Premis close shops, start moving towards Sirsa and Panchkula

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, August 24

In more trouble for security agencies, lakhs of followers of Dera Sacha Sauda have closed their shops and other business establishments across the state and along with their families, have started moving towards Dera headquarters Sirsa and Panchkula to express solidarity with Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Sources among Dera followers said that after a discussion, all followers who run various businesses and shops across the state, have closed their establishments and have converged in their respective Nam Charcha Ghars from where they are moving towards Sirsa and Panchkula in small groups.

Premis, as Dera followers are known, from Samana, Patiala and Nabha also shut their shops and left for Panchkula. They say they will camp for the night on the streets and wait for the court verdict tomorrow.  Hundreds of them, including women, have left for Panchkula.

“No one asked us to close our shops, but we have decided on our own. I, along with my family, am going to Panchkula to attend the court hearing on Friday,” said Ravinder, a local Dera follower who runs a shop in the main market.

Followers have booked local vehicles. All devotees wear special lockets of the Dera and they have hidden them under their vests. 

“All Dera followers have closed their shops and other business establishments on their own without any direction from the Dera. All are moving towards the Sirsa Dera and Panchkula. They have great respect for the court, but they want to express solidarity with the Dera head during the court hearing,” said Harinder  Insan Mangwal, a member of 45-member Punjab state executive committee of the Dera.