[Onthebarricades] INDIA: Sikh protests
Andy
ldxar1 at tesco.net
Wed Aug 27 07:41:15 PDT 2008
ON THE BARRICADES - Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/
Indian Sikhs have carried out a campaign of road and rail blockades,
sometimes involving clashes with police, in a wave of protests over killings
of protesters by bodyguards of a religious sect. Starting in the Punjab,
the protests spread to major cities such as Mumbai and Bangalore. The
campaign was suspended after the state took action against the sect.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Sikh_mobs_run_riot_in_Mumbai_/rssarticleshow/3152760.cms
Sikh mobs run riot in Mumbai
22 Jun 2008, 0312 hrs IST,TNN
Sikh activists attack a BEST bus at Mulund. (PTI Photo)
More Pictures
MUMBAI/CHANDIGARH: Outraged over the shooting of a Sikh protester, allegedly
by a bodyguard of Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh,
riotous Sikh mobs blocked commuter trains and arterial roads and clashed
with police in Mumbai while others in Punjab disrupted traffic and train
movement.
For hours, Sikh mobs, many with men armed with wooden staffs and waving
swords, attacked vehicles and trains and squatted on railway tracks in
Mumbai's north eastern suburbs around Mulund. There was no official word on
injuries but police said two cops were injured when they tried to prevent
mobs from attacking cars. Police used tear gas and canes to disperse the
mobs.
A train from Mumbai was stopped near Phagwara and Sikhs armed with swords
swarmed several highways.
The Dera chief was shopping in Mulund on Friday when he was confronted by
Sikh protesters. His bodyguards allegedly fired, killing a protester. On
Saturday, three guards were arrested and remanded in custody until July 2.
Police said at least 30 people were arrested during the protests on
Saturday.
For most part, the police were mute spectators as they had been told to
handle the protesters with kid-gloves, lest the agitation spread to other
parts of the state. There are big plans to celebrate the tercentenary of the
Sikh faith at Nanded in Maharashtra in October this year.
With a little foresight, police could have prevented the fracas, which led
to the firing on Friday. They failed to make adequate security preparations
when Ram Rahim visited Mulund's Nirmal Lifestyle mall at 5pm along with 60
men, most of them bodyguards. He has been given Z-plus security by Haryana
government and has private bodyguards as well.
Trouble began when the bodyguards started frisking all Sikhs visiting the
mall. There are 5,000 prosperous Sikh families in Mulund and soon two dozen
Sikhs started shouting anti-Dera slogan at the gate.
At 6.30pm, when the Dera chief was leaving, Mulund Sikhs were mobilizing
more support. Ram Rahim's bodyguards sensed danger when they saw an Indigo
car laden with Sikhs coming towards them near the gate and opened fire,
killing Balkar Singh (50), a small-time transporter from Mulund.
Then Ram Rahim drove off to the Dera base at Khalapur in Raigad, 60 km from
the city and late at night went to Pune in a convoy of 60 cars and took a
flight to Delhi.
By then, hundreds of Sikh protesters had already started blocking roads out
of Mulund. On Saturday morning, the community, including women, took to the
streets, some brandishing swords. They were demanding that Ram Rahim be
arrested and his Khalapur base be closed. The agitation petered out by 5 pm.
Police, meanwhile, arrested three private bodyguards on charges of murder,
attempt to murder and unlawful assembly. They have been remanded to police
custody till July 2. Eleven more Dera men were arrested from Khalapur and
Pune in this connection. Police also arrested 30 Sikh protesters on Saturday
afternoon on charges of rioting.
Later in the evening, deputy chief minister R R Patil met Sikh
representatives and assured them the culprits would be booked. However, he
was non-committal about Ram Rahim's arrest, the demand to ban him from
entering the state and the closure of his Khalapur base.
Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh appealed for calm and announced a
compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the family of the deceased. The Shiromani
Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. The
funeral of Balkar Singh will be held at 4pm on Monday after his relatives
arrive from Punjab.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Sikh_protesters_block_trains_in_Punjab/rssarticleshow/3162411.cms
Sikh protesters block trains in Punjab
25 Jun 2008, 0959 hrs IST,TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Sikh protesters block railway track in Amritsar. (Reuters Photo)
More Pictures
NEW DELHI: Demanding the immediate arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmit
Ram Rahim Singh, Sikh protesters blocked seven trains in Punjab on
Wednesday.
The Amritsar Shatabdi and the Sachkhand Express was stopped at the Amritsar
Railway Station. According to reports, around 150 protesters have blocked
the Amritsar-Jalandhar rail line near Walla village.
Sikhs also held demonstrations in Haryana demanding action against the Dera
chief.
The killing of a Sikh allegedly by the Dera chief's security guard in Mulund
sparked major protests by the community in Mumbai. The protests have since
spilled over to Punjab, Haryana and Jammu.
Though the situation has largely been peaceful, Sikhs have staged
large-scale demonstrations in several parts of the country since then.
Protesters have repeatedly warned that things will get out of control if no
action is taken against the Dera chief.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/26/stories/2008062655581300.htm
Sikh protesters disrupt train services
Five long distance passenger trains, two goods trains halted at various
places
Sikhs block railway tracks during a protest against Dera Sacha Sauda leader
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Amritsar on Wednesday.
