Latest Breaking News from Punjab: Saturday 30th June 2007

Interim bail for dera chief

Chandigarh, Even as the Punjab government has upped the ante on the Dera issue by granting sanction to prosecute and arrest Dera Sacha Sauda chief Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today came to the rescue of the beleaguered Sant by granting him interim bail and also issued a notice of motion to Punjab for August 6.
Justice L.N. Mittal stated in his order, following a petition by the Dera chief that he be granted anticipatory bail, that “the petitioner (Dera chief), if arrested, shall be released on interim bail to the satisfaction of the arresting officer subject to conditions specified in Section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The petitioner shall also surrender his passport before the arresting officer”.
An FIR bearing No 262, dated May 20, under Section 295-A IPC was lodged against the dera chief at Police Station Kotwali, Bathinda, by Rajinder Singh Sidhu who claimed himself to be the president of Khalsa Diwan Guru Singh Sabha, Bathinda.
Following the registration of the FIR, the Punjab Police had obtained non-bailable production warrants against the dera chief from a Bathinda court and sought the permission of the Punjab government, as directed by the court, to arrest and start prosecution of Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
It was alleged in the FIR that advertisements had appeared in newspapers on May 13 showing Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a dress similar to the one worn by the tenth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh. A ritual starkly similar to the Sikh baptisation ceremony was also allegedly performed by the Dera chief.
Strongly questioning the veracity of the FIR, the petitioner’s counsel submitted that the complaint was politically motivated and frivolous. It was stressed that no offence under Section 295-A IPC could be made out from the contents of the FIR.
He also averred that the petitioner had never imitated or tried to act like Guru Gobind Singh and, moreover, had apologised twice to assuage the hurt feelings of the Sikh community.
Hammering on the good Samaritan image of the dera, the petitioner’s counsel averred that the Dera’s name had found place in the Guinness Book of World Records as well as the Limca Book of Records for blood donation. The dera also organised spiritual santsangs and was engaged in various noble causes.
Touching upon the philosophical moorings of the Dera, counsel further submitted that whole spiritual edifice of the Dera was built upon the theme “Only God is worth praise who is known by various names”. The petitioner’s counsel averred that the furore had political genesis, as some news reports had suggested, and that the dera was being hounded for its reported support to the Congress.

Define apology, dera tells priests

Sirsa, The Dera Sacha Sauda followers today decided to continue their indefinite fast even after the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted interim bail to dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh till August 6 in a case registered against him in Bathinda under Section 295-A.
The dera said the protest would continue as there was no let up in atrocities being committed against dera followers in Punjab.
Dera’s chief spokesman Aditya Arora, while reacting on the High Court orders at a press conference here this evening, said “the matter is sub judice and our legal team is handling the matter so we will not comment on it.
However, the dera followers will continue their fast unto death staged in front of DC office as the atrocities against the dera followers continue in Punjab”.
He said “we have not closed the option to sort out the conflict with Sikhs
But we are hurt about the way in which our three apology letters have been rejected by the Sikh high priests.
We have great respect for 10th Guru Gobind Singh and Sikh Sangat. The dera had tendered a apology to the supreme Guru Gobind Singh and had sent the signed third letter to Sikh high priests.
“Now we will open dialogue only when the Sikh high priests will clarify who is supreme and to whom we can tender a fresh apology which is acceptable to them” he added.
Meanwhile, the decision of the High Court came as a relief for the dera followers who were eagerly waiting for the court orders.
Even before the religious discourse of the dera chief, many of the speakers expressed relief over the court orders while addressing dera followers at Majlis ground.
Meanwhile, a team of Haryana Police personnel, carrying security equipment- a part of Z plus security to be provided to dera chief, reached the dera today.
As many as 36 police personnel, including commandos and bulletproof vehicle, will be provided to the dera chief under Z-plus security cover.

Bitter sniping over dera issue - Congress/BJP/SAD Trying to get more supporters

Chandigarh, The Budget session of the Punjab Assembly today ended on a note of confrontation between the ruling SAD-BJP combine and the Congress on the dera issue.
The Congress MLAs not only rejected the personal invitation of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as well as of the Speaker to join the lunch after the conclusion of the session but also decided to take on the government more strongly in the days to come. “For us a discussion on the latest law and order situation, which we were not allowed, was more important in the House than the invitation for lunch”, said Leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
While Badal today rejected the Opposition demand to hold an inquiry into the alleged police excesses on Congress activists and common citizens, Bhattal said the “Badal government should go as it has failed to protect the Constitutional rights of followers of Dera Sacha Sauda in the state”.
Badal said: “ No major incident has taken place. The situation is under control. And hence there is no need to order any judicial or other inquiry”. He said cases had been registered against all those- they might be followers of the dera or those opposing them- who had been violating the law. “No one is above the law,” he affirmed when asked about the arrest of all those involved in creating trouble in the state for the past several weeks.
Badal said he had no word from his counterpart in Haryana with regard to joint maintenance of law and order because of the re-emergence of confrontation between followers of the dera and Sikh groups in certain parts of Punjab and Haryana.
On the other hand, Bhattal said Badal was playing divisive politics on the dera issue. “Why was the apology, which was prepared by involving senior functionaries of the SGPC and certain officers of the Punjab Government, not accepted,” she asked. The government could not be allowed to play political stunts on this very sensitive issue, she said.
“Badal was aware of the content of the apology,” she asserted. Not accepting the apology had put a question mark on the intentions of the government to maintain peace in the state, she said.
Followers of the dera were facing problems in holding marriages and other social functions, she said. They were being forced to accept “siropas”. She said efforts had been made to push “followers” out from the fold of Sikhism by preventing them from performing ceremonies as per Sikhism. “We are going to set up a 21-member committees of Congress activists in each village of Malwa region to protect the fundamental and constitutional rights of people and to maintain harmony and peace”, she said.
“We were expecting that Badal will make a suo motu statement today on the law and order situation in the Assembly today but he did not”, Bhattal said. “Badal wants to see Punjab burning,” she added.

Dera men, Sikhs come close to clashing thrice

Moga, Members of Sikh community and followers of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda came close to a showdown thrice in and around the Nihal Singhwala sub-division during the past 24 hours.
Dera follower Buta Singh of Himmatpura village was organising ‘namcharcha’ when the activists of the Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj reached there and tried to stop him. The police brought the situation under control.
Elsewhere, unidentified persons burnt a tempo belonging to Ruldu Singh, a dera follower and a resident of Gehlan village, last night.
The bhog of a dera follower at Dhalle Ke village turned into a hotspot when the deceased’s brother Mangal Singh insisted that it be held according to the Sikh rites while his friends wanted a ‘nam charcha’.

Khalsa panel to reconstitute itself

Fatehgarh Sahib, The meeting of the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC), which was constituted to spearhead the agitation against the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, was held here today sans the Sant Samaj. Even as several member of KAC continued to elude the media, some leaders confided that it had been decided to reconstitute the Khalsa Action Committee following recent developments.
A split in the Khalsa Action Committee was quite evident after the meeting. Some of the members, who appeared to be demoralised after the meeting, maintained that though some important decisions had been taken in the meeting, the details could not be revealed to the media.
However, sources within the KAC disclosed that the committee had decided to meet the Chief Ministers of both Punjab and Haryana to take up the issue of dera chief's arrest. Besides, the KAC has also decided to hold a series of protest marches in the state, the sources stated.
The KAC also approved the rejection of Dera's apology by the Akal Takht, the sources said.

Meeting of KAC at Fatehgarh Sahib

A meeting of KAC started here in Fatehgarh Sahib on late evening of 29 June. KAC is expected to decide future course of Action in this meeting. Extension of committee is also expected.
Dera Head's Arrest Stayed Till 6 Aug: All speculations of arrest of dera sauda head has been set at rest by Punjab and Haryana High Court which has issed a stay order against arrest warrest issued by Bathinda Court for arrest of dera sauda head.

Sant Samaj Withdraw From Membership of KAC

Sant Samaj, after a meeting, announced abondonment of membership of Khalsa Action Committee. Previously two nominees of Sant Samaj, Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal and Baba Sukhchain Singh Dharmpura were members of KAC.

Dera Demanded Dismissal of Punjab Government

Dera Sirsa has demanded dismissal of Badal Government form President of India. 25 Person affiliated to dera have started a fast to put pressure on Government. Dera is threatned by sanction of arrest given by Punjab Government yesterday.

Government Gives Sanction for Dera Head's Arrest

Punjab Government has given sanction, as requred by Bathinda Court's Arrest Warrant Order, to Bathinda Police to proceed for dera cheif's arrest.
Second Apology Rjected: In a crutial meeting today, the Akal Takht rejected second socalled apology submitted by dera sauda.

Jathedar Refused to Meet KAC

Jathedar Joginder Singh has refused to meet members of Khalsa Action Committee. It is notable that 5 members of KAC went to Sri AKal Takht Sahib to meet Jathedars and give their opinion on fresh apology by dera. But due to political pressure Jathedar refused to meet them. It was surprising that Sikhs were waiting for decision on dera issue but Jathedar was out for inaugrating somebody's house. His secretary informed KAC that Jathedar do not want to meet KAC members. Then Members of 5 member Sub-committee submitted their view through a letter for All Jathedars and released same to Press also.

Dera's Apology was Just a Press Release
Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS)'s sealed letter termed as fresh apology by media was just a Press Release, with slite diffrence from previous such release.

