05-22-2007, 05:30 AM
Punjab Tangle
<b>BJP warns Badal, Dera seeks PM's role</b>
Agencies
Posted online: Monday, May 21, 2007 at 1621 hours IST
Updated: Monday, May 21, 2007 at 1938 hours IST
Sirsa (Haryana), May 21: The BJP warned of âhard decisionsâ in Punjab in case the party's alliance government with SAD failed to maintain law and order and safeguard the life and property of the citizens in the wake of the stand-off between Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikhs.
The party had an emergent meeting of state office bearers presided over by state chief Rajinder Bhandari.
"If anything goes wrong in any part of the state, the government headed by Parkash Singh Badal shall be solely responsible and answerable. BJP will not hesitate in taking hard decisions in the larger interests of the people of Punjab," a release said.
Bhandari, however, declined to divulge the hard decisions. "These will be unfolded when time comes," he said later.
The Congress, on the other hand, charged the Badal government with failing to fulfill its fundamental duty.
"Despite offer of full cooperation to the state government for restoration of peace and tranquility, the administration is running away from its fundamental duty of safeguarding life and property of citizens," state Congress chief Shamsher Singh Dullo said.
He described the showing of naked swords in Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar and other cities as âunfortunateâ.
Expressed concern over the âcontinuing and escalating unfortunate incidents of violenceâ, the state CPM said these are âproviding fertile groundâ for anti-people and anti-national forces.
It also blamed both the Akali-BJP combine as well as the Congress of fighting a proxy war and in turn threatening the state's harmony.
Dera chief asks for PM's intervention
The Dera Sacha Sauda appealed 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 regrets for all what 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 emphasised 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 in Sirsa to avoid any untoward incident.
The security has been increased within the Dera and barriers have been erected around the 'Gufa' of the Dera chief.
The para-military forces have intensified flag marches and the entire district has been converted into a fortress.
Barricades have been erected on all the roads connecting Punjab.
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 on day decided 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.
<b>BJP warns Badal, Dera seeks PM's role</b>
Agencies
Posted online: Monday, May 21, 2007 at 1621 hours IST
Updated: Monday, May 21, 2007 at 1938 hours IST
Sirsa (Haryana), May 21: The BJP warned of âhard decisionsâ in Punjab in case the party's alliance government with SAD failed to maintain law and order and safeguard the life and property of the citizens in the wake of the stand-off between Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikhs.
The party had an emergent meeting of state office bearers presided over by state chief Rajinder Bhandari.
"If anything goes wrong in any part of the state, the government headed by Parkash Singh Badal shall be solely responsible and answerable. BJP will not hesitate in taking hard decisions in the larger interests of the people of Punjab," a release said.
Bhandari, however, declined to divulge the hard decisions. "These will be unfolded when time comes," he said later.
The Congress, on the other hand, charged the Badal government with failing to fulfill its fundamental duty.
"Despite offer of full cooperation to the state government for restoration of peace and tranquility, the administration is running away from its fundamental duty of safeguarding life and property of citizens," state Congress chief Shamsher Singh Dullo said.
He described the showing of naked swords in Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar and other cities as âunfortunateâ.
Expressed concern over the âcontinuing and escalating unfortunate incidents of violenceâ, the state CPM said these are âproviding fertile groundâ for anti-people and anti-national forces.
It also blamed both the Akali-BJP combine as well as the Congress of fighting a proxy war and in turn threatening the state's harmony.
Dera chief asks for PM's intervention
The Dera Sacha Sauda appealed 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 regrets for all what 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 emphasised 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 in Sirsa to avoid any untoward incident.
The security has been increased within the Dera and barriers have been erected around the 'Gufa' of the Dera chief.
The para-military forces have intensified flag marches and the entire district has been converted into a fortress.
Barricades have been erected on all the roads connecting Punjab.
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 on day decided 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.