Chandigarh: The day-long rail blockade organised by different Sikh groups to
protest against the Mumbai firing incident passed off peacefully on
Wednesday even as many passengers suffered after being stranded following
cancellation and termination of various trains.
A railway spokesman said 14 long distance trains bound for different
destinations, including Mumbai, Dadar, Nanded, Barauni, Katihar and Saharsa
and a number of local passenger trains were cancelled and some trains were
terminated at Ambala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Beas.
Five long distance passenger trains and two goods trains were halted midway
due to the protests at various places - Amritsar, Madhopur (Sirhind),
Malout, Abohar, Moga, Sangrur, Mullanpur (Ludhiana) and Rajpura. The
services were, however, restored in the evening.
Pilgrims going to Vaishnodevi and Amarnath on board the Jabalpur-Jammu Tawi
Express were stranded at the Chaheru railway station, about seven km from
Phagwara.
The call for the rail roko was given by different Sikh groups, including the
radical Damdami Taksal, which demanded the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, whose bodyguard had allegedly shot dead a Sikh in
Mumbai last week.
At most places the protesters left at around 3 p.m., but around 400 Sikhs
led by chief of Damdami Taksal Baba Harnam Singh Dhuma and SAD (Amritsar)
president Daljit Singh Bittu among others ended their sit-in on the tracks
at Madhopur village near Sirhind late this evening. They ended the protest
by performing 'ardas' (prayers).
The cancelled trains included Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath, Amritsar-New
Delhi Shatabdi, Amritsar-Nanded Sahab Sachkhand Express, Amritsar-New Delhi
Superfast, Ganga Nagar Haridwar Express, Amritsar-Katihar Amrapali Express,
Amritsar Katihar Jan Sewa Express, Amritsar-Haridwar Jan Shatabdi Express,
the Amritsar-Barauni Express, Amritsar-Mumbai Paschim Express,
Amritsar-Dadar Express, Saryu Jammu Express, Amritsar Tata Nagar Express and
Jammu Tawi-Guwahati Lohit Express.
The New Delhi Amritsar-Shatabdi, New Delhi Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab, Howrah
Express, Jallianwala Bagh Express, Chhattisgarh Express and Mumbai-Amritsar
Frontier Mail were terminated short of their destinations at Ambala,
Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Beas, the spokesman said.
Road traffic was also blocked for some time on the Jalandhar-Amritsar
national highway at Dhilwan near Kapurthala when more than 100 Sikhs staged
a protest for nearly half-an-hour. -PTI
Centre's advisory
PTI reports from New Delhi:
The Centre has issued an advisory to all States to take precautionary
measures following protests by Sikhs in the wake of alleged firing by
bodyguards of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Mumbai last
week.
The Union Home Ministry also asked the Haryana government as to why the
personal security guards were given all India arms licences despite the Dera
chief enjoying Z-plus security cover, official sources said here.
In the advisory, the government asked the States to keep strict vigil in the
Sikh dominated areas, particularly in Delhi, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir,
West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, the sources said.
The Centre is particularly worried that the agitation may spill over to
other States as protests in Punjab on Wednesday completely disrupted train
services there.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/punjab-derailed-protestors-cut-off-rail-access-to-state/67778-3.html?xml
Punjab derailed: Protestors cut off rail access to state
Press Trust Of India
Published on Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 00:57 in Nation section
Tags: Sikh Protests, Dera Sacha Sauda , Chandigarh
PUNJAB ON THE EDGE: Angry Sikhs demanded the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda
chief Gurmeet Singh.
Chandigarh: Rail services on Wednesday were suspended in Punjab with five
long distance passenger and two goods trains being stopped midway to their
destinations as Sikhs protesting the Mumbai firing incident blocked rail
tracks.
The Railways said that at least 14 trains were cancelled in view of the
protests and others were terminated before their final destinations.
Hundreds of pilgrims on way to Vaishnodevi and Amarnath shrines in Jammu and
Kashmir were also left stranded after a train from Jabalpur to Jammu-Tawi
was stopped at Chaheru in Phagwara.
The two goods trains were stopped at Amritsar and Madhopur near Sirhind.
The rail blockade call was given by radical Sikh groups, including the
Damdami Taksal, and the SAD (Amritsar) to demand the arrest of Dera Sacha
Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for the death of a community member who
was allegedly shot by his bodyguard in Mumbai last week.
Protesters squatted on the track at several places, including Amritsar,
Madhopur (Sirhind), Malout, Abohar, Moga, Sangrur, Mullanpur (Ludhiana) and
Rajpura.
At Madhopur, around 400 Sikhs led by Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh,
SAD (Amritsar) president Daljit Singh Bittu sat on the tracks between Delhi,
Amritsar and Jammu, disrupting the movement of trains.
In Amritsar, a large number of youths of the Taksal carried swords in their
hands and portraits of Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and blocked
rail tracks at different railway crossings.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/327494.html
Sikh groups hold protests across Punjab
Express News Service
Posted online: Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 2258 hrs
Several passenger, long-distance trains cancelled, some trains from
Amritsar, Pathankot , Jammu Tawi rescheduled
Chandigarh/Amritsar, June 25: Rail and road traffic across Punjab and
Haryana were disrupted on Wednesday with Sikh groups blocking roads and
railway tracks to protest against the recent killing of a Sikh in Mumbai by
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Singh Ram Rahim's security guard.
