Khalsa Action Committee demand arrest of Sachcha Sauda chief

Amritsar, Jun 24 (UNI) Taking a jibe at Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president's call for a judicial probe into the murder of Balkar Singh at the hands of the guards of Dera Sachcha Sauda head Gurmit Ram Raheem Singh in Mumbai last week, the Khalsa Action Committee today said that nothing less than the arrest of the Dera chief would pacify the Sikhs.

In a joint statement, Bhai Mohkam Singh of the Damdami Taksal, Kanwar Pal Singh of the Dal Khalsa and Manjit Singh Calcutta, a former SGPC secretary said such unreasonable statements of a person holding high post would further confound the issue and delay justice. There was no need to muddle the issue at this crucial stage, they advised SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.

The Sikhs have enough experience of how inquiries were held in the country, the statement said. They demanded that a case under Section 302 should be lodged against the Dera chief for conspiring the killing of Balkar Singh.

Commenting on the provocative statement of Shiv Sena head Bal Thackery warning Sikhs protesting in the streets of Mumbai, the Khalsa Action Committee members said without understanding the genesis of the problem and without realising the concern of the Sikh people, the Sena chief had gone overboard. ''Mr Thackery and others should take the pain and agony of the Sikh people into account before dubbing them as trouble-makers,'' the statement added, while clarifying that Sikhs were committed to maintain peace and harmony where ever they reside.

Coming down heavily on Congress led Haryana government for encouraging and patronising the Dera head, they claimed that the Baba was being given VIP treatment when already three criminal cases, including that of rape and murder were pending against him.

The leaders of the KAC warned the governments at the Centre and in Haryana and Punjab not to test the patience of the Sikhs and proceed against the Baba immediately.

They sought to remind the three governments of the Sikh-Nirankari clash of 1978 that plunged Punjab into turmoil.

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