KAC march foiled; workers detained
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service
Bhai Rupa/Mehraj (Bathinda), February 10
Hundreds of activists of the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC) were detained today after they tried to take out a march near Salabatpura, the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda in Punjab. The police had made tight security arrangements to prevent the march but the KAC activists changed the venue of the march at the last minute from Bhai Rupa village to Gurdwara Chota Gurusar in Mehraj village.
When the KAC activists tried to take out the vehicle carrying Guru Granth Sahib from the Chota Gurusar Gurdwara premises, the police intercepted them. The Panj Piaras were detained and the Palki was taken in possession by the police personnel who blocked their way by parking a police bus and a jeep in the middle of the way.
Despite the police having turned the villages in the area into a fortress, and motorists being thoroughly frisked, around 70 KAC activists arrived on a tractor-trailer and joined the activists already present there. After some time, around 20 more KAC men arrived at the venue on a jeep. The police arrested them.
Showing resentment over the denial of permission to take out Guru Granth Sahib in a procession, hardliner Sikhs delivered speeches and raised anti-government slogans outside the gurdwara. They accused that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal of supporting the Dera Sacha Sauda chief for political gains.
Meanwhile, in Dhapali village, about 10 km from Mehraj, another religious march was attempted. However, the police stopped the religious procession near Bhai Rupa village. But, after discussions with the leader of the KAC group, Bhai Boota Singh, the police allowed only the Panj Piaras and the holy Beer to proceed to Gurdwara Mansarovar in Bhai Rupa village with four other KAC leaders. The police refused permission to other KAC activists assembled there to join the march.
Sadhu Singh of Gumti Kalan village, along with 20 KAC activists, was arrested as he lodged a protest in Bhai Rupa village against the detention of the activists by the police. They wanted to join the march.
The KAC activists at Gurdwara Mansarovar deferred the march in the afternoon and placed the Bir inside the gurdwara. After passing a resolution to boycott Badal, the KAC activists moved towards the village. But, immediately, the police, under orders from district magistrate Rahul Tewari, arrested the KAC activists, including some women.
Convener of KAC Bhai Mohkam Singh, who was arrested, said: “The march was not attempted from this place only. Our activists started the march from various other places, but the police detained them. Despite the tight security arrangements, many of us gathered here which indicates the failure of the administration.”
Jathedar Bhai Kumikar Singh, the member of the presidium of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) (Panch Pardhani), said: “The police personnel themselves wanted to disturb peace. When we asked them to remove the bus from near the gurdwara, a senior police official suggested that we break its window panes.”
About the arrest of the KAC activists, the district magistrate said: “They have been detained as a preventive measure. Moreover, they defied the order issued under Section 144 of the CrPC. A case would be registered only against those leaders of radical Sikhs who did not pay heed to our instructions.”
When SSP Naunihal Singh was asked about the intelligence lapses, he said: “Earlier, we had the information that the march would begin from Bhai Rupa. So, we concentrated on the roads that lead to that village. But, they changed the venue. The KAC activists got only that much time which we took in deploying the force.”
Mediapersons obstructed
Vehicles of mediapersons, bearing the Press sticker on the windshields, were deflated and parked in a field some distance away from Gurdwara Chota Gurusar in an alleged attempt to prevent mediapersons from reaching the venue of the march. On being asked, district magistrate Rahul Tewari passed the buck on to the police officials and expressed regret.
Frontline comments:
Ok they wanted to protest they have every right, but why take maharaj there anything can happen.