Breaking News: Sikhs Clash With Dera Sucha Sauda Followers In Punjab, 12 Injured

[B4ND4]

JUST IN :- DERA APOLOGISES

Dera has apologised to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. They are merely juggling with words now. They haven't apologised to Akal Takht or Sikh Sangat.

Listen to live news here, they are talking about the dera issue >>> http://livetvonline.blogspot.com/2006/12/i...annel-from.html

[khalsa-shernee]

eh Na Raam da ,, Na Raheem da.... Eh Baba Huraaam da...

lolol

[Harmindersingh]

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/05_2007/...nity-41440.html

Dera says sorry, apology addressed to Sikh Guru

New Delhi: The Dera Sacha Sauda finally apologised over the row surrounding the alleged blasphemous act against 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, even as a deadline set by the Akal Takht for the Dera Sacha Sauda sect to vacate its campuses in the state ends on Sunday evening.

The apology was, however, addressed to Guru Gobind Singh, and not Akal Takht, as the supreme Sikh body had been demanding.

However the Akal Takht may not accept the Dera apology as they say its mere a joke.

A press release issued by Dera Sacha Sauda on Sunday evening said: "Dera Sacha Sauda apologises to Sri Gobind Guruji for the sake of humanity."

"We can't even think of copying him," the press release states referring to the controversy surrounding a newspaper advertisement which showed the chief of the Dera sect, Baba Gurmeet Singh Ram Raheem, dressed as the 10th Sikh Guru - Guru Gobind Singh - and distributing amrit (holy water) to people. The standoff had resulted in large-scale violence in Punjab over the past week.

Earlier on May 20, the sect had issued a similar press release, saying it regretted the newspaper ad which showed its chief dressed as Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, which led to sectarian clashes across Punjab and parts of North India.

"We never intended to imitate Guru Gobind Singh and we are regretful of the whole chain of events," a press release issued by the sect’s PR department in Sirsa had said.

Meanwhile, nearly 100,000 Punjab police personnel and over 40 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed across Punjab on Sunday as the deadline set by the Akal Takht for the Dera sect drew to a close. Security forces were on high alert particularly in the cotton-rich Malwa belt of south Punjab and the Sikh holy city of Amritsar.

The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, had set the Sunday deadline for the Dera, protesting the actions of sect chief, whose actions, they say, have hurt the religious sentiments of Sikhs.

While the state remained tense, there were no indications of the Dera vacating any of its campuses. The sect is rather planning to move the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking protection for the Deras.

The Sikh clergy is scheduled to meet again under the aegis of Akal Takht on May 29 to decide on their future course of action against the Dera. Hardline Sikh groups are demanding that the Dera chief be arrested for hurting their religious sensibilities.

Dera has campuses at Salabatpura, the biggest campus of the sect in Punjab located 30 km from Bathinda, Malout, Sangrur and Sunam; all of which have been virtually fortified by the police and Border Security Force to prevent any clashes.

[jassa]

who asked for apology ???? i dont think akal takth asked for apology even once

[nanosecond]

Badal asked for it and Akal Takth is under Badal's control

So whats the end result?

Badal has made it clear to all the deras in Punjab that they will have to support him in any elections otherwise he has the power to turn Sikhs against them and make their survival difficult.

[jassa]

chota badal jindabad .... sgpc jindabad ... akal takth jindabad .... bhe#!$#@$@#$@#

[dasmesh_regiment]

nano is right

all deras will flourish under badal as long as they vote for him

genius politician

the only way the militants can save face now is to get rid of all dera leaders and close them by force

but this aint going to happen

badal scores another one over the hardliners and makes them look like fools

[Singh, Mahan]

Badal asked for it and Akal Takth is under Badal's control

So whats the end result?

Badal has made it clear to all the deras in Punjab that they will have to support him in any elections otherwise he has the power to turn Sikhs against them and make their survival difficult.

