Punjab CPM calls in solving Akali-Sacha Sauda issue

Chandigarh, May 21: The Punjab State Committee of CPI(M) today expressed deep concern over the continuing and escalating unfortunate incidents of violence perpetrated by Dera Sucha Sauda supporters and the followers of various Sikh fundamentalist organizations.

These incidents are disturbing the peace and communal harmony and providing fertile ground for the anti-people and anti-national forces who want to realize their nefarious narrow partisan ends, CPM state secretary Balwant Singh said here.

"Looking upon the context of these disturbing developments, the casting of votes in favour of Congress in the February Assembly elections and the response of Akali-BJP coalition partners and Punjab Pradesh Congress leaders who are playing an ugly blame game, one cannot but conclude that both Akali-BJP combine and Congress are fighting their proxy wars", he said.

The state CPM committee is of the firm view that both these parties cannot absolve themselves of the crime of initiating and fuelling this violent confligration which is threatening the peace and harmony and providing the handle for the extremists and separatists, he added.

The state committee is further of the view that in a democratic polity the principle to abided by all religions. However while enjoying freedom of conscience and faith nobody should hurt the religious sentiments of others, Comrade Balwant Singh said.

Comrade Balwant Singh further said that the photograph of the Dera Sucha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh stirring the "Jam-e-Insaan" dressed like 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh was an unhealthy practice and a definite provocation to the Sikhs made with calculated motive. Thereafter the well prepared assault by thousands of Sacha Sauda supporters at Bathinda on protesters belonging to some Sikh organizations, who burned effigies of Ram Raheem also proves that they were anticipating this reaction to their well planned provocations, he claimed.

The CPM feels that the pattern of the ongoing violence reminds one of the onset of the dark days of the 1980's when the people of Punjab suffered at the hands of 'Khalisatani' terrorist elements, he added.

The current violent clashes between Sacha Sauda members and sikh organizations is also reminiscent of 1978 Nirankari-Bhindrawala violent clash at Amritsar, which became the start of the 'Khalisatan' separtist movement in Punjab, he pointed out.

Comrade Balwant Singh further said that the Badal governments sluggish and in a way partisan response to these violent clashes has contributed in its failure in curbing these clashes in the beginning itself.

The CPM calls upon all the peace loving, secular and patriotic people of Punjab to unequivocally condemn these violent clshes and maintain peace and communal harmony at all costs. The state committee has also called upon the people to see through the game of anti people and anti national forces who are bent upon engineering communal riots to achieve their nefarious designs, he said.

Comrade Balwant Singh exhorted the people to expose all those political forces who are trying to use this disturbed situation for their narrow political ends.

He also demanded that the Badal government call an all party meeting to firmly deal with all the rowdy elements who are engineering violence so that peace and communal harmony is maintained in the state.

He also urged the centre government to resolve the issue of Sikh sentiments being hurt through dialogue and legal means and by upholding the principle of freedom of conscience and worship and religious tolerance.

UNI