Punjab Latest Breaking News Thursday 31st May 2007 -



Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu (Vice President Shormani Akali Dal Amritsar) with the family of Bhai Jagtar Singh in village Seron Distt- Sangrur. Jagtar Singh had been caught in Dera Sirsa by security. Now Jagtar Singh is in hospial in Rohtak(HR) and his hairs has been cut in Police Custody.

SGPC chief to lead 11 member panel to meet Punjab, Haryana Governors

AMRITSAR: Shiromani Gurdawara Parbhandak Committee(SGPC) Wednesday formed eleven-member panel here while following the directions of Akal Takht (highest Sikh Temporal Seat) under the leadership of SGPC Chief Avtar Singh Makkar.
According to the SGPC sources, eleven members who were named to meet the governors of Punjab and Haryana on May 31 were SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar, Senior vice president of SGPC Ragujit Singh Virk, junior vice president of SGPC Kewal Singh Badal , Chief of Dam Dami Taksal Baba Harnam Singh Dhuma, Baba Lakhbir Singh Ratre Wale, Baba Gurmail Singh Nanaksar Wale, Sant Paramjit Singh of Mahalpur, Nihang Baba Nihal Singh Harian Bela Wale, Nihang Baba Balbir Singh of Budha Dal, Baba Daya Singh Sur Singh Wale and Jaspal Singh from Delhi.
It may be mentioned here that Last evening Jatehdar Akal Takht Gyani Joginder Singh Vedanti has directed the SGPC to form eleven-member panel to submit memorandum to the Governors of Punjab and Haryana against the blasphemous act OF Dera Sacha Sauda Chef Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh who has hurt the sentiments and psyche of Sikh community by and large.
Tomorrow a protest march would be taken out from the Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and would conclude at Gurdwara Jyoti Saroop and thereafter, only eleven members delegation would proceed further for meeting with the Governors of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh.

Massive Protest March Planned for May 31st

As announced, a massive protest march is being planned from Fatehgarh Sahib to Chandigarh to hand deliver the demands of the Sikh community to the Governors of Punjab and Haryana. They include the immediate arrest of Sirsa cult leader Ram-Rahim, and the closure of all of his deras.
The march was initially announced as a resolution from Akal Takht Sahib on May 20th. According to inside reports, Akali Dal Badal is attempting to marginalize the importance of this march, and has instructed the Jathedars to make this a low key event.
On the other hand, anti-Badal Panthic organizations plan to come out in force in massive numbers, perhaps sending a clear message to the Badal Dal that Sikh organizations are still in control of the Panthic agenda.
Some of the organizations that have planned to take part in the march include :
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi), Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Dal Khalsa, Damdami Taksal, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Sikh Students Federation, Sant Samaj, and other various Jathebandees and members of the Sikh community.

Peaceful Sikh March Against Dera

The Akal Takht, the supreme temporal and spiritual body of Sikhs, expressed dissatisfaction with the apology tendered by Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Raheem, accused of blasphemy, saying the gesture was "a shrewd tactic to divert attention".In conflict with the Dera chief for his alleged imitation of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, the five Sikh high priests, at a meeting here, said the social boycott of Dera followers announced by them would continue.A resolution adopted at the meeting said the apology given by the Dera chief to Guru Gobind Singh on Sunday night was "not graceful in language and spirit".The priests said the apology was "no more than a shrewd tactic of the Dera Chief to divert attention from the fact that he himself is not forthcoming with the apology but is instead trying to hide behind nameless followers".The Takht described the Dera chief as "shrewd and egoistic"."When the apology is sincere and from the core of the heart, then the Guru (Gobind Singh) is magnanimous to forgive. "If he has sincerely apologized, then the Guru would forgive him," the resolution said adding "but he has worded the apology in a cunning manner"."God always pardons the guilty", the Sikh priests said.The Akal Takht meeting presided by Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti said if the Dera Chief and his followers had expressed the apology from the core of their heart to Guru Gobind Singh, the creator of Khalsa Panth (Sikh religion) would forgive them."If they have indulged in mischief, the Guru would take care of them," it said.
The Akal Takht directed Sikhs to conduct a peaceful protest march against recent actions of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect against their religion.
On the eve of the protest march - to be held from Gurudwara Jyoti Sarup at Fatehgarh Sahib, 45 km from here, to the city - the Akal Takht issued fresh directives to Sikhs not to do anything unlawful.

