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PM appeals for calm New Delhi/Ludhiana, May 25 Shortly after assuming office in the South Block, the new External Affairs Minister, SM Krishna, stated that New Delhi was in close contact with the Austrian foreign office, the Viennese police and the Austrian authorities to get the full details of the incident. Official sources said the foreign office was in touch with Indian Charge d’affaires in Vienna AL Malhotra and had sought a report from the Indian mission on Sunday’s violence in which one person was killed and at least 15 others were hurt when rival groups clashed in a gurdwara during a sermon. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal strongly condemned the killing of Sant Ramanand. While speaking to the media in Ludhiana, the CM called upon all Punjabis to maintain peace and exercise restraint. As the incident in Vienna sparked large-scale violence in Punjab, a worried PM emphasised that “Sikhism preaches tolerance and harmony. All the revered gurus of Sikhism preached the values of equality, brotherhood and harmony.’’ “Invoking the teachings of the Gurus, I appeal to all sections of the people of Punjab to abjure violence and maintain peace. In areas, where curfew has been imposed, it is necessary that people should go back to their homes and allow the security forces to restore law and order,’’ said Manmohan Singh, who is understood to be constantly monitoring the situation in the state. Meanwhile, the foreign minister offered his condolences at the passing away of Sant Rama Nand in the Vienna incident. “Our mission will make necessary arrangements for his body to be brought back home.’’Reports from Vienna quoted the local police as saying that six persons had been taken into custody for their suspected role in the clash and more arrests were likely to take place soon. Police spokesman Michael Takacs said the scene at the gurdwara was ‘like a battlefield’. Takacs was quoted as saying that of the six persons in a serious condition, four were ‘definitely perpetrators’. The possibility that not only the attackers but also some of the worshippers were armed was being investigated. He denied reports that the gurdwara leaders had asked in vain for police protection after telephone threats last week, saying no such requests were received. The CM, who has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday to review the situation, urged all political parties to cooperate with the state government and not try to gain any political mileage out of the incident. The Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today termed the situation in Punjab as “not quite normal” while hoping that peace would return soon. He said that although curfew was imposed in Jalandhar and some other places. “… but I see from television that the curfew is not being enforced.” The Centre, he said, had responded to the request of the state Government by sending in additional companies of para-military companies, a total of 2,500 personnel, besides a helicopter has been placed at the disposal of Punjab, he told reporters after assuming office here today. Separately, 14 columns of the Indian Army have moved in to civilian areas to instil confidence in people.
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