The Tribune – Dera chief’s hearing on February 22; Security tightened along Punjab-Haryana border

Aman Sood, Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 20. Punjab police personnel posted along the Punjab-Haryana border have been put on “high alert” to prevent any untoward incident in the build-up to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s personal appearance before a Bathinda court on February 22.

There is a large following of the dera in the districts along the Punjab-Haryana border and many are expected to enter Punjab for the hearing. Intelligence inputs suggest that there could be a large gathering in Bathinda outside the court complex where the dera chief is expected to appear.

“We have alerted the respective district police chiefs to ensure that the crowds remain peaceful,” Punjab Additional Director General of Police-Intelligence, HS Dhillon told The Tribune.

The case against the dera chief pertains to hurting Sikh sentiments in 2007 when he allegedly wore attire similar to that of Guru Gobind Singh. There have been several clashes between various Sikh factions and the dera followers in the past so the police does not want to take any chances.

“Whenever there is any religious gathering of the dera, we ensure that several nakas are laid on the highway to keep a strict vigil on the crowds. We will monitor the state highway from Haryana to Sangrur police limits,” said H S Bhullar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sangrur. “Police nakas will be in place till February 22,” Bhullar said.

In addition to Sangrur-Patiala, Bathinda, Barnala, Mansa and a couple of other districts have also been put on alert.

Another senior official confirmed that forces other districts have been summoned to reach Bathinda to put in place proper security arrangements in and around the venue of the dera chief’s stay in Bathinda.

Moreover, the Moga by-election is also set to be held on February 23. Senior leaders of the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal have been camping at Moga for the past over a week. “One minor incident can totally change the outcome of the elections, therefore security needs to be tight,” said a police officer.

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The Tribune – Dera chief told to appear in court

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 8. The court of Additional Sessions Judge BS Johal today ordered the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, to appear in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bathinda, on February 22.

On May 13, 2007, a local resident, Rajinder Singh Sidhu, had lodged a complaint against the dera chief for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community by trying to imitate Guru Gobind Singh.

The complainant had alleged that the dera chief had worn a robe similar to that associated with the Tenth Sikh Guru at a function in Salabatpura dera in Bathinda.

A case was registered under Section 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious act to outrage religious feelings by insulting any religion) of the IPC.

At today’s hearing, the court dismissed the revision petition filed against the summon orders (seeking personal appearance) by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s counsel SK Garg and Kewal Brar.

The complainant’s counsel, J S Khattar, said the directions were significant even if these had been passed after more than five years of the legal battle. Sikh religious leaders, including Panch Pardhani vice-president Baba Hardeep Singh, Jaspal Singh Manjpur, Manjit Singh Dhelwan, Dharam Singh Harraipur, Surinder Singh Nathana and Kulwant Singh Rori, were present during the hearing. Baba Hardeep Singh said, “We have faith in the judiciary.” He demanded that other cases against the dera head also be taken up in fast-track courts.

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The Tribune – Sirsa violence: Takht wants accused arrested

G S Paul, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 14. Taking cognisance of a clash between Dera Sacha Sauda followers and Sikhs in Sirsa about a month ago, the five high priests today directed the Haryana Government to arrest all those accused in the case.

The issue came up for discussion during a meeting of the high priests here, which was headed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.

The Jathedar said the issue was deliberated after Sikh leaders from Haryana informed that the police did not take any action except for registering a complaint against the offenders. The clash was triggered by a minor accident involving vehicles of a Dera follower and a local Sikh.

The Dera followers reportedly pelted a gurdwara with stones, following which the Sirsa administration had to impose curfew. The meeting pondered over maintaining sanctity of Guru Granth Sahib. It was learnt that in a few villages the holy scriptures were consigned to flames to perform last rites without SGPC’s permission.

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The Tribune – Sikh leaders appeal for peace in Sirsa

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, November 30. Much to the relief of Sirsa residents and the district authorities, the meeting of Sikh organisations on Saturday’s clash involving followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and forces opposed to the dera went off peacefully today.

Though several hardliner Sikhs like Sant Baljit Singh Daduwal and Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa advocated a tough stand on the issue, the maturity exhibited by Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh of Takht Damdama Sahib who appealed to the residents to maintain peace, helped save the situation.

Several other prominent Sikh leaders like Jagdish Singh Jhinda, president of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Prakash Singh Sahuwala, Baba Pritam Singh and others were at the meeting held in Gurdwara Shri Dashmesh Patshahi here.

Nandgarh demanded that the police should complete investigations in the case registered against followers of the dera for the November 24 violence at the earliest and arrest all the accused. He added that the issue would be taken to the five high priests in case the local people felt they had not been provided justice by the authorities.

While the meeting was in progress at the gurdwara, a youth, allegedly carrying out a reconnaissance on behalf of the dera, was caught by some Sikh youths, thrashed and handed over to the police.

Meanwhile, the authorities today extended the closure of schools, colleges and all other educational institutions for two more days. They will now reopen on December 3.

Deputy Commissioner J Ganesan, the authorities would not allow anyone to take law in their hands.

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The Tribune – SGPC for fair probe into Sirsa violence

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 26. Condemning the “attack on Sikhs by followers of Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa”, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar today said the Haryana Government should investigate the incident in an impartial manner.

In a statement, Makkar said: “The targeting of peacefully protesting Sikhs by mischievous elements can’t be termed legitimate in any way”.

He said there was a widespread resentment in the community against the incident, which he dubbed, as the outcome of “negligence of the Sirsa administration and the one-sided mindset of the Haryana Government”.

He alleged that the Haryana Government was not sincere in its effort to “bridle such activities of the dera followers”.

He said this was not the first incident of its kind.