"The march will be led by 11 leaders of the Sikh community who will proceed to Chandigarh. It should be kept peaceful. No one should carry or show any firearms or traditional weapons during the rally," the Akal Takht directive said.
Sikh groups and thousands of their supporters had started gathering at Fatehgarh Sahib - a religious town where two sons of 10th Sikh guru Gobind Singh had made a sacrifice during Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's rule.
The groups are seeking the sect chief's arrest. They also want a complete ban on all his deras.
The delegation leading the protest march will submit memorandums to governors of Punjab and Haryana in Chandigarh demanding action against Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmit Ram Rahim for hurting the religious sentiments of Sikh community recently by portraying himself like Guru Gobind Singh.
The Akal Takht directive for Thursday's protest march was read out to the community at Harmandir Sahib (abode of god) - the sanctum sanctorum inside the Golden Temple complex in Sikh holy city Amritsar.
Security at Fatehgarh Sahib and the highway leading to Chandigarh was beefed up by the Punjab police and paramilitary forces. The police were put on alert in Chandigarh too.

Punjab CPM blames politicians for rising dera culture

NAWANSHEHAR: The Punjab CPM secretary Balwant Singh Wednesday traced the genesis of increasing 'dera culture' in the state to the failure of political leadership to resolve the problems faced by the common man especially one hailing from the poor sections of the society.
Singh who was addressing the media persons in connection with the 6th national-level conference of All India Khet Mazdoor Union being held here from June 3 to 5, said that due to utter poverty and usually disrespect shown to them in the traditional temples and gurudwaras dominated by affluent sections, people from poor sections could be seen thronging the deras and such other religious places to seek solutions to their day-to-days hardships. He said that there was a dire need to build a people-oriented movement in the country to put an end to such practices.
Their three-day conference would be an effort in this direction, said the CPM leader who talked of intensifying their struggle till cultivable land was made available to the tillers in the country.
The Central Committee Member of CPM Charan Singh Virdi said that the Conference would also dwell on the issues related to ensuring reasonable wages for the farm workers and the need to enact an All India Comprehensive Act to protect these wages in the country. The communist leaders stressed the need to curb non-plan expenditure and to generate more revenue by increasing taxes on items like liquor and other non-productive investments, besides recovering dues worth thousands of crores from the industrialists.

Radical Sikhs applaud the Akal Takht 'Gurmata' on dera Sacha Sauda

AMRITSAR: The various radical groups applaud the Gurmata announced by the Akal Takhat on Tuesday, which in a calculated move rejected an apology issued by the blasphemous leader Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh chief of Dera Sacha Sauda cult.
While talking from USA American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (AGPC) chief Bhai Yadwinder Singh and coordinator Dr. Pritpal Singh has appreciated the role of Sikh clergies for rejecting the Dera’s apology letter. They termed the Dera’s letter as tailored, tutored, mischievously drafted so called 'mafinama' of a Dera head having criminal activities.
AGPC said that they also appreciate the role of all panthak organizations standing united, to give befitting reply to this man (Gurmeet Ram Raheem) and also appeal to the entire Khalsa Panth to stay united to bring this man to justice.
AGPC said that they sending their advisory warning note to pseudo-Sikh scholars to refrain from interpreting the glorious panthak maryada in a wrongful way. Talking to Punjabnewslne.com over phone Dr. Amarjit Singh , chief , Khalistan Affair Center from US urged the Jathedar of Akal Takhat Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti to deliver clear directions to the community regarding the Dera Sacha Sauda. He also appeals for a time bound program should be chalked out against the Dera Sacha Sauda.
While reacting on the mediators head Swami Agnivesh, he said that he would advise a dubious Swami, instead he should try to work out to delete remarks of his master swami in 'satyarth parkash' about guru Nanak sahib.
The radicals appeal the Sikhs to unit in their fight against Dera Sirsa for its blasphemous act and should abide by the leadership of the Akal Takht at this hour of crisis.
Accusing Sirsa Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for playing with jugglery of words in his dummy apology letter, the Damdami Taksal and the Dal Khalsa termed it as ridiculous good for throwing into dustbin. Reacting on Akal Takhat Gurmata issued on Tuesday the Damdami Taksalâ spokesperson Bhai Mohkam Singh and Dal Khalsa spokesman Kanwar Pal Singh Bittu said that they are satisfied with the Gurmata and would follow the same by word. They said that there would be no question of “samjohtaâ€? (settlement) with Akal Takhat.

Two Sikhs attacked by Dera followers in Moga

MOGA,Mistaking two motorcycle-borne Sikhs as protesters, a group of Dera Sacha Sauda followers attacked them in Daulatpura village near here on Thursday, police said.
The two youths were going to a nearby village when some Dera followers, who had gathered at a house for a religious discourse, mistook them as Sikh protesters and attacked them, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Devinder Singh Garcha said.
The two identified as Sukhjinder Singh and Raja Singh, a priest of Sadda Subh Wala village nearby, have been admitted to a local hospital.
Garcha said that since the incident was a result of misunderstanding the situation was under control. Police patrolling in the area has been intensified, he added.
The stand-off between various Sikh organisations and the Dera began after the Dera chief appeared in an attire similar to one of 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, leading to violence in which a Sikh youth was killed and around 50 persons were injured.