JhoothaSauda.com – The Real face of Dera Sacha Sauda

CHANDIGARH: Octogenarian Akali leader and chief minister Parkash Singh Badal drew lessons from experiences of political opponents Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi while dealing with Dera Sacha Sauda crisis.
All of them put their foot in the mouth at different times— Nehru during the Chinese incursion, Shastri in Tashkent deal, Indira Gandhi during the Emergency and Rajiv Gandhi during the Indian operation in Sri Lanka.
Badal feels silence, as he maintained during the Dera Sacha Sauda crisis, could have been the best answer to the sectarian problem.
Justifying his silence throughout the Dera-Sikh row and his tight-lipped approach to the conflict, Badal, for the first time on Wednesday, opened his heart on why he did not comment on the Dera Sacha Sauda or the Akal Takht even when he could have done so.
In an informal chat with mediapersons, Badal said that he did not want to make any statement which could have stoked the fire during the Dera-Sikh conflict. » Read the rest of this entry «

Here are the two different news from two different sources. The later is a brief news but this news has some details about the clash but the headline of this news is a bit misguiding. So the question is still the same, Are we extremists?

Cheema Mandi (Sunam), June 13: It remained a highly volatile day in Cheema Mandi village, few kms from Sunam, as a mob of Sikhs went on a rampage after a scuffle between two dera followers and a Sikh, who was injured.Heavy police force and a platoon of BSF had to be deployed in the village, as the mob of Sikhs set ablaze two kiosks of dera followers and a motorcycle. They also damaged few other kiosks before the BSF and a posse of Punjab Police reached to control the situation.
Even as Dera Sacha Sauda and the Akal Takht are no more fanning the controversial issue, on ground level, skirmishes between dera followers and Sikhs are becoming order of the day. As per information collected by The Indian Express, a dispute started between a Sikh, Gurjant Singh, and two dera followers, Piara Singh and Bikar Singh, today around 9 am in Cheema Mandi village.

Gurjant, who sustained injuries, alleged that his beard was also pulled by the duo. Piara, it was learnt, had returned to Sikhism a few days back in a baptising ceremony held in the village gurdwara.

Piara was given a siropa during the ceremony. When Gurjant visited his shop in the morning, Piara and Bikar were talking about some dera satsang, it was learnt. On this, Gurjant asked Piara to justify the rationale of accepting the siropa if he was still interested in dera satsang. To this, Piara, a hair dresser, alleged that he had taken the siropa only to use it as a cloth to clean the shop mirrors and scissors. » Read the rest of this entry «

Cheema (Punjab), June 14: Fresh clashes between Sikhs and followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect erupted in Punjab’s Sangrur District on Wednesday evening.The clashes started at a busy marketplace in Cheema village of Sangrur District after a Sikh boy was beaten up by alleged followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect.
Gurjant Singh, the victim, said that he was dragged out and manhandled by the supporters of the sect.
“The members of the Dera sect took me out of the bus and attacked me with swords and daggers,” he said.
Pritpal Singh Chind, Deputy Superintendent of Police said: “Whatever has happened was not right. We have arrested the culprits and stringent action will be taken against them.”
» Read the rest of this entry «

Written by Daljit Singh
Friday, June 08, 2007
AMRITSAR: Top Akali Dal leadership was virtually missing totally from the function held at Akal Takht Sahib on June 6 morning (India time) to observe the 23rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar where Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti gave a call to use both “Shastar and Shaastar” (arms and scriptures) to fight against the menace of deravaad which is eating into the innards of Sikhism.

While no slogans were raised, many placards announcing ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ and “Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale Amar Rahe’ were placed all over the place and many families of those martyred during the Operation Bluestar had converged at the Akal Takht to observe the day from which the ruling Akali Dal kept a safe distance.

SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar was present but did not make any speech on the occasion while Vedanti read out a carefully crafted statement as his message to the Sikh quom which was a lot of word play and an exercise in political correctness. Vedanti said the Sikh history was full of many instances of sacrifices.

The Akal Takht jathedar made it clear that come what may, the dera heads of Sacha Sauda Sirsa, Ashutosh and Bhaniarawala will not be spared. “Kade vi nahi bakhshe jaan ge,” he said.

Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma was also present, as were Bhai Daljit Singh of Akali Dal (Amritsar) and Kanwarpal Singh of Dal Khalsa. Bhai Daljit Singh made a short speech after the official function was over and the sangat sat peacefully in rapt attention listening to his speech.

The Damdami Taksal is also observing the day separately at Chowk Mehta where the bhog of Sri Akhand Path was to be organized. Advertisements were placed about the event by the Taksal in various Punjabi newspapers in the region.

With thanks from World Sikh News.

On the order of the Hon’ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh relating to allegation of sexual exploitation of Sadhvis and others staying at Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa and murder of journalist Ram Chander Chatterpati as well as Shri Ranjit Singh, a disciple of the Dera, the investigation of these cases have been taken over by the CBI.

