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Journalism of Courage
The violence over an advertisement reportedly showing Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh dressed in robes and distributing amrit nectar like the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, rocked Punjab for the third day today, with tension gripping Patiala.
A day before the Talwandi Sabo congregation, Takht Damdama Sahib chief Balwant Singh Nandgarh asked Sikhs to get ready for sacrifices. 8220;Time has come to follow the footsteps of the Sikh Gurus and sacrifice our lives to maintain the dignity of the religion,8221; Nandgarh said, addressing a gathering at a Bathinda gurdwara today.
Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma was present at the gathering. 8220;I will be the first to sacrifice my life for religion,8221; added Nandgarh.
Sikh religious heads also ridiculed the Dera Sacha Sauda chief8217;s claim that he wore whatever his followers gave him, in defence of charges that he had tried to imitate Guru Gobind Singh. 8220;This is a white lie. He has to accept that he tried to imitate Guru Gobind Singh. He did everything to liken himself to the Guru,8221; SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar told The Indian Express.
With the vital support lent by the dera to it during the recent Assembly elections on its mind, the Congress again tried to win a clean chit for the sect. A Congress MLA said: 8220;There is no concrete evidence on the dressing style of Guru Gobind Singh. Many nihangs too wear such dresses. The matter should have been solved through dialogue. And if sentiments of Sikhs are hurt, I think the dera chief can ease the situation by tendering an apology.8221;
Congress Legislature Party chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal also appealed for calm now that the dera chief had made it clear that he had not imitated any Sikh guru. 8220;There is no parallel of Guru Gobind Singh, nor could there be any,8221; Bhattal said.
Patiala saw the worst of today8217;s violence, with a peaceful protest march by the Sikhs turning violent as it entered the Old Walled City after some dera supporters pelted the procession with stones from a rooftop. The protesters went on the rampage, damaging vehicles and shops.