About 50 Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) activists led by party district
president Anup Singh put up a roadblock on GT Road near Samrala Chowk
disrupting traffic movement to Jalandhar and Chandigarh. The protestors also
squatted on the rail tracks at Mullanpur on the Ludhiana-Ferozepore section.
Several passenger and long distance trains were cancelled and a few trains
from Amritsar, Pathankot and Jammu Tawi rescheduled, Railway officials said.
Hundreds of pilgrims on way to Vaishno Devi and Amarnath shrines in Jammu
and Kashmir were stranded when a train from Jabalpur to Jammu-Tawi was
stopped at Chaheru in Phagwara.
Radical Sikh groups, including the Damdami Taksal, and the SAD (Amritsar),
had called for a "rail roko" demanding the arrest of the Dera chief.
"The situation is tense. The cancellation of trains has affected people like
us very badly. I have no option but to take a bus to Ahmedabad. The journey
by road not only takes more time but is very uncomfortable," said Amarjit
Singh, a passenger.
Shalini, an engineering aspirant, said she was supposed to reach Delhi for
her counselling but had to postpone her journey as the Shatabdi Express was
cancelled. "I have no idea when I would be able to get my next appointment.
The counselling meant a lot to me," she said.
Jalandhar Railway Station Superintendent Ashok Kumar said "We are refunding
the money to passengers for those trains that have been cancelled due to the
protests."
Protestors also stopped the Delhi-Lahore "Sada-e-Sarhad" bus at Beas, about
45 km from Amritsar. However, after a five-hour delay, it was allowed to
carry on with its journey to Pakistan.
Sikhs also held a peaceful protest march at Fatehabad in Haryana demanding
action against the Dera chief. However, the situation at Sirsa, where the
Dera headquarters is located, remained peaceful with Haryana Police
intensifying security arrangements.
The Gurdwara Singh Sabha of Fatehabad submitted a memorandum to the deputy
commissioner, demanding action against the Dera chief.
Hissar Commissioner of Police P C Bidhan and IGP A K Dhull jointly addressed
a meeting of BSF and RAF companies deployed at Sirsa. Later, they appealed
to the Sikhs and Dera followers to maintain peace and communal amity in the
district.
Dhull said the entire district has been divided in 11 zones and 2 duty
magistrates have been appointed head of the local peace committee. The peace
committee was constituted after the Dera-Sikh strife in May last year.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/22sikh.htm
Sikh protests fan out; Dera chief taken to undisclosed destination
June 22, 2008 21:29 IST
The police on Sunday shifted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to an undisclosed
destination for "security reasons" amid continued protests over the gunning
down of a Sikh demonstrator in Mumbai while radical groups demanded the Dera
Sacha Sauda chief's immediate arrest.
As protests by Sikh groups spilled over into Bangalore, Mysore and Jammu
besides several towns of Punjab and Haryana, SGPC president Avtar Singh
Makkar appealed to them to "maintain calm and not to allow themselves to be
provoked".
He said the protests should be within the "parameters of the law" and
announced Rs 5 lakh to dependents of Balkar Singh Thakur, 40, who was killed
when Ram Rahim Singh's security guards allegedly opened fire on Sikh
demonstrators near a mall in suburban Mulund on Friday.
The head of the Sirsa-based sect was whisked away by the police to an
undisclosed place on Sunday morning after he reached Mysore from Bangalore.
The controversial spiritual leader arrived in his bullet -proof car and
headed straight to the sect's Prathana Mandir at Siddalingapara on the
city's outskirts, but police shifted
him from there apprehending a threat to his life as his presence had
triggered protests by local Sikh groups.
Swords and daggers drawn, members of the community also blocked traffic on
Jammu-Pathankote national highway and burnt the Dera chief in effigy in
Sirsa, Moga and Sangrur though the protests remained by and large peaceful,
police reports said.
Radical groups Damdami Taksal and Sant Samaj demanded that Ram Rahim Singh
be arrested by Tuesday after which they would call a rail and road blockade.
They also asked the Centre to withdraw Z-plus security cover to the Dera.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062358840300.htm
Sikhs stage protest
Staff Reporter
- Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P
IN PROTEST: Members of Sikh community setting on fire an effigy of Dera
Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Bangalore on Sunday.
BANGALORE: Members of the Sikh community in Bangalore staged a protest in
front of the Gurudwara in Ulsoor on Sunday against the alleged killing of a
Sikh in Mumbai by the bodyguard of Dera chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh
recently. They were seeking the arrest of Ram Rahim Singh in connection with
the killing in Mumbai.
"We want the Government to register a case against him (Ram Rahim Singh) and
seize his property. He has hurt the sentiments of the people in our
community and should be banned entry into Karnataka," said Harminder Singh,
member of the Gurudwara Committee.
Describing the act of killing the Sikh in Mumbai as shameful, the Sikhs also
questioned the need for providing security to Ram Rahim Singh. "He has
maintained his own security guards," said the agitating Sikhs. "The
Government should take action against the Dera chief, as he continues to be
a threat to national security," they said.