Jathedar Sahiban, we shouldn't have been guessing

While it is to be appreciated that the Jathedars of the Sikh Takhts correctly understood the sentiments of the Sikh community and rejected the cleverly crafted apology of the Dera Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, what is certainly not appreciable is the fact that the Sikh community had to wait with bated breath for the outcome till the clergy actually pronounced it. What was so obvious to the Sikh community collectively -- that the apology is only a clever stratagem, that the dera head is least repentant, that he is continuing to do exactly what he is apologizing for, that the government has done precious little in bringing him to book, that his followers are adamant on rather increasing the frequency of nam-charchas, that the state establishment has made its intentions clear by providing him with z-plus security -- was not considered enough to correctly fathom the end result of the Jathedars' confabulations.
The kind of response that the June 24 Khalsa Chetna March received from the Sikh sangat was indicator enough of the mood of the panth. The fact that the march was sought to be torpedoed not only by the elements in the Akali Dal-BJP government but even the SGPC and senior people working inside the Khalsa Action Committee and still turned out the way it did only sends out a positive signal. The Sikh community is aware of the hurt caused and is determined to remove the cause of the pain by either making the assaulter realize his mistake or taking measures to put its own house in order so that such attacks do not succeed.
It is at junctures like these that the history records the role of those at the helm. At a time when things move on smoothly, the leaders become only marginal players, but when a crisis emerges, the stuff of the leadership comes under question.
With every passing day, the dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim is becoming a smaller man even in the eyes of his own followers who see that their idol is big enough to indulge in megalomania, ridiculous enough to imitate the Sikh Guru, stupid enough to then say that he can't even think of doing so, and Lilliputian enough to shirk saying a clear, candid sorry. That he is crook enough to keep crafting multiple versions of unrepentant apologies does no credit to a man whose avowed mission is to turn people into real 'insaans.'. Of course he can make a beginning by letting the CBI complete its probe into murder charge against himself, make clear his role in systematic molestation of the girls at the dera and present before the people his true motives in imitating Sikh religious lexicon.
And the Sikh leadership, including the clergy, must also beware that with each passing day, they too are under watch, and must not do anything to reduce their own stature. What Paramjit Singh Sarna has done, or Avtar Singh Makkar forever tries to do, is the one thing that a Sikh leader must stay miles away from. The Sarnas had won considerable goodwill among the Sikhs of Punjab, and they will have to do considerable effort now to win it back. The only good thing they have done is to turn themselves into befitting examples of what the leaders must not try to do when dealing with the sentiments of the community. Be clear, be transparent. Cloak and dagger, as we earlier said, is not a strategy to be employed at home.

Sikhs and the law of the land

A deredar of Sirsa has insulted the Guru of the Sikhs, the history of the Sikhs, the principles and traditions of the Sikhs. More than a month has since passed. Neither the media has presented the view point of the Sikhs honestly nor has the government done justice. The community is being told that law will take its course but the culprit who has insulted an entire community is being provided a level of security equivalent to that available to the Prime Minister. His deras are being guarded with the same zeal. When it comes to committing excesses upon the Sikhs, then where does this course of the law run? Unless these issues are deliberated upon and understood, the ongoing agitation of the Sikhs will not be able to deliver crystallized results.
Under the law of the land, the Sikhs who were displaced from Pakistan during the Partition got lesser land than what they left behind. It was as per the law set down by the government that the Sikhs were not allowed to live at one place. When the Punjabi Suba was carved after thousands of Sikhs went to jail and S. Darshan Singh Pheruman attained martyrdom, lakhs of Punjabis and vast swathes of Punjabi-speaking areas were left outside Punjab. Control of the river waters and the power generation/distribution was snatched away. All of this was the result of the law taking its own course.
In 1978, 13 Sikhs were killed by the nakli Nirankaris at Sri Amritsar. The court at Karnal not only acquitted all the accused in this case but also admonished the police for wrongly implicating the peace-loving citizens (Narakdharis) and thus hurting them. This pronouncement of the court was as per the law of the land. In 1984, on the day of the Shaheedi Gurpurab of the fifth Sikh Guru, under the garb of arresting Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale, the Indian Army attacked Sri Darbar Sahib with tanks and artillery, which was presumably as per the law of the land. Mind you, that not a single case was pending against Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in any thana or court. At least not under the law of the land.
The 21st century began for this country with the application of the law of the land when the police presented 133 witnesses against Prof Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar but not one was able to identify him. He, however, has been sentenced to death, of course under the law of the land.
Why does the law go to sleep when it comes to the Sikhs? When the RSS leadership openly terms the Sikhs as part of Hindus, does that not amount to an excess as per the law of the land? The little subtle secret is that even the Constitution of the country does not recognize the independent identity of the Sikhs. When constitutionally the Sikhs do not have an existence of their own, then where is the issue of being victims of excess?
When people immigrate from one country to the other, and the law of the new nation does not recognize them, then they can be termed illegal, aliens, but those who are deprived of their rights in the lad of their birth are not illegal. They are slaves. The illegal, the aliens are expatiated by the governments, thrown into jails but to loot, beat, kill or jail the slaves, you don't need much of the law. For example, even if the Supreme Court has not considered or pronounced that shouting a slogan in favour of Khalistan is any crime, but myself is facing a case of no less a crime than the crime of sedition for ostensibly doing exactly that. The most heinous crime in any country is the crime of sedition, but in this country, one is booked for sedition for desecrating a statue. Sardar Simranjit Singh Mann is facing a case of sedition because he did not like the fact that there should be a statue of Beant Singh who is no icon of human rights. Compared to his actions, the head of the dera who insulted the Sikhs gets Z+ security.
The inference is simple: Because the quom is pushed into slavery, the izzat accorded to a statue is more important than the izzat of the entire quom.
The Constitution and the law of this land is based on the brahamanvaadi philosophy. The basis of this philosophy is caste, idol worship and bharam-jaal. The SIkh gurus replaced caste with the philosophy of ‘Manas ki jaat sabhe aike pehchaanbo’ and ‘Sarbat Da Bhala’. The idol worship and human-worship were replaced with Akal Purakh and Shabad-Guru. The mumbo-jumbo of bharam and mantars was replaced by the construct of the Khalsa's high living and true calling.
The Khalsa made history by following the path of the Gurus and had its own reign. Many do not like the fact that the Gurus were able to negate the Brahamanvaad's basic concepts and equipped the Sikhs with their separate ideology, history and unique identity which enabled them to rule. It is because of this that whenever anyone insults the Saroop, the principles or the Gurus of the Sikhs, he invariably gets a pat from the state or the central governments. The rise of the pakhandis like Narakdharis, Nurmehlias and many others who hurt the Sikh principals and sentiments can only be ascribed to this. The Sirsa creature is only part of this pattern.
One last thing. Can the Sikhs find a way to remain alive as Sikhs? The answer is that they will have to remain conscious and resolute about their history and principles. They must stick to their unique Rehat and conduct, and must ensure that in their land of birth the Punjab, the laws must be in consonance with the philosophy of Guru Granth Sahib and Sikh principles so that the Sikhs can live like Sikhs should. Many Sikhs think that with the Sirsa dera head seeking apology, being arrested or dying, the issue will end. But this is only a miniscule part of the larger issues being faced by the Sikhs. The key problems of the Sikhs will remain as long as they do not become the arbiters of their own existence. They may have to witness more rounds of 1947, 1966, 1978, 1984. The slaves do not breathe easily. They haven’t done so in history. When anyone can get up and insult the Guru of the Sikhs, and the Sikhs start holding dharnas, then be clear about the inference. Raaj bina na dharma chale hain…
The medieval ages had a proverb – the might is right. The core of this wisdom hasn’t changed in modern times. If Punjab had been ruled as per the Sikh philosophy and principles, then anyone insulting the Gurus would have been extended the same treatment as Chandu was meted by the Guru of Miri-Piri. Then we would not have been spilling out on the roads to seek justice. Then we would not have been facing sedition cases. The ever rising fencing around the Salabatpura dera only signifies our political slavery.
(The author is Senior Vice President of Shiromani Akali Dal-Amritsar)

