Dera-Sikh tension erupts, timely defused

Dera-Sikh tension erupts, timely defused
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 9
The heat of the violence that took place after the Dera-Sikh controversy in Dhalleke village of Moga on Monday was also felt in Bathinda district.
Tension kept simmering throughout the day in the villages falling under the Talwandi Sabo sub-division of this district.
To avert any untoward incident, police remained on its toes and converted two villages Sangat and Teona Pujarian into a virtual fortress.
After receiving a message that some followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda had allegedly assaulted the head of a Kirtan Jatha belonging to village Malkana (Bathinda), Baba Joga Singh, in Moga on Monday in which his vehicle was also damaged, the situation turned volatile in Talwandi Sabo on Tuesday.
A large number of radical Sikhs assembled at the Baba Deep Singh chowk in Talwandi Sabo and attempted to burn the effigy of the Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Though the police foiled their bid, the Dera followers were left fuming.
Taking a serious note of the radicals' action, a number of Dera followers staged a dharna outside the Talwandi Sabo DSP's residence and started their Naam Charcha (religious discourse).
They announced that it would be carried on till the police arrested all the accused who had attempted to burn the effigy of the Dera chief.
Handling the situation cautiously, police assured them of fair action and managed to persuade them to lift their dharna.
Sources informed that the situation had again turned tense after someone, using the public address system of a gurudwara in Sangat village, appealed to the Sikhs to remain ready to counter the “anti-Sikh” acts of the Dera followers.
Acting upon the basis of this information, police visited the village to trace the person who had made the announcement but reportedly failed in its attempt.
However, sensing the gravity of the situation, a strong police contingent was deployed in the village to keep tab over all activities. Meanwhile, messages were flashed that the Dera followers had started assembling at Teona Pujarian village.
As the village is known for a majority of its population being affiliated to the Dera and where some incidents of Dera-Sikh stand-off had taken place in the past, police hurriedly cordoned it off. To build pressure, police even carried out a march in the village streets.
Though tension gripped the sub-division during the day, DSP Talwandi Sabo, Surinder Pal Singh informed that no untoward incident had taken place and things were under control. The DSP also assured that nobody would be allowed to violate law and order.