‘Dismissed’ Panj Pyaras in Bargari, lend support

FARIDKOT: To express their solidarity with the protesting Sikh radical leaders, the dismissed Panj Pyaras (five beloved ones of the Guru) — Bhai Satnam Singh Khanda, Bhai Satnam Singh, Bhai Tirlok Singh, Bhai Mangal Singh and Bhai Major Singh — on Sunday reached Bargari in Faridkot and participated in the dharna.

‘Panj Pyaras’ at the dharna with Jathedar Dhian Singh Mand at Bargari on Sunday. Tribune photo

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 10

To express their solidarity with the protesting Sikh radical leaders, the dismissed Panj Pyaras (five beloved ones of the Guru) — Bhai Satnam Singh Khanda, Bhai Satnam Singh, Bhai Tirlok Singh, Bhai Mangal Singh and Bhai Major Singh — on Sunday reached Bargari in Faridkot and participated in the dharna.

Demanding immediate arrest of those responsible for the killing of two Sikhs protesting at Behbal Kalan and culprits of sacrilege incidents, the Panj Pyaras urged all Punjabis across the world to mount pressure on the Union and state government to stop the increasing incidents of sacrilege. They also demanded release of all Sikh detainees in jails in different parts of the country.

These Panj Pyaras were dismissed by the SGPC executive on January 1, 2016, on the charges of “exceeding their limits and questioning the authority of the Akal Takht”.

Criticising the BJP government for the attack on Sikhs and their religious places at Shillong, the Panj Pyaras alleged that in the past year, there was an increase in the number of attacks on Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, other minorities and Dalits under the ruling BJP.

Raising their concern about the alleged the persecution cases and hate speeches against religious minorities in the country, the Panj Pyaras demanded the human rights bodies at the international level to look into such cases.

The Panj Pyaras were accompanied by Mahavir Singh Sultanwind, Baldev Singh Sirsa and Baljinder Singh, a former principal of Khalsa College, Chamanda Devi.

Besides Panj Pyaras, Damdami Taksal, a Sikh seminary has also extended its support to the active ‘parallel’ jathedar, Dhian Singh Mand, who is sitting on a protest dharna at Bargari since June 1.

Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma visited Dhian Singh Mand on Friday and expressed his solidarity with him.

So far, Dhumma was maintaining distance from the protest for his differences with Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, who was at the forefront of the protest after the sacrilege incidents in August-September 2015 in this area.