Escaping the Dragnet: New Tactics of Dera Sauda

The day Bathinda court issued warrants to arrest Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Dera Chief in an emergency meeting gave a call to his followers to sacrifice their life for his love ( prem). In his official statement he accused some anti-social elements for terrorizing his followers to peacefully assemble for religious ceremonies. He regretted that it was in sharp contravention to freedom provided in the Indian constitution. Anti-social elements terrorizing Premis he referred to were obviously Sikhs who felt insulted at the mockery of supreme sacrifice of tenth Guru Gobind Singh. Commanding a considerable influence at Government levels at the center and the state, Dera chief succeeded in getting Z Plus security, mostly a prerogative of high profile government officials and political stalwarts.. It is believed that Z Plus status considerably helped in salvaging the waning charisma of Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s stature as a self-styled Guru. But what seems out of the reach of the Dera Mukhi is the control of judicial system. Hysterical reactions look to have marked Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s behavior when cases in various courts are taken up for hearing. It is followed by an appeal to his followers to save deteriorating humanity.
Unexpected move of delivering a letter of apology to DGMC chief Parmjit Singh Sarna and a sealed copy to Akal Takht Jathedar Vedanti, arouse many speculations about Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s latest tactics to walk out of the legal wrangling. Sarna claims the credit for forcing Gurmeet Ram Rahim to tender apology to Sikh Sangat. It is not clear who entrusted Sarna to have parleys with excommunicated leader. As a matter of fact, Dera closely monitored Bathinda court decision of arrest warrants against him, and then prepared to deal with the situation at political, official and religious levels. At the political level, Dera Mukhi activated Congress sympathizers to influence Haryana Government to skirt the judicial warrants in public interest and peace. He also asked Punjab Congress to come forward in his support; since Rajinder Kaur Bhattal owes to Dera Mukhi a seat in Vidhan Sabha, she accused Sikhs of witch-hunting premis . At the official level, Dera is trying to invoke fundamental rights provided for citizens under the Indian constitution. And at the religious level, he has already asked premis to shed their blood for their Guru. He claimed that by puncturing his finger he had given his blood to his followers, instead of first taking theirs. Having enacted the rituals, Dera Chief has openly given a call to all his followers to reach Sirsa for a legendary show of strength and unity to ward off any attempt to arrest him.
Haryana Government’s preparedness to tackle the situation after Bathinda Court’s orders indicates that law and order problem will be its priority. Premis are pouring in Sirsa from different states to thwart their leader’s arrest. They have been asked to sacrifice their life for love of humanity and freedom of conscience.
The third apology by dera chief has again started the heat that was believed to have cooled down. Should Akal Takht reconsider its edict in view of the fresh development? Who authorized the DSGMC chief to prevail on Dera Mukhi to tender apology? Accepting belated apology will mean withdrawing cases of blasphemy registered against him in different police stations. Will Sikh Sangat be prepared to take these steps? Withdrawal of cases will render court warrants ineffective. The fact that apology came immediately after court orders is evidence enough of Dera Mukhi’s opportunism and insincerity. Dera Mukhi obviously wants to divide Sikhs through his sympathizers in Congress, Akalis and panthic groups. The court orders to arrest Baba seemed to have caused turmoil in central and state agencies. Badal government might be under pressure to choose between his government and Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s arrest. The hobnobbing of Sarna at the behest of Center government is a clear signal of a secret bargain at the political level. The center keeps reminding Badal as to who is in the driving seat. Badal will have no choice except to toe Congress government’s line for saving his government and his leadership.
The fall out of the whole mess is that political parties are dealing with Sikhs’ problems for carving niche for themselves. The core of the problem has not been addressed. The controversy should have disturbed Sikh intellectuals to come forward with concrete policy to get such directions from Akal Takht as to end troubles in future. It is not Dera Sauda alone that embarrasses Sikhs; numerous others are using Sikh scriptures to establish their personal seminaries in flagrant violation of Gurmat principles. Tenth Guru’s edict is unambiguous in this regard. Sikhs have been commanded to treat Guru Granth Sahib as living Guru and the Khalsa as vigilantes. Sects not believing in authority of Guru Granth Sahib have no right to use Gurbani and Sikh symbols in their Deras. The edict from Akal Takht in this respect can end confrontations with Dera Mukhis; because when Dera sects stop using Sikh symbolism and scriptures, they are free to believe in anything they want The Khalsa Chetna March on June 24, 2007 succeeded in drawing Sikhs from all walks of life. The fact that it remained peaceful, and on the target might have upset DSGMC Chief Parmjit Singh Sarna and SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar. Heads of two religious bodies have shown that they failed in providing policies that could remove irritants in relationships of Sikhs with other religious organizations. People’s overwhelming participation in the Khalsa Chetna March is an indication of the fact that Dera’s controversy cannot easily be put on the back burner. Delhi and Chandigarh governments are looking for only politically convenient ways to keep the fires burning so that they could bake their cake and eat it too.
Dera controversy is an issue of Sikhs’ betrayal and a systematic interference in the practice of their faith. Governments should have encouraged Sikh organizations to come forward with a religious solution and warned Deras Sauda not to encroach on forbidden territories.
The issue of apology has long lost religious importance. The third apology is nothing other than a political ploy to evade Dera Mukhi’s arrest and divide Sikh ranks. It is a political stratagem to confuse and confound religious leaders.
Before Jathedar Vedanti is back from his trip abroad, delegates of SGPC, DSGMC, Sant Samaj, Panthic organizations should meet again to consider all aspects apology and give written representation to Akal Takht Jathedar. By adopting a minimum program, there won’t be any room for Jathedar Vedanti to go out of the mandate of the majority. The genuine apology spontaneously springs from the bottom of a repentant heart and needs no mediation for expression. Dera chief’s words “ I cannot think of copying Guru Gobind Singh” is a flat refusal to admit his mistake. In the wake of a call to his followers to counter ‘anti-social elements’ (Dera’s words for Sikhs), administering of Jaam-e-Insa again and again, and invoking political interference in his support,
Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s apology is not only meaningless but also a mockery of Sikh sentiments. Jathedar may be advised to defer his decision on apology until Gurmeet Ram Rahim is arrested. Sikhs in general and leaders in particular deserve to be congratulated for peaceful demonstrations. Peaceful and orderly marches can have greater effect on people. Sikhs should also respect difference of opinions without losing sight of greater good. The path to negotiations should never be given up even if nothing appears emerging out of it.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim gets bail

CHANDIGARH: Two days after the Akal Takht rejected the fresh apology of the Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmit Ram Rahim, the murder accused self-styled holyman currently the cause of anger among Sikhs, was granted interim bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday, just a day after the Punjab Government gave a go ahead to the police to arrest him in a case of hurting religious sentiments.

Earlier on Friday the Dera had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking quashing of the Bhatinda court's non-bailable arrest warrant against its head Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The decision by the Bhatinda court came in the wake of the Punjab government giving sanction for arrest and prosecution of the Dera Sacha Sauda head.
Earlier in the day, the sect's spokesman Aditya Arora had said that the "sect will either seek anticipatory bail for the Dera chief or quashing of the June 20 order of the Duty Magistrate A L Khitchi, who had issued conditional bailable arrest warrant against the Dera chief". Meanwhile, there are reports that fissures are emerging within the Dera Sauda over the matter of apology and one faction is advising against enraging the entire Sikh community and wants the Dear Head to issue a clear, candid and truthful apology. Also, the loyalists and kin of two of the jailed followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Avtar Singh and Babu Indersen, are worried that Gurmeet Ram will leave them in a lurch.
Reacting on the High Court's directive, Bathinda police chief Naunihal Singh said that "police is awaiting for detailed orders of the High Court and once they are received it will act accordingly."
Issuing the warrant returnable on July 1, the Bhatinda court had stipulated that the police seek the permission of the state government for prosecuting Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The clearance by the Punjab government to arrest the Dera head came after the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, rejected a fresh "apology" by the Dera Sacha Sauda chief for allegedly denigrating Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
The Dera chief had invited the ire of Akal Takht for allegedly dressing like Sikh Guru Gobind Singh and his action sparked violent protest by Sikhs across Punjab last month.

Punjab govt hardens stand against dera chief

CHANDIGARH: Punjab government has hardened its stand towards dera Sacha Sauda even as Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday granted interim bail to dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.
Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted interim bail to Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh till August 6, few hours after the formal orders of Punjab government granting sanction to arrest the dera chief reached to Bathinda police.
Bathinda police was awaiting state government nod to arrest the dera Chief after the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate had issued arrest warrants of dera Chief with a rider that state government permission would be required before police executing the arrest warrants.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today defended the state government action and stated said "nobody is above law and the state government is working well within the ambit of law". Chief Minister aid that "nobody is above law".
About the accusations of Dera and Congress leadership in Punjab that "excesses" were being allegedly committed against "the Dera followers, the Chief Minister said "no one can claimany excesses committed against anyone."
A case was registered against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly attiring in a dress to look alike Guru Gobind Singh in newspaper advertisements issued on May 13. A clash between dera followers and Sikhs had taken place in Bathinda on May 14.
The Sikh clergy had issued edict for social, religious and political boycott of dera chief and his followers on May 17 at a Sikh conclave in Talwandi Sabo. The Akal Takht had also rejected two apologies tendered by dera. The Sikh clergy has described dera chief arrogant as he had addressed the apology to Guru Gobind Singh and issued it in the form of apress note.
The Akal Takht has called a Sikh convention in Ratia in Haryana on July. However, it is learnt that Haryana government has decided not to grant permission for the Sikh conclave.

Sarna to continue member of Khalsa Action Committee

FATEHGARH SAHIB: Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Paramjit Singh Sarna will continue to work as member of Khalsa Action Committee.

The members of the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC), which held a meeting at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib requested Sarna to continue as member of the committee.
When contacted on phone Sarna confirmed the development. He admitted that KAC members requested him on phone to contiune as member of the committee and he accepted their request as he want to make his contribution. He said that he earlier refused to work as Chairman of KAC as it was not possible for him to attend every meeting of the committee.
Though most of members which attended meeting at Gurdwara Sir Fatehgarh Sahib refused to disclose the details of meeting but according to sources during the meeting it was decided to re-constitute KAC to intensify their agitation against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief .
As expected the members of Sant Samaj participated in today’s meeting. The meeting continued till late in the evening. Some of the members, who appeared to be demoralised after the meeting, maintained that though some important decisions had been taken in the meeting, but the details could not be revealed to the media.
However, sources within the KAC disclosed that the committee had decided to meet the chief minister of both Punjab and Haryana soon to intensify their agitation against the issue of Dera chief’s arrest. Besides, the KAC also decided to hold a series of protest marches soon in those sources, which have strong following of Dera , the sources said. Sources said that the KAC also approved the rejection of Dera’s apology by the Akal Takht, the sources said.
During the meeting , some members criticized Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal for his role in the Dera row.
Sources said that some of the Sikh hardliners were planning to hold another meeting later tonight to review the deliberations that were held during the meeting.

