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Chandigarh, October 15: Punjab remained tense but peaceful as bandh was observed in several towns including Jalandhar, parts of Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur, Moga, Bathinda and Faridkot areas following the killing of two persons in police firing who were protesting against the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib at Behbal Kalan village yesterday.
Today’s bandh call was given by several Sikh organisations.
According to the reports, nothing moved in the area around Badal village. Bathinda remained shut and so were Moga, Faridkot, Gidderbaha, Sangrur and several mandi towns. The protesters staged peaceful dharnas on a number of state and national highways.
It may be mentioned that the pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found scattered in Bargari village on Kotkapura-Bathinda highway triggering protest. The pages were said to be from the Bir of Guru Granth Sahib that was reported stolen from Jawaharke village near Bargari on June 1 but the police failed to trace it.
What has added to the wrath of the Sikhs in the area is a poster that appeared in Bargari village about the Bir with a warning to the Sikhs.
The Sikhs were already in anger at the unconditional anger of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh. The refusal of Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to accept any of the main demands of the farmers has contributed to the flare up.
Sikh protesters staged demonstration in Amritsar wearing black robes.
The Sikh organisations have resolved to carry on the agitation demanding the arrest of the culprits.
The police early in the morning swooped down on the protesters staging a peaceful dharna in Kotkapura at the main crossing blocking traffic towards Bathinda and Moga. The Sikh organisations point out that the police took no action when the followers of Dera sacha Sauda blocked traffic demanding the screening of MSG 2 film although it had not been banned by the government.
