Dera Sacha Sauda followers sit on indefinite fast

Sirsa, June 28: A day after the Punjab government granted the state police approval to arrest the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, his followers here began an indefinite fast today to press for the withdrawal of the 'false case' against him.

The Dera also urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to dismiss the Parkash Singh Badal government in the state for allegedly making false cases against Dera head Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh and his followers.

The Punjab government had given its go ahead to the state police last night to arrest the Dera chief in a case registered against him in Bathinda for hurting the sentiments of Sikhs by allegedly imitating as Guru Gobind Singh.

As many as 25 volunteers sat on a ''fast-unto-death'' outside the Deputy Commissioner's office here after the Dera followers submitted to the DC a charter of demands addressed to Dr Kalam.

Dera spokesman Aditya Insan alleged that there was a political conspiracy behind the harassment of the Dera people. ''It's due to the fight between Mr Badal and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna that the resolution of the issue was being delayed.''

Asked how the Dera management would deal with the situation when the Punjab Police would arrest the Dera chief, Dr Insa said, ''We will cross the bridge when it comes.'' The Dera management, he said, was also exploring all legal possibilities to tackle the situation. The other demands made in the memorandum addressed to the President included withdrawal of ''false'' cases against Dera followers, arrest of those from the ''other side'' against whom cases were filed, registration of cases against those attacking Dera followers and disrupting their religious and social functions.

Asking for the restoration of right to religious freedom the Dera also demanded that forcible conversion of Hindus and Dalits be stopped forthwith.

Earlier, over 1,000 Dera followers staged a protest march from the Dera premises to the DC office here in a convoy of vehicles.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up by the Haryana administration in and around the Dera to avoid any untoward incident.

UNI

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