Latest Breaking News from Punjab: Friday 29th June 2007

Dera Row: Khalsa panel splits; Sant Samaj recalls 2

Amritsar, In a major jolt to the Sikh hardliners, who have been spearheading a campaign against Dera Sacha Sauda, the 15-member Khalsa Action Committee (KCA) has been split, a day before its crucial meeting scheduled to be held at Fatehgarh Sahib. An emergency meeting of Sant Samaj has decided to withdraw its two members from the committee. President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Parmjit Singh Sarna, who had played an important role in eliciting the fresh apology from the dera, has already dissociated from the committee.
Talking to The Tribune, chief of the Damdami Taksal Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa said the emergency meeting of the Sant Samaj, held at Zira today, decided in principle to withdraw its both members, Sukhchain Singh and Baljit Singh Daduwal, from the committee. However, former Jathedar of Akal Takht Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode said he would attend tomorrow’s meeting. The Damdami Taksal chief said the Sant Samaj would abide by the directive of the Jathedar of Akal Takht, who had given a call to hold a Sikh conclave at Ratia in Haryana in July to demand the arrest of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

The day after, dera followers take out protest march

Sirsa, The ongoing conflict between Sikhs and dera followers has further aggravated. While holding a protest march the Dera Sacha Sauda today blamed Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for rejection of their fresh apology letter by Akal Takht alleging that Badal did not want to resolve the dispute for political gains.
The dera claimed that the fresh apology letter was issued only after SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar and the CM were made aware of the contents of the letter and both had assured the mediators that the apology would end the row between the two sides.
While talking to newsmen during the dharna staged by hundreds of dera followers outside the DC office, the chief spokesman of the dera, Aditya Arora, added that Badal got the apology rejected as he did not want the credit to go to the president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna, who took the initiative to resolve the dispute between Sikhs and dera followers.

Dera Apology Issue Cong questions role of govt

Chandigarh, Giving a new twist to the Dera Sacha Sauda controversy, the Congress today stalled the working of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha charging the ruling SAD-BJP combine with playing politics on the issue and jeopardising the fragile peace of the state.
The act of the Sikh clergy in rejecting the apology of the dera chief and of the Punjab government in allowing his arrest had raised questions and doubts, said leader of the opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal while addressing a press conference after the adjournment of the house here.
She went on to question the “unconstitutional” acts in which the followers of the dera were being victimised. Bhattal could, however, not give a clear reply if dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh should be arrested or not, saying “ everyone’s constitutional rights should be protected”. She said the arrest of the dera chief --- allowed by the Punjab government yesterday --- could create serious law and order problems.
Questioning the rejection of the apology, Bhattal said when every word of the apology was drafted with the consent of the SGPC, Sikh organisations, the Khalsa action committee and representatives of the government, one wondered how it was rejected this time.
She alleged “some doubts have been created about the role of the ruling combine in getting the apology rejected” and asked: “What is the motive in rejecting the apology”?
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should have called an all-party meeting on the dera issue and explained what action he proposed to take. By allowing the arrest, Badal had acted on his own and the damage it could cause remained to be seen. Bhattal launched an attack on the Chief Minister for being absent from the Vidhan Sabha and not explaining the stance of the government on the issue and also on Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha Nirmal Singh Kahlon, alleging that he was behaving like a Speaker of the SAD and not of the entire house.
Bhattal was irked when the Speaker disallowed an adjournment motion moved by her in the house seeking a discussion on the law and order situation. ''We wanted to highlight atrocities on Congress workers, 121 false cases and yesterday’s development on Dera Sacha Sauda that could lead to serious law and order problems, but were not permitted to do so by the Speaker'', Bhattal said.
She described the Speaker’s ruling as undemocratic.
Asked about the call for a social boycott of dera followers given by Akal Takht last month, Bhattal said: " It is the duty of the government to ensure the safety of its citizens".
This morning in the assembly, once question hour ended, pandemonium prevailed when Bhattal sought to raise the issue, saying her party had moved an adjournment motion seeking a debate on the law and order situation in the state.
The Speaker said there was "no urgency". Noticing the attitude of the Speaker towards their demand, the members of the opposition started anti-government sloganeering. They went into the well and staged a vociferous protest, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the house for an hour.
When the house reassembled, the opposition members again trooped into the well and disrupted the proceedings, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the house for the second time.
However, during the second adjournment, the opposition members squatted in the well and started making impromptu speeches on the law and order situation and the dera row.
The Speaker's repeated requests to opposition leader Bhattal to exercise control over her party members was ignored, which compelled him to adjourn the house till tomorrow morning.

Dera Chief’s Acts Panthak panel sought

Amritsar, Demanding the setting up of a “panthak” commission to look into the acts of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the past, Sikh organisation the Gursikh and its wing the ‘Shahibaz Khalsa’ here today presented copies of newspapers brought out by the Dera and contents on the Dera websites.
At a press conference Ratinder Singh Indore, president of the Gursikh, an organisation devoted to research and investigation, said now the situation had gone much beyond an apology by the Dera chief. “There are documentats of his hurting religious sentiments of Sikh in the past as well and a commission should look into these,” he said.
Akal Takht has the right to forgive but for that the Dera chief should first appear at Akal Takht as an ordinary Sikh if he wanted to be forgiven, he said.
The Gursikh leaders also screened footage from news channels, showing the Dera chief sitting atop the religious symbol of Sikhs. “We have also found objectionable contents in the Dera’s newspaper, “Sachi Siksha” and on the three websites of the Dera,” said Indore.
A delegation of the Gursikh gave a memorandum to the Sikh high priests yesterday, demanding a commission, with intellectuals, advocates, judges and media persons as its members.
Indore also condemned the way Akal Takht was being pressurised by the Akali Dal and the SGPC by giving political colour to the entire Dera Sacha Sauda issue.

Pressured Jathedars Reject Latest Sirsa Letter

Amritsar Sahib (KP) - The Jathedars of the five Takhts rejected the latest supposed apology issued by the Sirsa Sauda Dera, dashing the hopes of middlemen who had promoted the letter as the final closure to the cult controversy.
According to Panthic observers, the stage was already set for the Jathedars to “forgive” the cult dera chief. The so-called apology letter had arrived a week ago, one copy was distributed to the press, another one ‘sealed’ in an envelope that was to be opened by only the Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib. There was pressure from all sides for the Jathedars to close up this controversy soon.
In fact, Paramjit Sarna of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had prematurely announced the controversy was over. He, along with Harnam Singh Dhumma and Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh, distanced themselves from the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC), and refused to participate in the protest march organized last weekend.
Akal Takht Secretariat turned into a Police Station
A large amount of Sangat had begun to gather outside the courtyard of Sri Akal Takht Sahib while the Jathedars were deliberating inside. The Akal Takht Secretariat has become a virtual Punjab Police sub-station. A local SSP and DSP, along with scores of Punjab Police officers were present in the Secretariat lobby, in civilian uniform. No one from the Sangat was being allowed in or out without their permission.
Due to the friction between the Jathedars and KAC, a sub-committee consisting of 5 representatives from KAC was dispatched to Akal Takht Sahib but they were snubbed by the Jathedars who refused to meet with them.
Pressure for Panthic organizations
Along with the KAC, the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Dal Khalsa, GURSIKH/Shahbaaz Khalsa , Akali Dal (Amritsar), and Bhai Ram Singh of Damdami Taksal Sangrawan all forwarded their appeals to the Jathedars to not forgive the dera chief.
GURSIKH and Shahbaaz Khalsa present further evidence against dera chief
Along with others, the representatives of the Panthic organization GURSIKH and Shahbaaz Khalsa waited for several hours outside Akal Takht Sahib. According to them, they had further damning evidence against the dera chief. This entire set of evidence included several videos, 79 copies of original newspapers, over 60 original magazines, dozens of photographs, produced and printed by the Sirsa cult. The printed content contained highly objectionable content that would be considered blasphemous to the Sikh Nation.
After continuous pressure from outside, three representatives, Bhai Ratinder Singh Indore, Bhai Sukhmander Singh Karmuwala, and Bhai Avtar Singh Delhi were allowed to enter. After painstakingly collecting the original publications printed by the dera, the GURSIKH-Shahbaaz Khalsa representatives had researched the contents and highlighted the objectionable material for ease of reference.
GURSIKH representatives stated to the Jathedars that the Sirsa based cult has a long history of distorting Sikhi and Gurmat principles, so apologies should be out of the question. After viewing the presented evidence, along with ongoing pressure from Panthic organizations, it would have been very difficult for the Jathedars to forgive the dera chief.
GURSIKH-Shahbaaz Khalsa requested that the Jathedars create a fact-finding panel that would research in depth the distortion and mis-parchar being promoted by the dera. They also requested that the Jathedars summon Parmjit Sarna and any other Sikh leaders who secretly held meetings with Sirsa dera representatives and violated the Hukamnamas issued by Akal Takht Sahib.
In the end, the Panthic representatives requested the Jathedars to summon a Sarbat Khalsa if they were not capable of handling this issue in the proper manner. The Jathedars have now heard the message loud and clear.

Apology Rejected, Boycott to Continue
After the GURSIKH-Shahbaaz Khalsa left, the Jathedars further deliberated and finally issued two Gurmattas, one rejecting the purported apology and labeled it as a mere ‘unsigned press release’, and continuation of the dera boycott, the second one criticized the treatment of Sikhs in Haryana and called for a Panthic meeting on the 11th of July.

