Not calling off dharna yet, say Panthic leaders

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 8

After initially giving hints of ending their six-month-long dharna at Bargari, parallel jathedars Dhian Singh Mand and Baljit Singh Daduwal today seemed reluctant on the matter. “We are still sticking to our three demands. If the state government accepts these, we will end the morcha,” said Daduwal.

On starting an akhand path at the dharna site on Friday and government representatives attending the bhog ceremony on Sunday, the Panthic leaders claimed that the holding of path had nothing to do with calling off the protest.

“Like many of our supporters, the path has been started by Sampardaye Dal Baba Bidhi Chand. Any person can attend the bhog. The representatives of the state government are also welcome. If our demands are not met, the protest will continue,” said Daduwal.

On Thursday, Mand had given a hint of negotiation with the government and lifting of the dharna. Mand and Daduwal are leading the morcha since June.

Last evening, the Panthic leaders convened a meeting at Bargari and discussed the government’s offer of “conceding” to their demands. “We have given the authority to Mand to take a decision on the matter,” said Daduwal.

Their demands include arrest of culprits in sacrilege cases, action against guilty police officials who opened firing on peaceful protesters at Behbal Kalan and release or shifting of Sikh prisoners.

Cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa had two rounds of talks with the leaders in July and August, but failed to make any headway. Both Bajwa and his Cabinet colleague Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa are expected to arrive at Bargari tomorrow.

Bajwa said he had high hopes from Panthic leaders that they would call off the protest as the government had agreed to all their demands.

The main accused of sacrilege incidents were already arrested and an SIT was working overtime in probing the firing incidents at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura, he said. Sources said the demand for the release of Sikh prisoners was a tricky issue and difficult to handle for the state government.