The protesters also said that the Sikh community was a peaceful one and it
was not against followers of any religion. However, they maintained that Ram
Rahim Singh should not insult any religion by adding God's name to his own.
Later, they met Governor Rameshwar Thakur and submitted a memorandum to him
in this connection.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062355261300.htm
Sikh protests spread to Bangalore and Jammu
- Photo: A.M.Faruqui
ANGER SPREADS: Sikh protesters waving swords during a demonstration
demanding the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim Singh, in Bhopal on
Sunday.
Mumbai/Mysore: Police on Sunday shifted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram
Rahim Singh to an undisclosed destination for "security reasons" amid
continued protests over the gunning down of a Sikh demonstrator in Mumbai.
Radical groups demanded the Dera chief's immediate arrest.
As protests by Sikh groups spread to Bangalore, Mysore and Jammu, besides
several towns of Punjab and Haryana, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar
appealed to them to "maintain calm and not to allow themselves to be
provoked."
He said the protests should be within the "parameters of the law" and
announced Rs. 5 lakh to dependents of Balkar Singh Thakur, 40, who was
killed when Dera chief's security guards allegedly opened fire on Sikh
demonstrators near a mall in Mumbai suburb Mulund on Friday.
The head of the Sirsa-based sect was whisked away by the police to an
undisclosed place on Sunday morning after he reached Mysore from Bangalore.
He arrived in a bullet-proof car and headed straight to the sect's Prathana
Mandir at Siddalingapara on the city's outskirts, but the police shifted him
from there apprehending a threat to his life as his presence had triggered
protests by local Sikh groups.
Members of the community blocked traffic on the Jammu-Pathankote National
Highway and burnt the Dera chief in effigy in Sirsa, Moga and Sangrur,
though the protests by and large remained peaceful, police reports said.
Radical groups Damdami Taksal and Sant Samaj demanded that the Dera chief be
arrested by Tuesday.
They asked the Centre to withdraw the Z plus security cover provided to the
Dera chief. - PTI
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEH20080621142414&Title=Top+Stories&Topic=0&
Sikhs withdraw agitation as Patil assures probe
Sunday June 22 2008 00:45 IST
MUMBAI: Guru Singh Sabha, a Sikh body heading the protests against the
killing of a community member by Dera Sacha Sauda chief's bodyguard, on
Saturday agreed to withdraw the agitation after Deputy Chief Minister RR
Patil promised a thorough probe into the incident.
A delegation, including former Maharashtra Director General of Police PS
Pasricha and MLC Charansingh Sapra met the deputy chief minister.
Sapra, however, later said the protests would continue in a 'democratic
manner' untill Dera chief Ram Rahim Singh was arrested. "The Sikh community
members would not resort to any kind of violence." Patil later told
reporters that if required, police will summon Ram Rahim Singh for
questioning in the last night's incident at suburban Mulund where one person
was killed. Patil also said the Dera chief had informed the authorities
about his arrival in Mumbai. He also said government will think on whether
security persons from other states should be allowed to operate in the state
in future. "State police are well capable of providing security to any
person," he said. Meanwhile, Sapra appealed to onlookers who had footage of
last night's firing on their mobiles, to come forward and provide evidence
to the authorities.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062359761200.htm
Dera chief taken to undisclosed place as Sikh protests spread
Special Correspondent
- Photo: A.M.Faruqui
SIMMERING ANGER : Sikh protesters waving swords during a demonstration
demanding the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim Singh, in Bhopal on
Sunday.
MYSORE: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was whisked away
to an undisclosed destination by the police under heavy security cover on
Sunday.
Ram Rahim Singh arrived here late on Saturday evening and stayed overnight.
A heavy security cloak was thrown around him following disturbances in
Mumbai and other places during the last few days.
Balkar Singh (40), was killed when the Dera chief's security guards
allegedly opened fire on Sikh demonstrators near a mall in the Mumbai suburb
of Mulund on Friday. Following the death, Sikhs went on the rampage in
Mumbai.
In view of the growing tension, authorities shifted Ram Rahim Singh in a
convoy and put him up in a place they kept secret. The security was so tight
that photographers were prevented from going close to the convoy and a huge
pandal was erected to prevent onlookers from getting a glimpse of the
vehicle in which he was seated.
Ram Rahim Singh has established a camp on the outskirts of Mysore where it
is speculated that a religious structure is likely to be constructed. The
2.5 acres of land has been purchased near Siddalingapura.
Appeal for calm
PTI reports:
As protests by Sikh groups spread to Bangalore, Mysore and Jammu, besides
several towns of Punjab and Haryana, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar
appealed to them to "maintain calm and not to allow themselves to be
provoked." He said the protests should be within the "parametres of the law"
and announced Rs. 5 lakh to dependents of Balkar Singh.
Sikhs blocked traffic on the Jammu-Pathankote National Highway and staged
protests in Sirsa, Moga and Sangrur.
Radical groups Damdami Taksal and Sant Samaj demanded that the Dera chief be
arrested by Tuesday.
They asked the Centre to withdraw the Z plus security cover provided to him.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php?sid=373887
Protest continues against Ram Rahim Singh
ANI Sunday 22nd June, 2008
Amritsar, June 22, : In a series of protest by the various organisations
against the killing of a Sikh in Mumbai by the guards of Baba Gurmeet Ram
Rahim Singh on Friday, Shri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee and members
of the Damdami Taksal took out a protest march in Amritsar today.