According Panthic sources, the purported apology was a result of several surreptitious meetings held between the head of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Paramjit Sarna, representatives of the Sauda cult, and certain Congress Party officials. In one of the key meetings, held at the residence of Punjab Police SSP RS Khatrra, Sarna met with cult representatives Gurbaz Sinh, Ram Sinh, Ram Saroop, Ramkarn Sinh and Congress Party official Harminder Jassi. Jassi’s son is married to the dera chief’s daughter.
Liquor Baron Involved
Interestingly, the entire set of meetings that took place had been orchestrated by liquor baron Ponty Chadda with blessings from both the Congress Party and the Akali Government of Parkash Badal. Ponty is a close relative of Paramjit Sarna of the DSGMC, and the main distributor behind the controversial film “Bole So Nihal.”
Sarna Blames Bittu, Dhumma
Paramjit Sarna, on the other hand, expressed regret that the Jathedars did not accept the apology. He vented his frustrations at other members of the KAC, in particular Daljit S. Bittu, Harnam S. Dhumma, and Jasbir Singh Rode. He alleged that Avtar Makkar, Parkash Badal, Bittu, Dhumma, and Rode all had advance knowledge of the clandestine meetings between the dera and him and they reassured him that they would support the outcome. “I am not disheartened, but feel hurt that they [Bittu, Dhumma, and Rode] have backed away from their initial stand, this should not have happened.”
The Khalsa Action Committee has called for a meeting on the 29th on the Sirsa issue, observers feel there might be some introspection by the organization and possible action taken against Sarna and associates.

Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh Retracts ?

Damdama Sahib (KP) – Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh who is revered as somewhat more panthic than other Jathedars received the wrath of the Sikh Sangat after the Khalsa Action March finalized at Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib. Jathedar Nandgarh had remained absent from the whole march but upon the finalization, when he approached to welcome the Sangat, Khalsa Action Committee members rejected his siropas.
Although no reasons were supplied by Jathedar Nandgarh regarding his absence from the march, various assumptions were made by other leaders who were present there. It should be noted that during the initial Panthic meet at Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib, Jathedar Nandgarh played a big role in getting Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and other Jathedars to reconsider issuing a more suitable hukamnama to tackle the Dera Sacha Sauda issue.
After this incident, it came to light that Parkash Badal in particular had not appreciated the stand taken by Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh and for that reason, the SAD (B) and SGPC had tried putting pressure on him to resign from his post. Although Jathedar Nandgarh prevailed by not resigning, it appeared from his absence that the warnings of Parkash Badal and other SGPC officials did some work. It should be kept in mind that similar to the cases of Vedanti and other Jathedars, Balwant Singh Nandgarh was appointed as Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib's Jathedar after the approval of Parkash Badal. In addition, Jathedar Nandgarh has long enjoyed proximity with Kirpal Singh Badungar, an SGPC supremo.
While addressing the press after the finalization of the protest march, some leaders expressed that Jathedar Nandgarh had not stayed true to his words, as he along with Paramjit S. Sarna, had accepted the 'phony' apology of Gurmeet Ram Rahim without having discussed the matter in detail with other Panthic leaders. Surprisingly, it also came to light that Jathedar Nandgarh had tried to contact several leaders to get the march canceled or delayed.
Khalsa Action Committee members told the Sangat to be wary of the about-faces of the so-called 'Panthic' leaders. Unless our Jathedars start to fulfill their Panthic obligations, the Sikh Sangat should not buy into their agenda.

Koorra Sauda Followers Gather in Sirsa

Sirsa, Haryana (KP) - Thousands of followers of Koorra Sauda gathered in Sirsa at the headquarters of the Dera, showing support for their leader, pakhandee Gurmeet Raam Raheem. Followers gathered to brainstorm ways to counter alleged "excesses on the Dera followers by some anti-social elements."
Dera followers called the meeting shortly after the conditional arrest warrant was issued for their leader. Members and representatives from all over India were in attendance at the meeting.
Tensions in Punjab rose between Sikhs and followers of the Dera after the Dera leader disrespected Guru Gobind Singh Jee by imitating the way Guru Gobind Singh Jee is depicted and mocking the Amrit Sanchaar in May of this year. Since then, many clashes between Sikhs and Dera followers have occurred.
Meanwhile, many dera 'premis' stated that their faith in the dera had been shaken and the Hukumnama issued from Takht Sri Damdama Sahib regarding excommunication of dera followers had made them realize the truth. Hundreds of followers are now converting to Sikhi and have sworn to follow only Sri Guru Granth Sahib from now on.
Because of the tension, additional polices forces have been deployed to keep an eye on the situation. Tight security was also provided around the Dera for this meeting; this is in addition to the Cult leader’s "Z Plus" security.

Dera issue blowing into political controversy

CHANDIGARH: The issue of dera Sacha Sauda is expected to blow into a major political controversy with dera authorities also drawing battle lines against Sikh community. The dera has also sought the help of President of India and Union government to rescue it from the criris.
The tension has brewed in Sirsa the headquater of dera Sacha Sauda after Punjab government granted permission to Punjab police to arrest the dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh wanted by Bathinda police in a case of blasphemy.
The Dera Sacha Sauda has approached President A P J Abdul Kalam and demanded dismissal of the Punjab government for "politically manipulating" the sequence of events in the wake of the controversy involving its head despite the sect's efforts to broker peace with Sikhs. The dera has demanded immediate withdrawl of case against dera head.
The Congress led center government in Delhi is unlikely to react immediately to the demand of dera. However, Congress may try to use the issue for political offensive against ruling Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD).
The action committee of the dera, in a letter to Kalam, also demanded registration of case against those who are allegedly committing excesses on its followers. The committee also sought action against those who had vandalised the property of Dera followers at different places in Punjab, the sect's spokesman Aditya Insaan said.
"All false cases registered against our followers by police should be withdrawn immediately," the committee demanded in the letter, copies of which were also sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and governors of Punjab and Haryana.
Insaan said despite the Dera chief apologising to Gobind Singh -- the tenth Sikh Guru -- Sikh clerics "failed to respond positively". He alleged forcible conversions of Hindus and Dalits were taking place. "Those involved in forcible stopping of 'naam charcha' (religious recitation) must be arrested immediately," he said. "We are also exploring all legal options...When the police will arrive to arrest Dera chief, we will then decide what action needs to be taken," he said.

Echoes of dera Sacha Sauda issue heard in Punjab assembly

CHANDIGARH: The echoes of dera Sacha Sauda controversy were on Thursday heard in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and house was adjourned twice following slogan shouting by Congress MLA's who wanted debate on current law and order situation in Punjab.
Punjab government had yesterday given permission to Punjab police to arrest dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in a case of blasphemy registered against him in Bathinda.
Leader of the opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal had moved an adjournment motion to discuss law and order situation, which was not accepted by Speaker Nirma Singh Kahlon. The speaker said that law and order issue had been discussed at length during debate on budget.
Bhattal immediately after zero hour requested the Speaker to allow the adjournment motion because she wanted to discuss yesterday's happenings on law and order, without making specific mention of rejection of second apology of dera chief by Akal Takht. Though outside the house she clarified that she wanted to discuss law and order situation arising out of dera controversy.
Speaker told the leader of opposition that he had not yet studied the adjournment motion. The Congress MLA'a came to the well of the house and started raising slogans. Speaker adjourned the house for one hour at 11 AM. The Congress MLA's however continued to sit in the house. When house assembled again at 12 o'clock, the Congress MLA's again demanded discussion on adjournment motion. Speaker rejected the request saying that he had gone through the motion. there is nothing new in it. 'The house has already discussed law and order", he ruled.
When Congress MLA's continued to disturb the house, speaker adjourned it for the day. BJP ministers Tikshan Sood and Manoranjan Kalia condemned the attitude of Congress leaders and described it undemocratic.
Later, Bhattal at a press conference condemned the attitude of Speaker for not allowing them to speak on burning issue. She said that serious law and problem could arise with the arrest of dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Guirmit Ram Rahim Singh. She said that Akalis had enacted drama by rejecting apology by dera. She said that SAD leaders and Akal Takht Jathedar knew the contents of apology but they preferred to dramatise it. She said that dera had apologized twice. She said that Sikh Gurus have always advocated that who pardons is bigger than the sinner. She said that arrest of dera head must be avoided.
She also alleged vendetta against Congress leaders and workers by SAD-BJP government. She said that they would continue to raise voice in the house.

Latest Breaking News from Punjab: Thursday 28th June 2007

Punjab government grants permission to arrest Dera chief


The Punjab government late Wednesday gave permission to the state police to execute the non-bailable warrant issued against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh on the charge of hurting religious sentiments of the Sikh community.A Bathinda court had last week issued the warrant against the sect head following a controversy last month over his portrayal in the manner of 10th Sikh guru Gobind Singh. The court has also asked police to take the state government's permission before executing the warrant.Confirming that the home department had given police a go-ahead, Punjab Advocate General H.S. Mattewal said: "Whatever the government had to do in this case has been done now."The Punjab Police has time till July 1 to take the Dera chief into custody. But the Dera headquarters is situated at Sirsa in Haryana. So they will first need to approach the Haryana police. A team of the Punjab police will go to the sect's headquarters, about 300 km from here, to arrest the godman. If the arrest doesn’t happen before July 1, Punjab police will have to approach the court for a fresh warrant.

