Bargari morcha venue turns into virtual shrine
BATHINDA:: The venue of the ‘Panthic morcha’ (sit-in by Sikhs) at the grain collection centre in Bargari near here has turned into virtual shrine with the installation of Guru Granth Sahib in a palanquin where hundreds of devotees pay their obeisance daily.
As per rough estimates, 2,500 people attend the congregation daily. They listen to the religious sermons and speeches by preachers.
The ‘morcha’ was started seeking arrest of culprits behind the incidents of sacrilege of the Sikh holy book and the death of two youths in police firing in 2015 at Behbal Kalan village on the Bathinda-Fardikot highway.
With the sit-in nearing six months now, the protesters led by parallel Akal Takht jathedar Dhian Singh Mand and other religious leaders have also been demanding the release of the Sikh detainees arrested during the militancy in Punjab. ‘Langar’ is served to the congregation as it is done at historic gurdwaras and ‘golak’ collections have also gone up.
SIT-IN AKIN TO ‘JAITU MORCHA’ OF 1924?
Parallel Akal Takht jathedar Dhian Singh Mand, his secondin-command Baljit Singh Daduwal and other speakers had drawn the parallel of the ongoing sit-in to the historic ‘Jaitu Morcha’ of 1924, which was against the British regime.
The ‘Jaitu Morcha’ was started seeking restoration of throne to Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha princely state.
“You see, how the masses gather here with the demand for the arrest of the ‘doshi’ (culprits) behind sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib,” said Jaskaran Singh, general secy, SAD (Amritsar).
INVITATION ALSO TO EXPELLED SAD LEADERS
A large congregation is expected at the ‘morcha’ site for ‘Gurpurab’ on November 25, which marks the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
Jathedar Mand on Tuesday confirmed extending “an open invitation” to the expelled Akali leaders, including Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and Rattan Singh Ajnala, and others like Prem Singh Chandumajra, who have been sitting on the fence.