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.