Khalsa March sends ‘apology’ for a six; next Sikh conclave on July 11 in Haryana

After marathon meeting, Jathedars find it was only a press note, not apology
AMRITSAR: Three days after the Sikh sangat made its sentiments clear with a vociferousKhalsa March, the Sikh high priests led by Akal Takht jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti virtuallydismissed the so-called new apology, said it is merely a press note and does not even explainwhy Dera Sauda’s Gurmeet Ram Rahim imitated the tenth Sikh Master, nor promised that it willnot be repeated. When asked whether it amounted to rejection of the apology, Vedanti said, “Thisis no apology, it is merely a press note.” The ‘apology’ was mediated by Delhi Sikh GurdwaraManagement Committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna.Jathedar Vedanti also called for a ‘Sabha’, a sort of Sikh sammelan, on July 11 at Ratia in Haryana. He said the clergy will be consulting several panthic bodies in India and abroad before formulating its final view about the next step in tackling deravaad and Sirsa issue.Earlier this morning, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar delivered the sealed envelope, contentsof which were worst-kept secret, to the high priests. The high priests remained closetted forhours before Vedanti came out with the decision. Soon after the high priests met on Wednesday morning (India time), they refused to meet a delegationof Khalsa Action Committee led by Bhai Daljit Singh, following which the KAC distributed a two-page note to the media. Later, as the high priests seemed to have reviewed their decision and agreed to meet the KAC panel, the latter had already left the venue.Jathedar Vedanti had cut short his Canada tour, reaching here late Tuesday night, to participate in the meeting. Representatives of Akali Dal (Amritsar), Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle and other panthic bodies also met the clergy. In its two-page memo, the KAC said as per the Gurmata of May 17 issued at Sri Damdama Sahib, the Sirsa dera and its chief has joined the ranks of Minas, Dhirmalias, Ramrayiyas and nakli Nirankaris and an apology is worth considering only when it comes from a feeling of true repentance. It reiterated its conditions for accepting the apology as shunning the name ‘Sacha Sauda’, stopping misuse of bani and bana, misuse of Sikh lexicon, slogans, imitation of panj pyaras, and the jaam-e-insa drama.Among the clerics closetted were, apart from Vedanti, Giani Iqbal Singh of Patna Sahib, Jathedar Tarlochan Singh of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh of Takht Damdama Sahib and Bhai Jiwanjot Singh, representative of Jathedar of Sri Huzur Sahib, Nanded.ENROUTE DINA KANGAR TO TAKHT DAMDAMA SAHIB: Notwithstanding the appeals made by Sikh clerics and ignoring the fact that the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna was more involved in ‘managing’ an apology from the Dera Sauda than preparing to lead the Khalsa March he had himself helped plan, the overwhelming response to the march received from the Sikh sangat on Sunday left no one in doubt that the panth continues to be enraged by the antics of the Dera Sauda irrespective of semantic word play of apologies. The way Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh was hackled was enough indication of the sentiments of the Sikh sangat.As enthusiastic youth participation surprised even the organizers of the march from Gurdwara Dina Kangar to Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, and crowds of thousands comprised the kilometres long march, indications were clear that Akali Dal president and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will have to do better than what the government has done so far in moving against the Dera Sacha Sauda.The huge success of the march has also cast a shadow now on the June 27 meeting of the Sikh clergy where the so-called new apology of the Dera Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, so far in a sealed envelope, is to be considered. It is a different matter that the apology made it to the media hours after Sarna handed it over to SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar.Before the start of the march, Sant Samaj leaders and Sikh hardliners, including former Akal Takht Jethedar Jasbir Singh Rode, Baba Ranjit Singh Dhandrian Wale, Daljit Singh Bittu, Gurdeep Singh Brar, SAD (A) activists Barinder Singh Mann and Gursewak Singh Jawahar Ke, delivered fiery speeches against the Sirsa-based sect. They said the KAC campaign against the Dera and to win all Sikhs back to the main fold would continue regardless of the Sikh clergy's decision to be announced on June 27 regarding the "fresh apology" tendered by the Dera. Akal Takht jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti is cutting short his visit abroad to preside over the June 27 meeting but in the light of the expression of Sikh sentiments through the Sunday’s march, accepting the apology has become a very difficult prospect. At Takht Damdama Sahib, Jathedar Nandgarh came out to receive the march and honour the Panj Piaras with "siropas", but was jeered at by many in the sangat. The police had a tough time saving him from the wrath of angry youth. Among the key leaders leading the march were Bhai Daljit Singh of Akali Dal (Amritsar), Kanwarpal Singh of Dal Khalsa, former Akal Takht jathedar Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, Mohkam Singh of Damdami Taksal, former ambassador Harinder Singh Norway, Paramjit Singh Gazi, SGPC member Karnail Singh Panjoli etc. The Akali Dal and the SGPC remained away from the march, and by all available accounts, the officialdom is worried about the success of the march. Some amount of expression of rage was also witnessed in the sloganeering during the march though the leaders, including Bhai Daljit Singh of Akali Dal (Amritsar) and Bhai Kanwarpal Singh of Dal Khalsa ensured total control over the cadres.The police had put in certain obstacles at Salabatpura where the Dera Sacha Sauda’s cult largest premises is located but the marchers flung aside the obstacles and continued with their march in a peaceful fashion. The government had spilled hundreds of jawans of Punjab Police and paramilitary forces like the CRPF and the Rapid Action Force besides the Army.There were many a nervous moments for the administration which had made massive security arrangements. Police had wanted the Khalsa March to be diverted from village Jalal towards Bhai Roopa village but its plans remained just that. Enraged youth broke down the barriers at Dayalpura village and took to the Dullewal village road which goes perilously close to the Salabatpura dera. At one stage, the police became dumbstruck and the senior officers seemed utterly confounded. Bathinda SSP Naunihal Singh himself led the naka on the Rampura-Salabatpura road. Ignoring the route charted out by the administration via Jalal Nathana, the protesters removed barricades of earth-filled tractor-trailers near Nawan Dialpura village to pass through Dullewala (a stone's throw from the Salabatpura dera), Bhai Rupa, Rampura Phul, Mandi Kalan, Ram Nagar and Maur Mandi to reach Talwandi Sabo. Another challenge for the security personnel was near the Dera's "nam charcha ghar" in Ramnagar village. It was at this stage that the leadership role played by Bhai Daljit Singh, Kanwarpal Singh and Jasbir Singh Rode ensured that the cadre remained under control.Sangat came out in huge numbers from not only Bathinda but also Moga, Barnala, Mansa and Faridkot apart from other places. Slogans in favour of Khalistan, militancy and late Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were also raised by a few groups.Protesters also raised slogans against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh. They accused them of attempting to sabotage the "Khalsa march". Patiala Range IG M K Tiwari, Faridkot Range DIG Dr Jatinder Jain, Deputy Commissioner Rahul Bhandari, SSP Naunihal Singh, and officers of the paramilitary forces remained present and invariably on tenterhooks.The marching sangat braved the heat, walking, driving, sitting on tractor-trolleys, cars, jeeps and riding mobikes and scooters, all behind the palanquin carrying Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at the head of the march. The Khalsa March started at 11.30 am and concluded at Damdama Sahib at 7 pm.Nearly 800 to 1,000 vehicles comprised the march which was several kilometres long. Chabeels of sweetened water punctuated the entire route of the march from Gurdwara Dina Kangar in Moga to Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo. The tussle over the route had earlier continued till Saturday late night between the panthic leaders and the administration. Panthic leaders gave clear indications that the show of strength which was witnessed during the march will be repeated on June 27th at the Akal Takht. Indications were also clear that if the 'sealed envelope' apology turns out to be the same as published in the newspapers, it won't be accepted. Leaflets were distributed which talked of making the preaching of Shabad Guru as the main thrust area. These also talked of winning back the misguided Sikhs who have dithered towards the Dera Sacha Sauda and other deras. It also talked of enlarging the struggle's scope by saying not only the Dera Sauda but also rest of the guru-doms and dera-vaadis will be targeted.

Punjab govt gives sanction to arrest dera Sacha Sauda chief

CHANDIGARH: Punjab government on Wednesday gave permission to Punjab police to arrest dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh against whome a Bathinda court had on June 20 issued arrest warrants.
Punjab police had sought prior permission of state government to arrest dera chief whose headquarter is located in Sirsa in Haryana. Bathinda police has booked dera head in a blasphemy case. He has been accused of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikh community.
The Bathinda court had asked the police to execute the arrest warrants before July 1 with prior permission of state government.
The permission to arrest dera chief has came hours after the Akal Takht rejected second apology tendered by dera Sacha Sauda. The Sikh high priests have said that dera chief was not sincere to apologise for his sin.
The Akal Takht has already directed the dera Sacha Sauda to close down all its centers in Punjab and also gave a call to Sikhs to boycott the dera chief and his followers. The Akal Takht had earlier rejected first apology of dera which was addressed to Guru Gobind Singh.

Akal Takht rejects dera Sacha Sauda apology for second time

AMRITSAR: The Sikh high priests on Wednesday rejected the second "apology" submitted by dera Sacha Sauda and announced to hold a Sikh conclave in Ratia town in Haryana to press for arrest of the dera head Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.
The Sikh clergy which held its meeting at Akal Takht in Amritsar for more than six hours expressed shock over arrogant behaviour of dera head and said that dera authorities have issued a "press note" instead giving proper apology. The Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti in a written statement said that dera head had not expressed any remorse for the sin he had committed and neither gave an assurance not to repeat the same in future.
Paramjit Singh Sarna president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has claimed to have mediated to bring the fresh apology from dera. He also faced wrath of Khalsa Action Committee for allegedly hobnobbing with dera Sacha Sauda. The action committee has summoned a meeting on June 29 to consider action against Sarna.
The Sikh clergy had on May 29 last rejected an earlier apology of dera seeking pardon from Guru Gobind Singh. The fresh "apology letter' issued by dera Sacha Sauda has been amended to seek an apology from Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh community. The letter didn't carry the signatures of dera chief.The large number of hardliner Sikhs were present outside the Akal Takht who demanded nothing less than arrest of dera head who has been accused of blasphemy. Vedanti blamed Haryana government for not taking any action against dera head and instead giving him z plus security. He said that Sikhs would hold a conclave at Ratia on July 11 to pressurise Haryana government to take action against dera chief.He called upon the Sikhs to continue to bouycott the dera chief and his followers. He said that to evolve a broad consensus on the issue, the views of Sikhs living in Indian and abroad would be taken. The confrontation between dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh community had started on May 13 last when dera head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh appeared in newspaper advertisements attired in dress alike of Guru Gobind Singh. The dera had organised a congregation on May 14 at dera Salabatpur in Bathinda district to 'baptise' dera followers on the pattern of Guru Gobind Singh had done on April 13,11699 to lay foundation of Khalsa panth. This led to clash between Sikhs and dera followers.A Bathinda court on June 20 last had issued arrest warrants of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in a case registered against him for hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs. The arrest warrants are valid till July 1. As per the condition of the court, the Punjab police has sought state government's permission to arrest dera head. It is expected that state government would grant the permission and onus of arresting dera head would be shifted on Congress Government in Haryana.

