Bargari turns fortress ahead of parallel jathedars’ event
Large gathering expected today; taking no chances after grenade blast in Amritsar last Sunday, Faridkot admn deploys 2,500 cops
BARGARI: Bargari in Faridkot district has turned into a fortress ahead of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary event being organised by parallel jathedars on Sunday.
BARGARI/FARIDKOT:Bargari town of Faridkot district has turned into a fortress with high security in place ahead of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary function being organised by parallel jathedars on Sunday.
Taking no chances after the grenade blast at a congregation in Amritsar last Sunday, the district police have deployed around 2,500 cops under the supervision of six superintendents of police (SPs) and 12 deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) besides setting up 15 checkpoints and installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Bargari was the epicentre of sacrilege incidents that had rocked the state in 2015. Led by parallel jathedars, anti-sacrilege protesters have been staging a sit-in in the town since June 1.
Faridkot senior superintendent of police Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu said: “We have made adequate security arrangements for the Bargari function while traffic diversions have also been put in place.”
While traffic on the FaridkotBathinda route will move through the Kotkapura-Bhagta Bhai Ka-Bathinda route, the Bathinda-Faridkot traffic will be diverted through the BajakhanaJaitu-Kotkapura road.
The Bargari organisers have been expecting a massive gathering on the lines of the previously organised function in October 2018 that turned into a mega show of strength and left both the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress red-faced.
Dhian Singh Mand, a parallel jathedar, said: “We have openly invited the community to attend the function.”
The Sant Samaj led by Baba Sarabjot Singh Bedi has made all arrangements for the function, said parallel jathedar Baljit Singh Daduwal, while claiming the protesters are just demanding justice for sacrilege incidents. “The government is not understanding the sensitivity of the issue, leading to delay in justice,” he said.
Even as organisers are claiming it to be mainly a religious function, political parties are expected to join the stage.
Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Aam Aadmi Party state legislator from Kotkapura, confirmed the party’s state leadership, including leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, will attend the function in Bargari on Sunday.
Although AAP rebel MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira said he would have to give the function a miss because of some personal reason, he confirmed the presence of Jaitu MLA Baldev Singh and Maur MLA Jagdev Singh Kamalu at the Sunday event.
‘CAN’T SHARE STAGE WITH BADALS’
CHANDIGARH: The Sant Samaj on Friday said it refused to share the stage with the Badals for Gurpurb celebrations at Sultanpur Lodhi on Friday.
In a statement, it said Punjab chief minister Captain Amrinder Singh had suggested to hold a common programme with former ruling party, but they turned down the invitation.
“The Punjab government held a separate stage and programme. The Sant Samaj is in the favour of all demands of the Bargari morcha. We are ready to share the stage with any other party except the Akali Dal. We are also in favour of Bargari morcha and give a call to people to converge there for Gurpurb celebrations,” Bhai Gurpreet Singh Randhawa and Bhai Sukhwinder Singh said.