[[[[ Badal has made it clear to all the deras in Punjab that they will have to support him in any elections otherwise he has the power to turn Sikhs against them and make their survival difficult.]]]

With the followers of these deras increasing in number every day, the question however is, will there be left enough Sikhs of the type whom he can turn against the deras.

****

It is interesting to note that yesterday, in Maharashter state. Over 100,000 ( over hundred thousand ) people converted to Buddhism ( in a mass conversion ceremony). Many of them are Sigiligars. Sigiligars are the people who were part of Guru Gobind Singh’s army that went south and they were the expert weapon makers (blacksmiths) for the Guru Gobind Singh's army. After Guruji passed away they spread out in many of the Central States of India There are about 7000000 (seven millions) of them spread in Maharashtar , M.P, Chhatisgarh, Rajisthan, Andhara Pardesh, and Karnatik . They become separated from the Punjabi Sikhs ( Not many Punjabi Sikhs traveled with Guru ji to Maharashtara – Nanded ) Till very recently they kept their Sikh identity. Now their trade not in demand, they live in abject poverty. For the past few years they have been crying for help from SGPC . The SPGC allotted only a small amount (a token sum) of their budget for the betterment of Sigiligars. But, the SGPC may have spent ‘Crores’ (one crore is 10 million) on sharaab and ’ laddoos’ to drink and eat in the recent election. ( The SGPC does not even recognize their existence as they are not in Akali vote Bank)

[Singh, Mahan]

I have heard that Sauda man Ram Rahim has not offered his apology to Sikhs but instead to Guru Gobind Singh ji.

First, Guru Gobind Singh did not ask for his apology. It is some Sikhs of Guru Gobind Singh Ji asked for it. By doing this stunt of offering the apology, he seems to think that he is much higher than the Sikhs or the Akal Takht. It looks as if he thinks that he is at the same level as Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Secondly, no body amongst the Sikhs can accept the apology on behalf of Guru Gobind Singh. Ji. Akal Takht Jathedars are sevadars of Sikh and in relation to Guru Gobind Singh Ji the Akal Takht Jathedars at best (at the highest level) can only be considered the servants of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. So how can the Jathedars accept this apology on behalf of the Tenth Master!! By pulling this stunt Ram Rahim seems to be mocking at the Sikhs again.

For now, he should save his apology to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and offer that to Guru Gobind Singh Ji when he faces him in the world beyond.

If he is willing to offer apology now, he should offer it to the Sikhs.

.

[Harmeet_Singh]

A religious sect in the Indian state of Punjab has apologised after its leader was accused of blasphemy against Sikhs.

The leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) appeared in an advert dressed like Guru Gobind Singh, one of the Sikh religion's most revered figures.

The sect has now apologised to the Guru Gobind Singh directly.

The incident led to clashes earlier in May, and a general strike between Sikhs and members of the sect in which at least one person died.

A deadline set by Sikh leaders for DSS sites to be shut has passed with no reports of violence.

The sect claims it has 20 million members worldwide and says it is not a religion but a humanitarian organisation caring for its devotees.

Polarisation

Analysts say the DSS action has to be seen in the context of state elections held in Punjab in February.

Then the sect leader issued a public appeal for people to vote for the Congress party.

Religious sects have traditionally been subtle about their support for political parties - they have usually issued internal appeals asking their followers to vote for the political party of their choice.

Most Sikhs in Punjab support the state's governing party, Akali Dal.

Some analysts say Sikh leaders, angry at the direct intervention by the DSS in the elections, seized the opportunity to whip up popular sentiments of their community against the sect.

Although peace has prevailed in the state for the last decade or so, in the 1980s and the 1990s, Punjab was the site of a violent insurgency by Sikhs who desired an independent homeland.

In 1984 Indian security forces killed many Sikh militants after they seized the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Sikh religion's most important site.

In revenge, Indira Gandhi, the then-prime minister, was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards.