The state administration deployed paramilitary soldiers in four districts to maintain calm.
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The conspiracy to rip apart the social fabric in Punjab by tearing Sikhs’ holy scripture Guru Granth Sahib was allegedly hatched in another part of the world.
“Rather than trying to crush peaceful protests, the Punjab police should be on a look out for those responsible for this criminal act”, he said, demanding of the Indian government to immediately identify and punish the culprits.
Before police nail the accused and judiciary fixes responsibility, the state government needs to handle the issue deftly to restore normalcy. In all, eight cases of desecration have been reported and police claim to have cracked five.
The Central Sikh Gurdwara Board in Singapore said in a statement that it was “deeply saddened over the situation in Punjab”. Meanwhile, administrators of Sikh gurudwaras, or temples, have tightened security in the chambers where the holy texts are kept.
“There is no need for violence, so we hope the governments of India and Punjab will give urgent attention to this appeal”, he said.
As per media reports, the police had used batons and water cannons to disperse the protestors and even Bathinda’s Inspector General of Police was wounded in the clashes. “At a time when the entire Sikh community is shell-shocked with grief at the ghastly manner in which Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji has been desecrated, holding such a tournament is not appropriate”, Badal was quoted by Zee News.
However, life returned to normal in Amritsar after Monday’s shutdown.
The Sikh protesters have now shifted their dharnas and blockades to inner roads with most of the national highways criss-crossing the state witnessing normal traffic movement, officials said. People have alleged that the Bargari pages belong to this book but police are yet to confirm this.
The sudden grant of pardon to the Dera chief was possibly an arbitrary decision taken by the Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the president of SAD as well as the state home minister!
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Punjab is under turmoil after series of desecration of “birs” at seven Sikh shrines across the state and killing of two youths in police firing at Behbal Kalan in Faridkot district of the state.
