BATHINDA: Amid opposition by political parties and various organisations, including Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the online spiritual discourse by dera sacha sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim was organised at dera branch Salabatpura in district Bathinda on Sunday. A large number of dera followers assembled from far off places for the online discourse. The traffic was affected on the Barnala-Bajakhana road for a large number of vehicles carrying the dera followers taking to roads.
Sources said feeling the heat due to conviction of dera head and for being accused in sacrilege cases in Punjab, the dera tried to show its strength by ensuring large gathering of the followers despite strong opposition – the pandals were filled to capacity and the parking lot was packed.
However, some of the dera followers, called as Premis, had to face wrath of various Sikh organisations opposing the satsang of dera head stating what they could expect from a person who is rape convict. The members of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) blocked road leading to Salabatpura at Jalal village, while the Behbal Kalan police firing victim Krishan Bhagwan Singh’s son Sukhraj Singh and Insaf Morcha activists stopped a number of buses carrying dera followers at Behbal Kalan village. They made some of the buses to return. Police took the protesters away from Jalal village, as they were blocking road and let them off, after the satsang was over. Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) J Elenchezhian said nearly two dozen persons who were blocking road were taken away but were let off.
Sources said feeling the heat due to conviction of dera head and for being accused in sacrilege cases in Punjab, the dera tried to show its strength by ensuring large gathering of the followers despite strong opposition – the pandals were filled to capacity and the parking lot was packed.
However, some of the dera followers, called as Premis, had to face wrath of various Sikh organisations opposing the satsang of dera head stating what they could expect from a person who is rape convict. The members of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) blocked road leading to Salabatpura at Jalal village, while the Behbal Kalan police firing victim Krishan Bhagwan Singh’s son Sukhraj Singh and Insaf Morcha activists stopped a number of buses carrying dera followers at Behbal Kalan village. They made some of the buses to return. Police took the protesters away from Jalal village, as they were blocking road and let them off, after the satsang was over. Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) J Elenchezhian said nearly two dozen persons who were blocking road were taken away but were let off.