The activist staged dharna outside Hall gate.
The activists were shouting slogans against Ram Rahim Singh and also
demanded his arrest without delay.
They also threatened to intensify the agitation if the government fails to
fulfil their demands. By Ravinder Singh Robin
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/sikhs-call-off-protests--cops-lathicharge-sikhs/67501-3.html?xml
Sikhs call off protests | Cops lathicharge Sikhs
CNN-IBN
Published on Sat, Jun 21, 2008 at 10:16, Updated at Sat, Jun 21, 2008 in
Nation section
Mumbai: The Sikhs have called off their violent agitation till Monday over
the killing of a Sikh boy by Dera Sachcha Sauda sect chief Baba Gurmeet Ram
Rahim Singh's bodyguards.
The agitation was called off temporarily after assurances from Maharashtra
Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil that strict action will be taken against
those involved in the incident.
The Maharashtra government also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the
dead boy and Rs 25,000 for those injured during Friday night's clash between
Dera followers and the Sikh community.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal condemned the killings of the Sikh
boy and he said he was in touch with Maharastra government.
"It's a very sad incident and we are in touch with Maharastra government to
defuse the situation. Take action immediately and nab the culprits
immediately. The situation in Punjab will not be allow to go out of
control," Badal said.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Secretary Dilmegh Singh added the
government should take strict action against the Dera chief.
"A case should be filed against him for whatever he has done. We request the
Sikh community to maintain peace and the government should impose
restrictions on him as wherever he goes, he spreads hatred amongst people,"
Singh said.
On Friday night a group of Sikhs had raised anti-Dera slogans at the Nirmal
Lifestyles mall in Mulund during a visit by the sect head. There was a
scuffle between the sect chief's supporters and the Sikh group.
During the altercation, the bodyguards allegedly fired killing a Sikh boy.
Hundreds of Sikhs hit the streets on Saturday protesting the killing.
Violent protestors stormed Mulund Railway Station and brought trains to a
halt.
On the streets, buses were damaged and shops were forced to down shutters.
Over 50 schools affiliated to Sikh organisations were shut down.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php?sid=373631
Violence erupts in Mumbai as Sikhs protest killing by Dera chief's guard
ANI Saturday 21st June, 2008
Mumbai/Chandigarh, June 21 : Violence erupted in Mumbai on Saturday as Sikhs
protest against the alleged killing of a man by the security guards of
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the controversial chief of Dera Sacha Sauda sect.
The protesters gathered in large number and blocked Eastern Express Highway
in western Mumbai.
They disrupted traffic and ransacked many vehicles.
However, the Sikh leaders made it clear that their enemy is not the public
but the chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda.
"We have requested our brethrens to carry out the protests peacefully as
neither public nor the government is our enemy. Our foe is Ram Rahim," said
Sardar Tara Singh, Member of Maharashtra State Assembly and Sikh Leader.
According the officials, the protests were confined to a small area near the
railway station of Mulund.
A large number of Sikhs took to streets in Chandigarh with an effigy and
posters of the Dera chief.
They burnt the effigy and slammed posters with slippers.
Several Sikh organizations have been staging protests in and outside Punjab
against the Dera Chief, demanding his arrest.
An inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php?sid=373626
Mumbai Sikh protests continue, additional forces sent in
IANS Saturday 21st June, 2008
The Mulund area of Mumbai continued to be on the boil Saturday as special
forces were rushed in to quell protests by thousands of Sikhs over the
killing of a community member by the bodyguards of Dera Sacha Sauda chief
Ram Rahim Singh the previous day.
Sikhs blocked railway tracks, damaged a station and observed a shutdown in
parts of Mumbai, vowing to continue carry out protests until the culprits
were brought to book.
The protesting Sikhs had called for a truce following Deputy Chief minister
R.R. Patil's announcement to convene a high-level meeting in the evening to
resolve the issue.
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has also appealed to the Sikh community to
maintain calm and refrain from violence. He has announced an ex-gratia
payment of Rs.200,000 to the family of the victim.
But following an altercation with the police, some Sikhs smashed vehicles
and vandalised public property in Mulund in northeast Mumbai. The elite
Rapid Action Force (RAF) was sent in to assist police to maintain peace.
'We have not called off the agitation. It will continue peacefully on
Gandhian principles. We will wait for the state government's decision this
evening,' Charan Singh Sapra, a Sikh legislator of the Congress party from
Mulund, told IANS.
'We have demanded that Dera chief Ram Rahim Singh and his men be booked by
police. The Sikh community is shocked that despite the murderous attack on
innocent youths, the Dera members managed to evade police action,' Sapra
said.
Ram Rahim Singh was said to be present near the upmarket Nirmal Lifestyle
Mall in Mulund in northeast Mumbai with his bodyguards and supporters when
they clashed with members of the local Sikh community. Malkar Singh, a Sikh,
died in the clash Friday night.
The Sikhs continued their protests overnight, with over 5,000 of them
blocking trains for over two hours Saturday morning and staging a sit-in
protest outside the Mulund police station.
