Akal Takht asks Dera to close down in Punjab by May 27

Amritsar, May 20 (UNI) The Akal Takht, the highest spiritual and temporal seat of the Sikhs, today rejected the 'regret' offered by Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for his ''anti-panthic'' activities and gave a call for a Punjab bandh on May 22 to demand the arrest of the Baba.

The Dera chief had yesterday expressed regret over the advertisement published in a newspaper depicting him in the attire of tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh. He had stated in his 'regret' that he had no intention of hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community.

After a hectic three-hour meeting at the Akal Takht here, the Sikh clergy outrightly rejected the 'regret' offered by the Baba and gave a call for a Punjab bandh on May 22 to protest against his activities that had hurt Sikh sentiments and led to violence against Sikhs by Dera supporters.

The clergy also asked the Dera Sacha Sauda to close down all its branches or 'deras' in Punjab by May 27.

''We appeal to members of all religious communities to observe a state wide bandh on May 22 in a peaceful manner'', a resolution read out by Akal Takth Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti from the Takht building to a large gathering of Sikhs in the Golden Temple complex said.

The resolution appealed to members of all religious communities not to indulge in violence during the bandh.

The second resolution virtually directed the Dera Sacha Sauda to shut down all its 'deras' in Punjab by May 27 and if this step was not taken, ''the Sikhs will announce a strigent line of action''.

Refering to the regret offered by the Baba, the resolution said '' the regret was a craftfully drafted document and was meaningless as far as the Sikhs were concerened''.

The Sikh Head priests have already called for a social, religious and political boycott of the Baba and his followers.

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