Divided leaders to attend separate events

MANN, MAND TO REACH BEHBAL KALAN, WHILE DADUWAL TO JOIN BARGARI CONVENTION

Differences between Bargari Insaaf Morcha leaders continued to simmer as hardliners gathered at different places to mark the fourth anniversary of Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police firing incidents in which two Sikh protestors were killed.

Disappointed with delay by the government in delivering justice in the case wherein Krishan Bhagwan Singh and Gurjit Singh, protesters in Behbal Kalan were killed, their families in association with Sikh organisations are planning to hold a ‘shaheedi samagam’ (convention for martyrs) at Bargari on October 14.

However, morcha leaders are split over the October 14 ceremonies, too. Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann and Sarbat-Khalsa-appointed jathedar Dhian Singh Mand will perform ardas at Tibbi Sahib gurudwara at Behbal Kalan, while parallel jathedar Baljit Singh Daduwal has announced he will join the Bargari ceremony.

Differences between morcha leaders began over winding up the Insaf Morcha (protest) in Bargari last year.

After the protest was lifted, Daduwal remained absent from most morcha meetings and event. There was an attempt in May, during Lok Sabha elections, when both Mand and Daduwal came together to protest against the Badals, but both Sikh leaders ignored each other that day at Bargari, and even avoided standing together.

As Daduwal appealed to the Sikh community to join families of victims at Bargari on the occasion, Mand appealed to people to reach Tibbi Sahib gurudwara at Behbal Kalan on October 14 to mark an ‘ardas diwas’ to pressure the ruling party for justice.

Talking to HT, Mand said he had no plans to join the Bargari event. “I have no differences with anyone. The Sikh community must come together against anti-Sikh forces and fight for justice,” he added.

“I will participate in the ceremony organised by the victim’s families and son of Bhagwan Krishan who was killed in police firing, as they personally invited me. It is my duty to stand with families of victims. I have no knowledge of any ceremony at Tibbi Sahib gurudwara,” Dadulwal said.

“We will perform an ardas at Tibbi Sahib in Behbal Kalan for both Sikhs killed in police firing. Mann will not participate in Bargari ceremony. We will continue to fight until the people behind the sacrilege and police firing incidents are not punished,” said SAD (Amritsar) general secretary Jaskaran Singh Kahan Singh Wala.