The tension caused a virtual shutdown in Mulund and its neighbouring areas
in north-east Mumbai Saturday. Local Sikh-managed educational institutions
remained closed in protest against the incident.
The shutdown was also observed in Sikh majority pockets in Thane district,
towns like Kalyan and Ulhasnagar, and reports of stray incidents of violence
came in from different parts of the suburb.
Simultaneously, security was beefed up in Sikh-dominated localities of
Mumbai, Thane, and Nanded suburb in north-east Maharashta.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php?sid=373644
Highway blocked in Haryana, protests in Punjab after Mumbai clashes
IANS Saturday 21st June, 2008
Members of the Sikh community Saturday blocked traffic on National Highway
No.10 near Sirsa town in Haryana to protest the killing of a Sikh in Mumbai
in firing by armed security men of Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmit Ram
Rahim Singh.
The protest by the Sikhs was organized in Sirsa, about 300 km from here,
which is close to the headquarters of the Dera sect.
Police reinforcements were rushed to the spot to prevent any clash between
the Sikh community and the sect's followers.
Sources in the Haryana police told IANS that the Dera chief, who is
presently in Maharashtra, has been asked not to come back to his sect
headquarters near Sirsa till the current crisis is over. He is likely to go
to Uttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called up his Maharashtra
counterpart Vilasrao Deshmukh Friday night to demand action against those
who killed the Sikh youth in Mumbai.
Protests were also held by Sikh organizations in various cities across
Punjab. These included Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali, Patiala and
Bathinda.
The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) appealed to the Sikh
community to show restraint even as it demanded action against the sect
chief for instigating Sikhs, its spokesman said in Amritsar.
The Sikh protesters demanded the arrest of the sect chief.
A Sikh activist was killed when security guards accompanying the
controversial Dera chief opened fire on Sikh protesters at a shopping mall
in Mulund area of Mumbai Friday. The sect chief had gone shopping.
The firing took place when Sikhs protested against the Dera chief's presence
and threw stones at him. His security guards fired on the protesters.
The sect chief enjoys Z-plus security cover, mostly from the Haryana police.
He has been in the middle of controversies since May last year when he
dressed himself as 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh during his sect's religious
ceremony. This led to protests from Sikhs and large scale violence by the
community against the sect, particularly in Punjab and Haryana.
Punjab remained on the boil for over two weeks last year as the anti-sect
protests intensified.
The controversial Dera chief is also facing two cases of conspiracy to
murder and one case of rape in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court
in Ambala. He has millions of followers in north India and other parts of
the country.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062359080500.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad
Sikhs hold protest rally
Hyderabad: The Sikh community in the twin cities on Sunday organised a rally
from Ameerpet Gurudwara protesting against the alleged killing of
42-year-old Barkarar Singh Bhatti in Mumbai by the security personnel of
Dera Saccha Sadua chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Punjab_on_the_boil_protesters_block_railway_movement/rssarticleshow/3152775.cms
Punjab on the boil, protesters block railway movement
22 Jun 2008, 0326 hrs IST,TNN
A Sikh brandishes a sword during protests. (Agency Photo)
AMRITSAR: Incensed at the killing of a Sikh by a bodyguard of Dera Sacha
Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Mumbai, community members took to the
streets in Punjab and Haryana and burnt effigies of self-proclaimed godman,
demanding his arrest.
While scores of Sikh organisations called for strict action against Ram
Rahim, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar sent a missive to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, asking him to discuss the issue on a priority basis.
Sources said Makkar will fly to Mumbai and hand over a compensation of Rs 5
lakh to the victim's kin and Rs 1 lakh to those injured in Friday's incident
at a mall in Mulund.
In Phagwara Shiromani Akali Dal Panch Pradhani activists squatted on the
tracks delaying the departure of the Amritsar-Mumbai Paschim Express. Led by
extremist Sikh leader Kulbir Singh Bara Pind, the activists raised anti-Dera
slogans.
The Bathinda-Dhuri Express was also stranded at Rampura Phul railway station
in Bathinda district for over two hours. Carrying unsheathed swords, Sikhs
organised a protest march from Mehna Chowk to the Bathinda bus stand.
Tension prevailed in Sirsa district, the headquarters of the Dera, as
protesters blocked the Delhi-Fazilka highway near Sahuwala village for more
than four hours.
In Amritsar, sword-wielding activists of Shiromani Youth Akali Dal, led by
its district president Gurpartap Singh Tikka, staged demonstrations at Hall
Gate and burnt effigies of the Dera chief. Protesters also blocked traffic
in Sangrur and Jalandhar.
In Chandigarh, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal asked people to
stay calm. ''It is a very tragic and unfortunate incident and the culprits
must be immediately booked,'' the CM said, adding he had discussed the issue
with Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh and asked him to ensure the safety of
Sikhs.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080622/punjab1.htm
Mumsbai killing: Protesters block rail, road traffic
n SGPC announces Rs 5 lakh for family of Balkar n To seek meeting with PM
Tribune Reporters
Amritsar, June 21
A five-member team of the SGPC, headed by its president Avtar Singh, will
leave for Mumbai by air tomorrow to take firsthand information of the
incident in which a Sikh was killed and three were injured in the firing by
a bodyguard of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief yesterday.
