Bargari Insaaf Morcha, which started sit-in protest from June 1 demanding action against the culprits of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in 2015, on Sunday announced to lift the six-month-old dharna but “continuing with the protest”.
The protesting Sikh panthic leaders made it clear that they would not end the Morcha but “change the outline” of the protest, regarding which, an announcement would be made on December 11.
“We are not ending Morcha but we're changing its outline,” said Sarbat Khalsa appointed parallel jathedar Dhian Singh Mand, during his address, for which thousands of people had converged at Bargari grain market — the epicentre of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.
“From today, the Morcha will take new turn and announcement regarding this will be made in coming days,” he said while ensuing the gathering regarding releasing of Jagtar Hawara — one of the assassin of former chief minister Beant Singh and parallel jathedar of Akal Takht, in the coming days.
Congress Cabinet Ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa were also present during the event, and addressed the protest — failing to satisfy the protesters fully, while many people in the audience prefer to leave the venue.
Insaaf Morcha, supported by various Sikh groups and parties barring the outfits like Damdami Taksal associated by SAD, have been protesting since June with main demands of arresting the culprits in sacrilege cases, action against guilty police officials who opened firing on peaceful protesters at Behbal Kalan and release or shifting of Sikh prisoners.
Mand said that the next phase of the agitation would be announced shortly that would be the launching of a panthic political party comprising all the outfits that had been part of this agitation.
The withdrawal of the agitation, what was described as the first phase, came after the cabinet Ministers held negotiations with the Bargari leaders from the beginning, and later apprised the protestors regarding the demands that the State Government has accepted.
It has been learnt that earlier in the day, the Bargari leaders had a meeting with the two Ministers in which all the issues were reportedly sorted out. Notably, it was following the pressure of Insaaf Morcha that the State Government tabled the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report on sacrilege and related issues in Vidhan Sabha followed by seven-hour debate during which the Congress and AAP members demanded action against the Badals, while the SAD had boycotted the House proceedings that day.
The Commission had named the Badals and former state police chief Sumedh Singh Saini in the report.
In the aftermath, the SAD is facing a revolt within, led by its senior leaders. In fact, the Akalis’ act of seeking atonement for their “mistakes” at Akal Takht a day before, can also be considered as its after-effect. Baljit Singh Daduwal, Sarbat Khalsa-appointed parallel jathedar and Sikh preacher, expressed hope that the State Government would soon get the stay vacated from the arrest of four police officers named in the FIR regarding Behbal Kalan police firing incident. “SIT DIG RS Khatra did not act under the Badals’ regime, but he acted under Capt Amarinder’s government by arresting all the accused of sacrilege in Bargari and Malke,” said Daduwal.
He asserted that the “people want Badals’ arrest”—and his statement was supported by the people who raised their hands in support.
Daduwal raised the demand for the Badals’ arrest, saying that only then the justice will prevail.
SAD (Amritsar) head Simranjit Singh Mann said that there should be no doubts about arresting of all accused in sacrilege incidents and meeting first of our three demands.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday declared that the Congress-led State Government would bring a new Bill in the Vidhan Sabha regarding release of the Sikh prisoners. Randhawa, addressing a large congregation at Bargari, listed out the steps initiated and taken by the Congress Government to fulfil the demands of the protestors.
“State Government has engaged four senior lawyers to ensure prosecution of all accused in the sacrilege cases,” he said, while recounting the names of 23 Dera Sacha Sauda followers who have been arrested for sacrilege. We will ensure that these accused do not procure bail, he added.
Accusing the CBI for soft pedalling on sacrilege cases, he said that the State Government has shifted the enquiry into sacrilege and related firing cases from the CBI to SIT for this reason.