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Punjab Police brutally beats Sikh protesters
protesting misuse of 'Ek Onkar' emblem
WSN Network
 Ferozepur: The already tense social fabric in Punjab is giving way
increasingly in small towns and congested clusters of population
where the agitated Sikhs are trying to give expression to their rage
after the clear directive from Akal Takht against Dera Sacha Sauda.
Only on Sunday, hundreds of Sikh activists clashed with the police
following an alleged attempt to storm a Dera Sacha Sauda base on the
Ferozepur-Hussainiwala road. Nearly 30 Sikh protesters were injured
as the policemen unleashed lathis even when all they were doing was
to protest against the antics of a person who, even the Chief
Minister has conceded, has committed extremely reprehensible act and
has provoked an entire community.
The Sikh protesters wanted to prevent holding of "naam charcha at
the Dera premises. After the program was cancelled following a
request from the administration to the cult, the agitators wanted
that the Dera people wipe off the words "Ek Onkar" from one of the
walls of the Dera. It was not in dispute that the words had no
business to be on the Dera wall, particularly when the Dera men do
not consider themselves Sikhs and are not ready to submit themselves
before the Akal Takht.
The protesters had started gathering since early morning with sticks
and swords near the Dera premises - Sikhs had earlier declared "nam
charca" would not be allowed. Though the district administration had
convinced the Dera not to hold the function today, heavy police was
still deployed to tackle any situation. A five-member delegation of
Sikhs was also taken inside the Dera premises by Ferozepur SDM D.P.S.
Kharbanda to convince them that "nam charcha" was not being held.
But the protesters' insistence on erasing "Ek Omkar" soon developed
into a violent attempt at ransacking the premises. As the protesters
raised slogans in favour of Khalistan and Sant Jarnail Singh
Bhindranwale, the police retaliated with water cannons and teargas,
later unleasing the lathi charge.
The clash left about two dozen Sikh activists and seven policemen
injured. Officiating Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari said
the situation had been brought fully under control. In Punjab, it
often means that the people have been beaten up soundly for them not
to return for some time.
Creating cause for further provocation, the police has registered a
criminal case against Harpal Singh Bhullar, president of the
International Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society, Sikh
Students Federation (Mehta) activists Bhai Jaspal Singh and Paramjit
Singh Kalsi and one Dilbag Singh besides 11 other persons under
Sections 307, 353, 323, 186, 188, 182, 151, 152, 153, 332, 148 and
149 of the IPC at Ferozepur Sadar police station.
Meanwhile, paramilitary forces and the state police have cordoned
off the area and sealed all roads leading to the Dera base, situated
only a few kilometres from the IndoPak border.
11 July, 2007
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