The SGPC president has sought time from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to
discuss the incident. He said the team would seek immediate arrest of Dera
chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh apart from imposing a ban on the
activities of the Dera. The SGPC would give Rs 5 lakh to the family of
Balkar Singh who was killed in the firing and bear expenses on the treatment
of the injured.
The SGPC president lashed out at the Congress and the Centre for not
containing the anti-Sikh activities of the Dera.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, while describing the Mumbai
incident "unfortunate", urged the Sikh community to exercise restraint and
help the state in maintaining peace and harmony. He, however, said nobody
would be allowed to take law into his hand.
Activists of various Sikh organisations, including the Khalsa Action
Committee, Akal Purkh Ki Fauj, Sikh Students Federation (Mehta), staged a
protest against the killing of Balkar Singh by a bodyguard of Gurmeet Ram
Rahim Singh.
The children of the slain militants, led by Sandeep Kaur, also held a
protest near the Hall Gate. A few skirmishes were reported in certain areas,
but the situation remained under control. Earlier, the agitators blocked
traffic on the Bandari bridge for half an hour.
HOSHIARPUR: Hundreds of activists of various Sikh organisations, led by
former president of the Dal Khalsa Harcharanjit Singh Dhami, district
president of the All-India Sikh Students Federation (Peer Mohamad) Kirpal
Singh Ahluwalia, senior vice-president of the SAD (Amritsar) Lakhwinder
Singh, staged a dharna and blocked traffic at the Prabhat chowk here for
more than an hour.
The leaders demanded immediate arrest of the culprits responsible for the
killing of a Sikh in Mumbai, registration of cases of rape and murder
against Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and his immediate arrest.
They submitted a memorandum to SDM Karnail Singh.
PHAGWARA: Activists of the SAD (Amritsar Panj Pardhani), led by its leaders
Kulbir Singh Barapind and Manjit Singh Khalsa, stopped the Amritsar-bound
Paschim Express at the local railway station for at least 10 minutes. Later,
they submitted a memorandum to the SDM demanding the immediate arrest of the
Dera chief.
SANGRUR: Sikh organisations and saints staged a dharna and blocked traffic
at the traffic lights chowk, near main bus stand here. Prominent Sikh saints
and leaders, including Baba Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, Baba Buta Singh
Gurthli Wale, SGPC member Nirmal Singh Gharachon, president of the Panthic
Vichar Manch Parshotam Singh Phaguwala and joint secretary of the SAD (Panch
Pardhani) Babu Singh Kahangarh, participated in the agitation. The
protesters demanded the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief. They submitted a
memorandum to naib tehsildar Nirmal Singh at the dharna site.
Sant Samaj threatens rail roko
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, June 21
Echoing the demand of Sikh community of Mumbai, the Sant Samaj, a
conglomerate of several Sikh organisations, here issued a three-day
ultimatum to the Centre and Maharashtra government to arrest Dera Sacha
Sauda chief Grumeet Ram Rahim Singh.
President of the Sant Samaj Harnam Singh Khalsa, also chief of the Damdami
Taksal, said if the Centre and Maharashtra government failed to arrest the
Dera chief within three days, a rail roko would be observed on Wednesday
between Amritsar and Delhi from 8 am to 7 pm.
Khalsa said the Dera chief should be arrested for murders of Balkar Singh in
Mumbai yesterday and Karamjit Singh in Sunam last year. He appealed to the
Sikh community of Mumbai to maintain peace.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1173129
Kolkata Sikhs protest Mumbai murder
DNA Correspondent
Monday, June 23, 2008 23:43 IST
KOLKATA: The ripples of the recent murder of S Balkar Singh in Mumbai have
now reached Kolkata, but minus the street fights.
On Monday, thousands of Sikhs in the city participated in a silent protest
march condemning the murder of Balkar Singh.
The march was organised by the West Bengal unit of the Central Gurudwara
Committee. Committee convener Satnam Singh said that Monday was also
observed as "Black Day".
The protest march of 500 Sikhs that started at 10.30 am, ended at Raj Bhavan
where committee representatives handed over a memorandum to the Bengal
governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi. A similar memorandum was also given to chief
minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
The committee demanded a ban on activities of the Dera Sacha Sauda in the
state and alleged Singh was killed by henchmen of Sauda chief, Gurmit Ram
Rahim Singh.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/27_held_in_Mumbai_for_protests_against_Dera_chief/rssarticleshow/3154805.cms
27 held in Mumbai for protests against Dera chief
23 Jun 2008, 0250 hrs IST,TNN
MUMBAI: Twenty-seven people have been arrested for rioting, a day after a
mob went on a rampage in Mumbai, stopping road and rail traffic and shutting
down shops to protest shooting of a Sikh protester allegedly by a bodyguard
of Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
A holiday court at Bhoiwada on Sunday remanded them in police custody till
June 24. According to police, the accused are residents of suburbs like
Andheri (E), Chembur and Sion. They had arrived in cars and bikes to Mulund
on Saturday to stage protests.
All those arrested belong to the Sikh community, which was enraged over
Friday night's incident where one of their members, protesting againstthe
Dera chief, was shot dead by his bodyguard.
