Sikh organisations protest against Ashutosh Maharaj's visit

Ludhiana, Dec 5 (ANI): The members of several Sikh outfits took to the streets here today, protesting against the arrival of a controversial religious leader Ashutosh Maharaj, who has not found favour with the Sikh groups for allegedly preaching against their religion.

Swami Ashutosh Maharaj, who heads an organisation named Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan (DJSS), begins his visit to the city from today, and is proposed to hold a religious meeting in the city.

Several Sikh men gathered outside a Sikh shrine this morning, raising slogans and waving swords in the air.

The police arrested some protestors, who pelted stones at them.

The radical Sikh group, Dal Khalsa, who is against the arrival of the religious leader, says it has got the support of the State government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"We will take our peaceful procession to stop their gathering here. We have nothing against police. But Punjab government and Bharatiya Janata party is mainly responsible for organising this gathering. Today the actual face of BJP is revealed before the entire country. They want to spark Sikh-Hindu riots in Punjab and now the entire country knows their desire as they stood beside the supporters of Ashutosh and have challenged the Sikh community. BJP has organised this gathering by misleading the brotherhood of Hindu community," said Harnaam Singh Khalsa, a leader of Dal Khalsa.

The reports claim Ashutosh Maharaj of promoting Hinduism and being backed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Swami Ashutosh Maharaj is not in the good books of the Sikhs since 1980s, when he allegedly spoke against the religious text of the Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib.

Security has been tightened following the protest; even top officials of the administration have inspected the site to avoid further troubles.

The Sikh organisations have made up their minds asserting that they would not allow the meeting to take place. (ANI)