Sikhs protest Mumbai incident, demand Dera chief's arrest

Kolkata, Jun 23 (UNI) Hundreds of Sikhs today paraded the main throughfares of the city, demanding Dera Sachcha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh's immediate arrest for allegedly fomenting communal tension in Mumbai.

Observing a 'Black Day' by wearing black turbans, nearly 1,000 Sikhs under the banner of the Central Gurdwara Committee silently marched the city to condemn the killing of a youth at suburban Mulund in Mumbai by the henchmen of pseudo godman Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh on June 20.

The Sikhs also submitted a memorandum to West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Chief Minister Buddadeb Bhattacharjee.

They demanded Gurmit's immediate arrest into the killing of Balkar Singh Thakur.

The Gurdwara Committee said Gurmit's visit to Maharastra was a pre-planned conspiracy against the Sikhs as the community was all over the world celebrating 300 years of Gurta Gaddi Diwas of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, being held at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanbad, Maharashtra.

The Sikhs here demanded a blanket ban on Gurmit's entry in West Bengal.

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