the police action, hundreds of Sant Samaj activists staged a
dharna at a crossroads near Kotshamir in Bathinda on Monday.
 On Monday
itself, there was another clash in Sangrur between a group of Sikhs
and dera followers
A dozen persons,
including seven policemen, were injured in this clash at Chural
Kalan village, bordering Haryana, when Sikh activists tried to
disrupt a congregation of Dera Sacha Sauda followers. Ten cops
sustained injuries, including Moonak DSP Sharanjit Singh, and had to
be hospitalized.
Later, 25 Sikhs
were arrested when a group started moving towards Lehragaga,
following rumours that another religious discourse was being held
there, and breached police barricades to obstruct their movement.
18 March 2009
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