Arms Training to Dera Sacha Sauda Followers

Soul_jyot · #1 (**permalink**) 09-Jul-2011, 03:48 AM

July 8, 2011

Arms training to Dera Sacha Sauda followers
Alarmed, SGPC wants govt to act tough
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 8
The SGPC and Akal Takht today expressed concern over reports that the Dera Sacha Sauda was reportedly providing arms training to its followers at its headquarters in Sirsa.

Talking to The Tribune, SGPC Chief Avtar Singh Makkar asked why those who claim to be spreading religion needed a private army.

He said that the Centre had sent out a stern warning to Baba Ramdev who had announced his plan to raise an army of his 11,000 followers a few days earlier. “Similarly, the government should act tough against Dera Sacha Sauda too.”
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/controversies/36176-arms-training-dera-sacha-sauda-followers.html

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the SGPC should take the issue seriously and should raise it with the state as well as the Union Government.

“Today, this dera is raising a private army. Tomorrow, others may follow suit. This is not a good sign,” he said adding that the government should act immediately on the matter.

Military had issued advisory in Dec
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 8
Based on intelligence reports compiled in December, the Military Intelligence Directorate had issued an “advisory” asking army personnel to refrain from getting involved with Dera Sacha Sauda and other similar outfits.

The advisory had stated that sister intelligence agencies had reported that some ex-servicemen were imparting arms training to dera activists.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36176

The dera is based in Sirsa and that belt has a large ex-serviceman population. Besides, the advisory mentioned that some serving personnel were also reportedly taking part in social activities associated with the dera like blood donation and prayer meets.

“Association with such organisations have implications for security and discipline,” an officer said. “One cannot rule out the possibility of contact with anti-social, anti-national or subversive elements at gatherings where hundreds of persons are present,” it added.

Some officers fear that these are places where the mind can be subverted by playing communal and religious cards, thereby affecting their frame of mind and distracting individuals from their primary duties.

Unit commanders had been directed to sensitise troops about the implications and fallout of associating themselves with organisations that have known to create political, religious and social controversies and tensions.

The head of the dera Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh has been booked by the CBI for several alleged offences, including murder and rape. Dera followers have also created law and order problems and have gone on rampage more than once to block moves by the government to take action against Ram Rahim.

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110709/punjab.htm#1

Kanwaljit Singh · #2 (**permalink**) 09-Jul-2011, 05:08 AM

Quote:

SGPC Chief Avtar Singh Makkar asked why those who claim to be spreading religion needed a private army

Is that coming from SGPC chief? Sikhs today have totally forgotten the importance of Shastra Vidya in Sikhism. They have adapted 'civilian' life and rely on police and army to 'protect' them. I agree that DSS is doing so just to create more trouble. And they are going to attack Sikhs without hesitation. But is that the best an apex Sikh body could come up with?

Kanwaljit Singh · #3 (**permalink**) 09-Jul-2011, 05:22 AM

Since its modest foundation in 1948 by Mastanji of Baluchistan, the Dera now controls over 700 acres in Sirsa alone. It commands over 2.5 crore followers and has branches all over the region. Sirsa is now an independent township replete with factories, a cricket stadium and swimming pools. But villagers had not been willing to sell land to the expanding Dera. “Coercion was employed,” says Ashwani Bakhshi, a Sirsa lawyer practising in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. “For example, thousands of devotees would use the fields to defecate, forcing the villagers to sell off their land. In one instance, a child of a neighbouring village was crushed by a Dera truck. When the irate villagers seized the truck, thousands of devotees descended upon the villagers and beat them up. It was not uncommon to see reports of dead bodies being found in the Dera’s vicinity.”
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36176
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36176

More - http://www.tehelka.com/story_main30....ch_vice_CS.asp

kds1980 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-Jul-2011, 20:20 PM

As long as Ram rahim followers keep on voting for congress the Indian media will not raise this issue.Ramdev just said in air that he may train 10,000 youths for self defence and entire Indian media pounced on him