Sikhs urged the Haryana government and administration to arrest the supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda – booked for attacking Sikhs on November 24 – during a meeting at Dasham Patshahi Gurdwara here on Friday.
The meeting was attended by heads of various Sikh organisations and gurdwaras
from Punjab and nearby areas of the district.
Gyani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, jathedar of Sri Damdama Takt, said: “Despite various criminal cases registered against the dera head, no action is being taken against him. It’s impossible without the central government’s support.”
Demanding immediate arrest of the dera followers, he urged the government to book dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
Baljit Singh Daduwala, head of Daduwala gurdwara, said the attack on Sikhs was planned.
He said: “Sikh religious organisations and the Punjab government should take steps to end attack on Sikhs.”
Flaying the central government, he said: “The political leaders have failed to act against the dera head for the fear of losing votes. Soon, dera followers will come out on streets demanding cancellation of the FIR lodged against 2,000 of them and the government will bow down to their demand.”
Refusing to depend on the outside support, Daduwala asked Sikhs to pull their socks up to save their religion.
Talking to the mediapersons, Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa, president of Satkar Sabha, said: “If government fails to arrest the dera followers within a week, further action will be decided by the Akal Takht.”
A communal clash had broken out between Sikhs and dera followers on November 24 after the dera head was shown black flags. Twelve Sikhs were injured, including Gurmeet Singh Trilokewala, head of Kalanwali-based dera and member of SGPC, during the clash.
Police take out flag march. Though curfew had been lifted on Thursday, the paramilitary force took out a flag march in the town on Friday.
To avoid any untoward incident, the administration had deputed force outside Dasham Patshahi Gurdwara, where the meeting was in progress.
The administration announced that the educational institutes would reopen on Monday after they were closed down on November 25.
Dera spy held Sikhs caught a dera follower, Sewak Dass from Kirti Nagar colony, after he was found spying near the gurdwara in the afternoon.
Initially, he had introduced himself as CID personnel from the Punjab Police, but after being interrogated by the local CID personnel, he broke down and was taken in police custody.