No easy way to arrest Dera Sacha Sauda chief

Chandigarh, The latest move by Akali Dal-led Punjab government Wednesday night, allowing the police to arrest the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, can only worsen the relationship between Sikh hardliners and Dera followers.
The Dera chief - who lives in a sprawling mini-city on the outskirts of Sirsa town in neighbouring Haryana, 300 km from here - is unlikely to give in easily when the policemen try to arrest him.
A Bathinda court issued the arrest warrant June 20. A month before that, the police had registered a case, accusing the Dera chief of hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs.
The warrant is valid till July 1. The sect chief plans to visit Uttar Pradesh and other states during the next three days.
The Punjab police will have to depend on the willingness of their colleagues in Haryana to carry out the arrest.
Before the Punjab government gave the sanction for the arrest, Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had ducked the question of helping the Punjab police. He had described the question as 'hypothetical'. Now it has become very real, and will probably trouble Hooda quite a bit.
Thousands of sect members who have gathered in Sirsa are likely to physically oppose the arrest of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh. The sect has over two million followers in Punjab and Haryana. If they turn violent, the two states may see a repeat of the May incidents, when there was widespread violence and arson in the wake of the controversy.
While the Sikh community has maintained its tough stand on the controversy that erupted after the Dera head portrayed himself like the tenth Sikh guru Gobind Singh, Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh himself has perhaps not done enough to resolve the controversy.
He has apologised to the Sikh clergy twice, but both apologies have been interpreted as reluctant. They clearly fell short of the conditions laid down by the Sikh religious leaders.
The ruling Akali Dal is obviously annoyed with the Dera chief, who had sided openly with the Congress in the last assembly election. But the Punjab government cannot wish him away. He has a large following in the state, especially among the poor.
The average resident of Punjab and Haryana can only wait and watch in trepidation as the possibility of violence becomes more real all the time.


Sikh Leader Falsely Charged With Sedition

On June 2nd, 2007, Daljit Singh Bittu, senior vice- president of the Sikh political party Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), was charged with sedition by police from Fategharh Sahib District, in the state of Punjab, India.Mr. Bittu has been falsely charged.The events leading to the charge against Mr. Bittu are as follows:On May 31st, Mr. Bittu participated in a march protesting government refusal to curb the criminal activities and religious offenses of the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) organization. The lawful march lasted just one kilometer as participants marched from one gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) to another. Although some passionate participants shouted the slogan "Khalistan Zindabad" in reference to the desired independent Sikh nation, the entire march was peaceful.Two days later, Mr. Bittu was charged with sedition for taking part in the march. He committed no crime. He did not participate in violence, as the entire march was peaceful. He also did not participate in the shouting of pro-Khalistan slogans.The crime of sedition is clearly defined under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This code forbids exciting or attempting to excite disaffection towards the Indian government, but it also says that "comments expressing disapprobation of the measures of the government with a view to obtain their alteration by lawful means...do not constitute an offense." In short, it is not seditious to peacefully make comments strongly disapproving of government policies. This is exactly what Mr. Bittu, who has publicly and peacefully criticized government inaction regarding DSS, has done.Even if Mr. Bittu had shouted slogans alongside the other participants, which by all reports he did not, he still would have committed no crime. The Indian Supreme Court ruled in Balwant Singh vs. State of Punjab [AIR (1995) SC 1785] that the mere public use of the slogan "Khalistan Zindabad" is not illegal, saying: "It appears to us that the raising some slogans only a couple of times by the two lonesome appellants, which neither evoked any response nor any reaction from any one in the public can neither attract the provisions of Section 124A or of Section 153A IPC."Besides sedition, Mr. Bittu could only be charged with speaking his mind and participating in a public assembly. Yet these are basic, fundamental rights of the people under Article 19, Clauses (1)(a) and (1)(b) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee the right "to freedom of speech and expression" and "to assemble peaceably and without arms."The Indian government has a history of harassing Mr. Bittu for peacefully and publicly addressing grievances. In 2006, he protested the seizure of 376 acres of farmland by the government of Punjab and spoke to a group of affected farmers. He was then arrested and charged with sedition, and ultimately released on bail. U.S. congressman Edolphus Towns said of that case: "Mr. Bittu spoke out against the acquisition of the land of poor farmers by Punjab on behalf of private business firms. We have had cases in this country where the government has taken land by eminent domain for private usage, Mr. Speaker, and no one ever gets arrested for speaking out against it." Mr. Bittu has been arrested several other times for protesting government policies and served many years in prison for a variety of false charges, many of which have been dropped for lack of evidence.While Mr. Bittu’s arrest has been stayed until June 25, he has been directed to participate in all investigations and remains charged with sedition.In conclusion, Mr. Bittu has not done anything that can be legitimately considered a crime under U.S., international, or Indian law. In what is just one more incident of Indian government suppression of basic human rights, Mr. Bittu is being harassed solely for his dedication to promoting liberty through peaceful means.We urge the U.S. government to pressure India to drop charges against Mr. Bittu in the interest of the international promotion of democracy and basic human rights, including the rights to freedom of speech and self-determination.
Please contact the following agencies to urge that charges against Mr. Bittu be dropped:Indian Embassy2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20008Phone: (202) 939-7000Fax: (202) 265-4351U.S. EmbassyShantipath, ChanakyapuriNew Delhi - 110021Phone: 011-2419-8000Fax: +91-11-2419-0017

Latest Breaking News from Punjab: Wednesday 27th June 2007

Dera Head Boycott 2 jathedars against edict withdrawal

Amritsar, The ongoing mediation efforts to resolve Sikh-Dera Sacha Sauda impasse may suffer a big jolt even as Giani Iqbal Singh and Giani Jotinder Singh , Jathedars of Patna Sahib and Hazoor Sahib have said previous “gurmatta” passed by the Sikh high priests, calling for boycott of Dera Sacha Sauda chief, won't be withdrawn at any cost.
The strict stand taken by Jathedars of two takhts has put the mediators in a fix. themdiators had promised the Dera Sacha Sauda chief that they would prevail upon the Sikh clergy to withdraw the “gurmatta” in case Dera Sacha Sauda tendered fresh apology to the Sikh Panth.
Talking to The Tribune here today, Jathedar Iqbal Singh made it clear that the “gurmatta” once pronounced from a takht could not be withdrawn. He, however, said the proposed meeting of Sikh high priests to be held at Akal Takht Secretariat, here tomorrow would discuss only the contents of the fresh apology letter submitted by Dera Sacha Sauda . “We won’t go beyond the apology letter”, he said .
Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and Giani Tarlochan Singh, Jathedar Akal Takht and Kesgarh Sahib, are coming by Indian Airlines flight late tonight after cutting short their visit to Canada, to participate in the proposed meeting of the Sikh clergy.
Meanwhile, the SGPC has put its Task Force on high alert as a preventive measure. Police in mufti would also be deployed outside Akal Takht complex.
Earlier, on May 20, the Sikh high priests had heard the representatives of various Sikh organisations before passing “gurmatta”, rejecting the apology tendered by Dera Sacha Sauda.
However, sources maintained that Jathedar Vedanti is under tremendous pressure to accept the fresh apology. On the other hand , the hardliners have taken a tough stand on this issue.
An emergency meeting of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), held at Khanna said if Jathedars would accept the fresh apology letter against the wishes of Sikh masses then they would reject their decision.

KAC Appointed Five Member Sub-Committee for June 27 Meeting

The Khalsa Action Committee held a meeting on 26 June at Chadigarh and appointed a five member sub-committee to present KAC view on fresh apology by dera sauda, before Sri Akaal Takht. Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu, S. Kanwarpal Singh Bittu, S. Harinder Singh Norway, S. Mohkam Singh and S. Gurtej Singh (IAS) are members of this Sub-committee.