The CBI has declared a reward of Rs. One lakh to any person who give specific information or evidence relating to the said offences of sexual exploitation of Sadhvis in the Dera Sacha Sauda, murder of Shri Ram Chander Chatterpati and Shri Ranjit Singh.   Persons having specific information or evidence relating to these cases may contact either Shri A K Hargava, SP/CBI or Dr.Aarmaan Deep Singh or Shri Satish Dagar, Dy.SsP/CBI, Sector-30-A,Chandigarh-160 030. Phone no.0172-2657102 Ext.203(Office), Phone/Fax-0172-2657285 (office).

Such persons who give specific information or evidence in respect of these cases resulting in proper and successful legal action against the persons involved in these cases will be paid a cash reward of Rs.one lakh. The name and identity of the informer will be kept secret, if so desired.

click here to read more

Ambala, June 9
Special Judge, CBI court, Ambala, R.K. Saini ordered the framing of charges against five members of the Dera Sachha Sauda, Sirsa, in Ranjeet murder case here today.

The five persons are Kishan Lal, Avtar Singh, Inder Sain, Sabdil Singh and Jasbir Singh.

Also, arguments on the bail application of Avtar Singh were held today. The arguments will now be heard on June 11.

Ranjeet, a Kurukshetra resident, who was part of a 10-member management committee looking after the functioning of the dera, was murdered on July 10, 2002.

It was believed that some of the dera functionaries suspected Ranjeet’s involvement in the circulation of an anonymous letter that carried several charges against the dera chief.

The police arrested dera manager Krishan Lal and four others in this regard.

Later, on the directions of the High Court the investigation was handed over to the CBI.

The CBI filed its first charge-sheet in the court in November, 2005. A supplementary charge-sheet was filed in January, 2006.

The CBI also recovered the car and the weapon used in the murder of Ranjeet.

The CBI is already investigating two other cases against dera, one involving the murder of Sirsa-based journalist and another for sexual exploitation of a woman disciple.

The Tribune

Amritsar, May 29: Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti in a press conference outrightly rejected the apology of Dera Sacha Sauda and said that they will continue to politically and socially boycott them in a peaceful manner.

The top Sikh cleric meet decided on this course of action as they said that the tone of the apology letter was not graceful and rather had toed an arrogant line.

Vedanti also said, “The Guru is benevolent but it is the intention of the doer that counts.” He warned Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of hurting the sentiments of several religions.

Vedanti further said that cases against Dera Sacha Sauda chief should continue and that the Sikhs should be encouraged into the true folds of Sikhism.

Click here for full news.

FATEHGARH SAHIB: The Sant Samaj and the hard liner Sikh organisation including Damdami Taksal on Tuesday rejected “aplology” by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for attiring like Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh master. 

A meeting of Sant Samaj in which some hardliners SAD(Amritsar) leader Daljit Singh Bittu, Dal Khalsa’s Satnam Singh Pounta Sahib also participated was held at Dera of Sant Hari Singh Randhawawale in Fatehgarh Sahib. Damdami Takhsal chief Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa presided over the meeting. 

Press conference of Sant Samaj was held around two hours behind the schedule. Sources said that Sant Samaj was awaiting top Sikh clerics  decision about the future course of action against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

During the course of meeting of Sant Samaj, the five high priests were holding meeting at the Akal Takht Secretariat in Golden Temple Complex in Amritsar. Sources said that after getting indications from certain quarters, the press conference of Sant Samaj was held. After the press conference, Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa in the presence of print and electronic media  directed other leaders of Sant Samaj not to talk to media about today’s meeting.

Click here for rest of the news.

CBI today failed to submit the long awaited investigation report on Sect chief’s involvement in murder and rape cases. CBI today asked for some more time for the submission of report. When court today asked for an explanation, CBI revealed that they are under pressure in this case.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court gave CBI, the time limit till July 30 to submit the final report. The court seemed very concerned of this delay by CBI. This case already is crawling from last five years. During these tense moments it becomes more important that this case must be processed in court as investigation already has taken a long time of five years.

We received another story lead relating to the Dera row from one of our readers.

Below is the link to the story, with thanks to our reader timbuctu00.

HIGH COURT SAYS CBI HUSHING UP DERA CASES

The CBI finds itself under pressure for filing chargesheets against the Dera in cases of murder and sexual abuse

The downfall of the Dera’s fortunes can be traced back to 2002-03 when the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) ordered the CBI to probe charges of two murders and of rape and sexual exploitation of sadhvis by Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Though the probe was time bound, repeated extensions sought by the CBI, as also litigation against the HC’s orders in the Supreme Court, have meant that the investigating agency has filed a chargesheet in only one of the three cases, the Ranjit Singh murder case, and that too not the final one. There is overwhelming evidence to suggest that the CBI is doing what it does best: hushing up politically inconvenient cases. This led to a scathing indictment of the CBI by the HC on April 16, 2007, and is suspected to be a major factor behind the trouble in Punjab provoked by an advertisement placed by the Baba on May 13, 2007, in two regional dailies.

Click here to read full story on Tehalka.com