Sriganganagar, Rajasthan (KP) – Sikh organizations suffered another setback when their plans to organize the ‘Dhustdaman March’ were foiled by the Rajasthani Government. The march was supposed to take place throughout different villages and towns of Punjab, but Government intervention stopped it.
Additionally, the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Joginder Singh Vedanti requested that the sit-in (dharna) started by Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh at the Punjab-Rajasthan border be lifted immediately - a move that further disappointed the Sikh organizations.
Although initially the Rajasthani Government had given the Khalsa Action Committee permission to carry out the march there, it later retracted it when the Sikh Sangat asked Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh to take part in the march.
Jathedar Nandgarh was so adamant about holding the march that he announced he would sit at the Punjab-Rajasthan border until he is given permission to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh. Sangat in large numbers accompanied Jathedar Nandgarh and the Sikh officials present at the border also lashed out at the Rajasthani Government for uselessly interfering in Sikh issues. Jathedar Nandgarh addressed the press and said that the BJP Government will not only have to face consequences in Rajasthan, but also in Punjab for playing with Sikh sentiments.
The sit-in at the border ended after a long period of time when the Akal Takht Sahib sent a fax memo to Jathedar Nandgarh asking him to stop the agitation. The fax message condemned the Rajasthani Government for working in the interests of the Dera Sacha Sauda. In addition, it was made clear that the Dusht Dasam march was not being carried out to oppose the Sacha Sauda Dera, but to raise awareness of social and cultural evils on a large scale.
Jathedar Nandgarh, however, expressed grief at the fax memo sent from Akal Takht Sahib. Jathedar told the press that he would have carried out the sit-in for as long as possible until he was given permission to enter Rajasthan. He said that although he was not in favor of stopping the agitation, seeing the involvement of Akal Takht Sahib had forced him to withdraw from the march.
Foreseeing a large gathering of Sikhs, Dera Sacha Sauda's so called premis also gathered in large numbers at a dera close to the border of Punjab and Rajasthan. Jathedar Nandgarh and other Sikh officials present there held that the BJP Government was trying to cause friction within the Sikh masses.
