Dera vu

Last weeks violence was yet another instance of trouble in Punjab over a dera and its alleged anti-Sikh teachings.

Last weeks violence was yet another instance of trouble in Punjab over a dera and its alleged anti-Sikh teachings. While the state seems to be moving towards normalcy,the matter has seen Congress and Akali Dal leaders clash in both the state Assembly and Lok Sabha. VIPIN PUBBY looks at the Divya Jyoti Jagran Sansthan and the politics behind Punjabs latest dera row:

The incident

Sikh radicals clashed with police in Ludhiana on Saturday against the permission given to self-styled godman Ashutosh Maharaj,head of the Divya Jyoti Jagran Sansthan,to hold a congregation in the city. While Ashutosh Maharaj has a significant following in the region,Sikh radicals and even some moderates consider him anti-Sikh for proclaiming himself a living guru a concept opposed by the Sikhs.

The godman first made headlines during the days of militancy,and several attempts were made on his life during the period. So despite having a huge ashram near Jalandhar,he has largely kept away from the state,particularly public functions,in view of the security threats. It was the first time his followers had organised a massive two-day congregation in Ludhiana.

The dera

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The Divya Jyoti Jagran Sansthan may not have as huge a following as Dera Sacha Sauda or the Nirankari sect,but it is counted among the top dozen such deras in the state. A section of the Sikhs oppose these deras for weaning away Sikhs from the basic tenets of their religion. Most of these deras also believe in a living god,a concept alien to the Sikhs who consider the Guru Granth Sahab to be the embodiment of the Almighty. These deras also preach from the Guru Granth Sahab and some place a copy of the holy book in their congregations besides holy books from other religions. They have followers from various communities and religions,including the Sikhs.

The numbers

There is no exact count of the deras in Punjab,but the number could run into hundreds with at least a dozen having a following of one lakh devotees or more. Some of the deras are spread over only a few cluster of villages. Each dera is headed by a guru.

The role of parties

The clash between the Sikh radicals and police in Ludhiana came just a day after the violence involving migrants in the city. Despite this,and despite previous warnings by Sikh radicals that they would not allow the Divya Jyoti Jagran Sansthan to hold the congregation,the police had taken few precautions. The local administration,in fact,initially feigned ignorance about the congregation. According to sources,an MLA of the BJP,an ally of the ruling coalition in the state,organised the congregation,while members of the ruling Badal family have been known to meet Ashutosh Maharaj.

Although a section of the Sikh clergy has been trying to sort out issues with the dera,an undercurrent of tension remains among radical Sikh groups. The Akali Dal,which also controls the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee,has done little to evolve a consensus on the issue or to take anticipatory steps to defuse the tension.