Clash between Sikhs, dera followers averted
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, February 15
Timely intervention by the district administration averted a clash between Dera Sacha Sauda followers and Sikhs at Shah Satnam Chowk (Danewala Chowk) on the outskirt of Malout yesterday evening.
Tension gripped the town when Dera Sacha Sauda followers objected to a religious programme of Sikhs, led by Baljeet Singh Daduwal, scheduled for late evening at Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib in Danewala village .
Hundreds of dera followers assembled at the chowk located on National Highway-10 and started raising slogans against Baljeet Singh Daduwal, as they did not want him to join the congregation.
They were accusing Daduwal of hurting their religious sentiments by uttering unpleasant words for their sect. Furious at dera followers, Sikhs also started expressing their annoyance.
To douse the tension, various senior police and civil officials, including the DIG, Ferozepur range, the Muktsar SSP, the Malout DSP , Gidderbaha DSP, Muktsar DC and the Malout SDM, reached the spot.
Besides deploying a large number of police men, senior police officials kept on negotiating with the dera followers, who were threatening to call thousands of their fellows, if Baljeet Singh Daduwal took part in the congregation.
After hours-long efforts, the administration took the dera followers into confidence saying there would be no utterance against their sect and Daduwal would not come. Only then did they leave the spot.
However, Daduwal, who was firm on attending the event, reportedly got nod from the district administration and reached the gurdwara late at night and attended the congregation, which concluded around 1.30 am in the morning.
Muktsar DC Varun Roojam said, “Tension erupted among Sikhs and dera followers, but everything passed off peacefully.”
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