The Dal Khalsa said: “The hooliganism by the dera followers is a matter of grave concern.”

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The Tribune – Anti-dera bodies serve ultimatum

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, November 25. Organisations opposed to the Dera Sacha Sauda have given an ultimatum to the authorities to arrest those responsible for the attack on them by November 30 or face consequences. A meeting of the organisations opposed to the dera was held at Gurdwara Chilla Sahib today.

Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa, president, Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha, who headed the meeting, said they had asked the authorities to arrest the accused by November 30 or they would be forced to take to the streets to seek justice.

Khalsa alleged that besides those mentioned in the FIR for yesterday’s incident, dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was also responsible for the attack.

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The Tribune – Curfew in Sirsa as dera followers, opponents clash

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, November 24. A curfew has been imposed in Sirsa town after more than 12 persons were injured in clashes between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and some anti-dera organisations today. Clashes took place near Balmiki Chowk and Chilla Sahib Gurdwara.

Head priest of Tilokewala Gurdwara Sant Gurmeet Singh, who is also a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), was also injured in the clash.

Seven vehicles, including five motorcycles, were allegedly set on fire by dera followers.

Sirsa DC J Ganesan later imposed curfew in the town. The authorities have appealed to the people to remain indoors.

The two sides involved in the clashes have accused each other of triggering the violence.

Members of Sikh organisations opposed to the dera alleged their members were stopped by dera followers near Balmiki Chowk and beaten up. A dera spokesperson, however, alleged that Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa, president of the Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha, triggered violence by opening fire without any provocation.

Most of the shopkeepers in the area shut down their shops after reports of clashes poured in.

The authorities had been on the alert since morning as dera followers had announced to hold “naam charcha” and some Sikh organisations had given a call to hold protest against it.

The “naam charcha” passed off peacefully amid tight police security in the morning. DC Ganesan and SSP Rajshree Singh went to the gurdwara where some Sikh organisations were holding a meeting and persuaded them not to hold any protest.

However, a scuffle ensued between dera followers and SGPC supporters near Balmiki Chowk after the meeting in the gurdwara was over.

“We received a message that dera followers, who had gathered near Balmiki Chowk, had attacked some persons going towards Rania after attending the meeting in the gurdwara,” said Rajshree Singh.

The DC and the SSP then rushed to the scene of action in an attempt to control the situation. The two warring groups, however, clashed again near Chilla Sahib Gurdwara.

Dera spokesperson Pawan Insan said the clashes began after Khalsa and his followers attacked dera followers and opened fire without any provocation. DC J Ganesan said seven companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) would reach Sirsa by tonight.

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The Tribune – Moga on high alert as court indicts Sacha Sauda followers

Kulwinder Sandhu, Tribune News Service

Moga, September 21. The district and sessions court of Moga has declared 34 Dera Sacha Sauda followers guilty of causing damage to public property and rioting and under various other sections of the Indian Penal Code here this evening.

The quantum of punishment would be pronounced on Saturday. One of the followers Agya Pal Singh has been acquitted by the court in the absence of any concrete evidence of his involvement in rioting and torching of buses.

Meanwhile, Moga city has been put on high alert after the court ordered that 34 dera followers be taken into custody. Before their arrest, they were out on bail.

It was on February 27, 2010 that hundreds of followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect went on a rampage, torching buses and burning trains across the state. Moga was one of the most affected towns as the CBI registered an FIR against the dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others for murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.

On the day of the incident, the police rounded up more than 300 dera followers including women. A case was registered under Sections 307, 427, 436, 124-A, 186 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against 35 of them in the Moga (city) police station.

At Baghapurana town in the district, the police had registered a separate criminal case under Sections 307, 427, 436, 353, 124-A, 186, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against a former Sarpanch Harnek Singh of Marhi Mustafa village and 400 other persons.

He was allegedly accused of inciting the dera followers to riot. They had damaged more than 15 buses, four bogeys of trains and some public property in the district.

Following the court order, SSP Surjit Singh Grewal said security had been tightened at vulnerable places as a precautionary measure.

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The Tribune – Dera chief case hearing on September 1

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 4. The court of Dilbag Singh Johal today adjourned the case of alleged imitation by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to September 1.

The dera head had allegedly hurt the sentiments of Sikhs by wearing a robe similar to one worn by Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.

An FIR had been lodged in this regard at the Kotwali police station on the complaint of Rajinder Singh Sidhu.

S K Garg, counsel for the dera head, sought time for preparing arguments in the case. Sidhu, accompanied by Baba Hardeep Singh and advocate Navkiran, was also present during the hearing.

Hardeep Singh of Gurusar Mehraj said they would not relax until the Sirsa dera head was punished for his act.

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The Tribune – Dera chief made respondent

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 27. Acting on a petition for a CBI probe into the alleged castration of 400 “sadhus” at Dera Sacha Sauda headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today made him a respondent.

The court also issued a notice for October 10 on an application for the medical examination of petitioner Hans Raj Chauhan and seven other sadhus.

In his petition filed through counsel Navkiran Singh, petitioner Chauhan of Fatehabad district alleged that the victims were castrated on the false hope that “ males who would get themselves castrated would be able to achieve God through Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh”.

He also sought compensation for himself and “such-like sadhus who have been rendered impotent and are unable to procreate”.

Directions have also been sought for providing adequate security to the petitioner and his parents.

Navkiran Singh said the petitioner had faced hormonal imbalance because of castration. He had lost body hair and developed

breasts. “The petitioner has become incapable of having children and he has to face humiliation at the hands of the general public, that treats him as eunuch”.

He said 100 of the 400 castrated sadhus were being used to protect Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s family.

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