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Dera Row: Khalsa panel splits; Sant Samaj recalls 2
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 28
In a major jolt to the Sikh hardliners, who have been spearheading a campaign against Dera Sacha Sauda, the 15-member Khalsa Action Committee (KCA) has been split, a day before its crucial meeting scheduled to be held at Fatehgarh Sahib. An emergency meeting of Sant Samaj has decided to withdraw its two members from the committee. President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Parmjit Singh Sarna, who had played an important role in eliciting the fresh apology from the dera, has already dissociated from the committee.

Talking to The Tribune, chief of the Damdami Taksal Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa said the emergency meeting of the Sant Samaj, held at Zira today, decided in principle to withdraw its both members, Sukhchain Singh and Baljit Singh Daduwal, from the committee. However, former Jathedar of Akal Takht Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode said he would attend tomorrow’s meeting. The Damdami Taksal chief said the Sant Samaj would abide by the directive of the Jathedar of Akal Takht, who had given a call to hold a Sikh conclave at Ratia in Haryana in July to demand the arrest of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

The day after, dera followers take out protest march
Kiran Deep
Tribune News Service

Sirsa, June 28
The ongoing conflict between Sikhs and dera followers has further aggravated. While holding a protest march the Dera Sacha Sauda today blamed Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for rejection of their fresh apology letter by Akal Takht alleging that Badal did not want to resolve the dispute for political gains.

The dera claimed that the fresh apology letter was issued only after SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar and the CM were made aware of the contents of the letter and both had assured the mediators that the apology would end the row between the two sides.

While talking to newsmen during the dharna staged by hundreds of dera followers outside the DC office, the chief spokesman of the dera, Aditya Arora, added that Badal got the apology rejected as he did not want the credit to go to the president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna, who took the initiative to resolve the dispute between Sikhs and dera followers.