"We have recovered three swords and some bikes which were used by the
protesters. More arrests are likely," said ACP Prakash Wani. Four separate
cases of rioting, destruction of public property and obstruction to traffic
have been registered at the Navghar and Mulund police stations and the Kurla
railway police station.
Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Avtar Singh Makkar, who
arrived in Mumbai leading a four-member delegation from Punjab to probe the
protester's death, appealed to the Sikh community in Mumbai not take law
into their hands. "Sikhism promotes for peace and love among all human
beings. We urge our community members to restrain from all forms of
violence," Makkar said.
"We plan to meet the victims and eyewitnesses who were present during the
incident and find out the truth. It is unfortunate that one of our members
were killed during a peaceful protest," the SGPC chief said.There are around
2 lakh Sikhs in Mumbai and a large majority of them live in Sion-Koliwada
area.
In a separate case, an unidentified Sikh youth was booked for attacking a
biker near the Airoli flyover bridge on Friday night. The complainant, Vijay
Rao (42), was driving towards Mulund, where he lives, when he encountered a
traffic jam on the Airoli bridge.
While he was waiting on his bike, the attacker came from behind and hit him
on the head with a sword around 11.40 pm. Rao was rushed to the Veer
Savarkar hospital and later to a private hospital after his blood pressure
shot up. Police officials are still probing if the assault is linked with
the Dera agitation.
Besides the three bodyguards of the Dera chief, the crime branch has also
arrested 11 more Dera men from Khalapur and Pune. "They have been booked on
murder, attempt to murder and rioting charges. We are yet to decide whether
to apply any charges on the Dera chief," additional commissioner Deven
Bharti said.
Mumbai police commissioner Hasan Gafoor tried to downplay Sikhs using
kirpans for threatening people. "The kirpan is part of their religious
faith," he said. He also denied that the police were soft on the protesters.
"The trouble was confined to one area. We succeeded in ensuring that it did
not spread to other areas," he added.
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=450194&sid=nat
Mulund firing: Sikhs call off agitation till Monday
Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai, June 21: The Sikh community members called off their agitation
temporarily till Monday after the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R
Patil assured them of taking actions against the accused.
Earlier in the day, three persons were arrested in connection with the
firing by a bodyguard of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim Singh outside a
suburban mall here, which left one person dead. A court here on Saturday
remanded the three persons who were arrested in connection with firing by
bodyguards of Dera Sachha Sauda's chief to police custody till July 2.
The accused, namely Jaidev Singh, Satnam Aroda and Rajguru Taneja, are
suspected to have opened fire, and have been charged with murder as well as
offences under arms act.
All of them belong to Ram Rahim Singh's staff.
Earlier in the day, the Sikh protestors blocked roads near Mulund police
station and clashed with police on Saturday, demanding the arrest of Dera
Sacha Sauda chief Guru Ram Rahim Singh. They refused to cremate the deceased
until the Dera chief is arrested. The protestors attacked buses and forced
shopkeepers to shut down their shops. The Mumbai-Nashik highway was also
blocked by the protestors.
The Sikh protestors staged a rail blockade at suburban Mulund station to
protest against the killing of a community member. The blockade disrupted
rail traffic in the area for nearly an hour after which police managed to
drive the protestors off the tracks, central railway sources said.
In Haryana, 500 Sikh protestors blocked the NH-10 in Sirsa, Haryana near
Dera Sacha Sauda headquarter. The protestors were demanding action against
those responsible for firing. Almost 50 schools affiliated to Sikh
organisations were also shut down. Anti-Dera protests also spread to Jammu.
A group of Sikhs had raised anti-Dera slogans inside the Nirmal Lifestyles
Mall in suburban Mulund during a visit by the Dera head to the place last
evening, which led to an altercation between Singh's supporters and the Sikh
group, that later turned violent.
Asked if any action would be taken against the sect head, the officer said
it will depend only upon the progress made during investigations and on the
statements of arrested people as well as the witnesses.
A case of murder, attempt to murder and unlawful assembly under the
provisions of arms act has been registered in connection with the incident,
which left one dead and two others injured.
The police officer said the entire probe into the case has been now handed
over to the city police's crime branch for investigation.
The body of the deceased, Balkar Singh Thakur Singh has been, meanwhile,
sent for postmortem and security has been beefed up across the city.
Security has been stepped up at the mall, the Mulund police station and
other spots in the vicinity.
The Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, and the eastern express highway, both
important arterial roads, were blocked by protestors from the Sikh community
till 02:30 hours this morning but traffic has been moving smoothly since
daybreak.
Ram Rahim Singh left Khopoli last night itself and is reported to have
reached Pune airport from where he will take a flight for a north Indian
destination, police sources said.
"A mob of over hundered persons were stopped on their way to Khopoli at
Airoli junction on the eastern express highway resulting in a traffic
blockade. We had reports that the mob was on its way to take action
....Against Singh and his followers, who were held near Khopoli," the
officer added.
Sikhs have been enraged at Singh after he was seen at a public function
dressed as Sikh Guru Gobind Singh in Haryana's Sirsa where a religious
commune started by him is located.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/24/stories/2008072458160100.htm
Sikhs protest in Punjab, Haryana
PTI
SIRSA: Sikh activists, under the banner of Sant Samaj, protested here and
other parts of Haryana as well as Punjab on Wednesday demanding the arrest
of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
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