Akal Takht rejects dera Sacha Sauda apology for second time

AMRITSAR: The Sikh high priests on Wednesday rejected the second "apology" submitted by dera Sacha Sauda and announced to hold a Sikh conclave in Ratia town in Haryana to press for arrest of the dera head Baba Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.

The Sikh clergy which held its meeting at Akal Takht in Amritsar for more than six hours expressed shock over arrogant behaviour of dera head and said that dera authorities have issued a "press note" instead giving proper apology. The Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti in a written statement said that dera head had not expressed any remorse for the sin he had committed and neither gave an assurance not to repeat the same in future.

Paramjit Singh Sarna president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has claimed to have mediated to bring the fresh apology from dera. He also faced wrath of Khalsa Action Committee for allegedly hobnobbing with dera Sacha Sauda. The action committee has summoned a meeting on June 29 to consider action against Sarna.

The Sikh clergy had on May 29 last rejected an earlier apology of dera seeking pardon from Guru Gobind Singh. The fresh "apology letter' issued by dera Sacha Sauda has been amended to seek an apology from Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh community. The letter didn't carry the signatures of dera chief.

The large number of hardliner Sikhs were present outside the Akal Takht who demanded nothing less than arrest of dera head who has been accused of blasphemy.

Vedanti blamed Haryana government for not taking any action against dera head and instead giving him z plus security. He said that Sikhs would hold a conclave at Ratia on July 11 to pressurise Haryana government to take action against dera chief.

He called upon the Sikhs to continue to bouycott the dera chief and his followers. He said that to evolve a broad consensus on the issue, the views of Sikhs living in Indian and abroad would be taken.

The confrontation between dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh community had started on May 13 last when dera head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh appeared in newspaper advertisements attired in dress alike of Guru Gobind Singh. The dera had organised a congregation on May 14 at dera Salabatpur in Bathinda district to 'baptise' dera followers on the pattern of Guru Gobind Singh had done on April 13,11699 to lay foundation of Khalsa panth. This  led to clash between Sikhs and dera followers.

A Bathinda court on June 20 last had issued arrest warrants of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in a case registered against him for hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs. The arrest warrants are valid till July 1. As per the condition of the court, the Punjab police has sought state government's permission to arrest dera head. It is expected that state government would grant the permission and onus of arresting dera head would be shifted on Congress Government in Haryana.