Dera asks President, PM to intervene

The Dera Sacha Sauda appealed on Monday to President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to mediate to solve their tangle with the Sikhs in the best interests of the country.

Making the appeal through media, Dera's chief spokesman Aditya Insaan also urged the Punjab government to observe 'Raj Dharma' in the wake of Tuesday's Punjab bandh called by the Sikh high priests.

The Punjab government should work honestly and protect all sections of the society, he said.

Declaring that the sect would not close Deras in Punjab as directed by the Sikh priests, Insaan said that to close or not to close the Deras in Punjab was the responsibility of the Punjab government.

He said Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had expressed his regret for everything that happened and had also asserted that there was no intention to show any disrespect to the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh by imitating any of his actions or his dress.

Insaan expressed his shock that the intrinsic value of Dera chief's regrets was not taken with the same spirit with which it was expressed.

The Dera had full faith in the law of the land and now they shall find redressal through law, he said adding the Dera followers were not at all frightened by the events.

He emphasized that their peaceful protest through blood donations, eye and body donation and other programmes in the service of the society would continue.

Meanwhile, in the wake of Tuesday's Punjab bandh call, the Sirsa district administration has beefed up security in the town especially around the Dera Sacha Sauda premises to avoid any untoward incident.

Security has been increased within the Dera and barriers have been erected around the 'gufa' of the Dera chief.

Paramilitary forces have intensified flag marches and the entire district has been converted into a fortress.

Sirsa Superintendent of Police Vikas Arora said that every effort would be made to maintain peace and tranquility in the district and none would be allowed to engage in violence.

Various Sikh organisations decided on Monday to observe a complete bandh in Sirsa town on Tuesday to express solidarity with the decisions taken against the Dera Sacha Sauda by the five Sikh high priests.

The local Sikhs at a meeting at Daswin Patshahi Gurdwara appealed to the people of the town to observe complete and peaceful bandh.

Through a similar appeal, the priests of the Gurdwara in the Odhan town of the district have also appealed for a complete band in Odhan on Tuesday.