Sikh clergy to meet Wednesday to decide on dera apology

AMRITSAR: The five Sikh High priests are meeting on Wednesday At Akal Takht in Amritsar to discuss the fresh apology sent by dera Sacha Sauda but Sikh clergy seems in no mood to bail out dera chief Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh who is accused of blasphemy.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh vedanti who is returning from Canada tonight has Tuesday morning shot off a statement from Canada stating that Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh arrogant, mischievous and cunning. Vedanti in his statement called upon asked all the Sikh organizations to assemble on single platform to tackle present ongoing the situation.
According to the secretariat of Akal Takht tomorrow the meeting of Sikh clergy would be held in view of the latest development, which arose after the second and fresh apology letter sent to Akal Takht by the Dera Sacha Sauda. The draft was sent to Akal Takht through the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna.
Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements were being made around the Akal Takht and Golden Temple by the city police. SGPC is also deploying adequate strength of Task Force inside the Golden Temple and around the Akal Takht in view of the tomorrow's meeting. It is expected that large number of hard liner Sikhs would assemble in the Golden Temple complex to build pressure for not exonerating the dera chief.
A Bathidna court on June 20 had issued arrest warrant against , Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs. A case under section 295 A has been registered against dera chief who appeared in an advertisement, attired like Guru Gobind Singh on May 13 and later during a congregation on May 14 last. The violence had erupted in Punjab following the May 14 incident.
The Sikh clerics had given call for social, religious and political boycott of dera chief and his followers. The Akal Takht on May 30 last had rejected an earlier apology tendered by the dera chief.
The radical Sikh organisations have been demanding immediate arrest for the dera Chief and they had also organised protest march on June 24 to press for their demand.
It is expected that Sikh clergy may not accept the second apology of dera Chief since it has not been signed by Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh. The apology letter is issued by dera management. The only improvement in the text of the apology is that dera has sought apology from Sikh community along with Guru Gobind Singh.

Latest Breaking News from Punjab - Tuesday 26th June 2007

Khalsa Chetna marchers booked

Bathinda, A case has been registered against several persons, who raised anti-national slogans and distributed inflammatory material during the Khalsa Chetna March yesterday.
A case has been registered Sections 124(a) and 153(a) and 153 (b) of the IPC for anti-national activities and instigation against unidentified persons at Talwandi Sabo police station on the complaint of assistant sub -inspector Mohan Singh who was on duty there yesterday.
The peosons will be identified and traced from the video films and photographs of the march, the police said. Though the procession was peaceful, slogans in favour of ‘Khalistan’ and Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were raised, to which the police had objected earlier.

Sarna to send dera chief’s apology to PM

Amritsar, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chief Parmjit Singh Sarna will send the original “fresh apology letter” of Dera Sacha Sauda, along with a forwarding letter, to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had reportedly evinced keen interest in resolving the Sikh-Dera Sacha Sauda row, tomorrow mentioning his (Sarna’s) mediation efforts to resolve the deadlock.
Talking to The Tribune today, the DSGMC president claimed that Parkash Singh Badal had “complained” to the Prime Minister and Delhi’s Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit that he (Sarna) was creating hurdles in the way of a peaceful solution to the row. He said Dikshit called him (Sarna) in her office and sought his good offices to resolve the row. This was the background that Sarna was nominated convener of the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC) to help resolve the Sikh-Dera impasse.
Sarna said he was first approached by three dera functionaries, headed by Ram Karn Singh, and offered mediation on May 17. He accepted the mediation on the pre-condition of a clear-cut apology by Dera Sacha Sauda to the Sikh Sangat. However, for many days there was no word from the dera due to the strict pre-conditions. Later, a new panel of dera functionaries approached the DSGMC chief on June 11 and a meeting was arranged at the residence of a rich Sikh industrialist of New Delhi, who is close to both Badal and Sarna, in the presence of Harminder Singh Jassi, a Congress MLA from Bathinda anb close relative of Dera Sacha Sauda chief.
Sarna claimed that he took Baba Sukhchain Singh and Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, former Jathedar of Akal Takht, and some senior members of the KAC into confidence before giving any word to the dera functionaries. However, he said after lot of efforts he was succeeded in getting the draft of apology approved in which the dera apologised to Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh Panth for its alleged blasphemous act. Sarna claimed that SGPC chief Avtar Singh, too, appreciated his mediation efforts and approved the draft.
Now, the fresh apology on the official letter-head of the dera would be opened at a meeting of Sikh high priests who would meet here on June 27. However, it would be practically difficult for the Jathedars to accept the fresh apology in toto since the 14-member KAC, comprising Sikh hardliners, would assemble at the Akal Takht secretariat to compel the Sikh clergy to implement its own directive of May 20 in which they had called upon the Sikh masses to help in uprooting the cult of Dera Sacha Sauda.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the KAC has been convened at Jalandhar for June 29 to discuss the role of Sarna.

False Charges against Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu

On June 2nd, 2007, Daljit Singh Bittu, senior vice-president of the Sikh political party Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), was charged with sedition by police from Fategharh, Farrukhabad District, in the state of utter Pradesh, India.Mr. Bittu has been falsely charged.The events leading to the charge against Mr. Bittu are as follows:On May 31st, Mr. Bittu participated in a march protesting government refusal to curb the criminal activities and religious offenses of the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) organization. The lawful march lasted just one kilometer as participants marched from one gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) to another. Although some passionate participants shouted the slogan “Khalistan Zindabad” in reference to the desired independent Sikh nation, the entire march was peaceful.Two days later, Mr. Bittu was charged with sedition for taking part in the march. He committed no crime. He did not participate in violence, as the entire march was peaceful. He also did not participate in the shouting of pro-Khalistan slogans.The crime of sedition is clearly defined under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This code forbids exciting or attempting to excite disaffection towards the Indian government, but it also says that "comments expressing disapprobation of the measures of the government with a view to obtain their alteration by lawful means...do not constitute an offense." In short, it is not seditious to peacefully make comments strongly disapproving of government policies. This is exactly what Mr. Bittu, who has publicly and peacefully criticized government inaction regarding DSS, has done.Even if Mr. Bittu had shouted slogans alongside the other participants, which by all reports he did not, he still would have committed no crime. The Indian Supreme Court ruled in Balwant Singh vs. State of Punjab (1995) that the mere public use of the slogan "Khalistan Zindabad" is not illegal, saying: "It appears to us that the raising some slogans only a couple of times by the two lonesome appellants, which neither evoked any response nor any reaction from any one in the public can neither attract the provisions of Section 124A or of Section 153A IPC."Besides sedition, Mr. Bittu could only be charged with speaking his mind and participating in a public assembly. Yet these are considered rights of the people under Article 19, Clauses (1)(a) and (1)(b) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee the right "to freedom of speech and expression" and "to assemble peaceably and without arms."The Indian government has a history of harassing Mr. Bittu for peacefully and publicly addressing grievances. In 2006, he protested the seizure of 376 acres of farmland by the government of Punjab and spoke to a group of affected farmers. He was then arrested and charged with sedition, and ultimately released on bail. U.S. congressman Edolphus Towns said of that case: "Mr. Bittu spoke out against the acquisition of the land of poor farmers by Punjab on behalf of private business firms. We have had cases in this country where the government has taken land by eminent domain for private usage, Mr. Speaker, and no one ever gets arrested for speaking out against it." Mr. Bittu has been arrested several other times for protesting government policies and served many years in prison for a variety of false charges, many of which have been dropped for lack of evidence.While Mr. Bittu’s arrest has been stayed until June 25, he has been directed to participate in all investigations and remains charged with sedition.In conclusion, Mr. Bittu has not done anything that can be legitimately considered a crime under U.S., international, or Indian law. In what is just one more incident of Indian government suppression of basic human rights, Mr. Bittu is being harassed solely for his dedication to promoting liberty through peaceful means.We urge the U.S. government to pressure India to drop charges against Mr. Bittu in the interest of the international promotion of democracy and basic human rights, including the rights to freedom of speech and self-determination.
Please contact the following agencies to urge that charges against Mr. Bittu be dropped:Indian EmbassyPhone: (202) 939-7000Fax: (202) 265-43512107 Massachusetts Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20008U.S. EmbassyShantipath, ChanakyapuriPhone: 011-2419-8000Fax: +91-11-2419-0017

Punjab Sikhs take out procession for arrest of dera Chief

BATHINDA: Hundreds of Sikhs under the aegis of Khalsa Action Committee on Sunday took out a peaceful protest march seeking the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief - Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.
The Sikhs began the march from the historic Gurdwara Zafar Nama, Dina Sahib in Moga district to Damdami Sahib in Bathinda's Talwandi Sabo as tight security arrangements were made along its route.
The hardliner Sikh bodies took out the procession despite SGPC appeal not to take out the procession because state government was trying legal means to arrest the Baba. Paramjit Singh Sarna president of Delhi Sikh Gurdawara Management Committee(DSGMC) who was initially teamed with Khalsa Action Committee didn't particiapate in today's march since he had also appealed to cancel the march in light of fresh apology sent by dera Sacha Sauda. Sarna had mediated in managing fresh apology.
The procession was peaceful. Elaborate security arrangements had been made by the Punjab police and central paramilitary forces along its 120-km route. The marchers will reach Damdama Sahib later in the evening.
Police diverted the procession from its planned route through the village of Salabatpura, 35 km from here, where the biggest campus of the Dera in Punjab is located.
A Bathinda court had last week issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the Dera chief after the Punjab police sought the same on the basis of a May 20 case registered against him here. He is accused of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs.
The Sikh-Dera controversy started on May 14 after the Dera chief attired himself like 10th Sikh guru Gobind Singh. This led to protests from the Sikh community. The Akal Takht - highest temporal seat of Sikhism - ordered that the godman and his followers be boycotted by all Sikhs.Violence also marked the controversy.
The Haryana government had also made elaborate security arrnagements around the dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa.
Those leading the march, including Jasbir Singh Rode, Daljit Singh Bittu, co-convenor of the Committee and Bhai Mohkam Singh, spokesman of Damdami Taksal, have appealed to the participants to maintain peace and not to raise any kind of slogans. The protestors were scheduled to pass through Kangar, Salabatpura, Bhai Roopa, Rampura Phul, Mandi Kalan and Ram Nagar before reaching Talwandi Sabo, a temporal seat of the Sikhs. The route of the march however was changed to bypass Salabatpur where dera Sacha Sauda center is located.