Amritsar/Jalandhar, May 27
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today arranged for bhog and akhand path at the Golden Temple for a speedy recovery of Sant Niranjan Dass, head of Dera Sachkhand, Ballan (Jalandhar), who was seriously injured on Sunday following an assassination attempt made at a gurdwara in Vienna. He also prayed for lasting peace in Punjab.
The Chief Minister also called up the Sant in Vienna and enquired about his well being from an aide to the Sant, whose condition is said to be stable and improving.
The Chief Minister also rubbished allegations that political parties were behind the violence in Austria and the backlash that followed in the state. “Anti-national” forces, he said, were behind it. He appreciated the appeal made by Sant Surinder Dass for maintaining peace and communal harmony in the state.
The Chief Minister also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for those killed in the recent violence. Suitable compensation, he declared, would be paid for the loss of property as well.
As many as 32 buses belonging to Punjab (20), Haryana (10) and Himachal Pradesh (2) were set on fire during the past few days by angry mobs protesting the attack in Vienna. Over 50 other buses were damaged. Buses started plying on Wednesday in Punjab but not on all the routes. Buses to Punjab from Himachal Pradesh too have stopped plying in view of the disturbed situation.
Asked at a press conference in Chandigarh whether it was true that Punjab police had gone out of their way to protect ‘Orbit’ group of buses and left the state buses to face the fury of the mob, state Transport Minister Mohan Lal said an inquiry would take
place to find out if the concerned employees had been guilty of dereliction of duty.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Derra Ballan Trust, S.R. Heer, informed that the Dera had dispatched sewadars to various parts of the state in a bid to pacify agitated devotees, many of whom are still worked up over the assassination bid in Austria. According to information reaching the Dera, people had been collecting in Kartarpur, Bhogpur and other places and they could turn violent.
The Dera has appealed to the followers to maintain peace and asked them to offer peaceful sit-ins away from highways and roads, he said. He had also spoken to the Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Badal, and pleaded for releasing the large number of Dera supporters arrested in the wake of disturbances. He had received the assurance that the arrested protesters would be released soon, said Heer.
