MUMBAI: The
aftershocks from the Sikh violence over the weekend continue to be
felt in the city. Even as top Sikh religious bodies demanded a
judicial probe into the incidents, Bal Thackeray yet again warned
Sikhs about their violence against innocent ‘Hindus’. One person was
killed in a clash between two Sikh sects on Friday and the violence
thereafter held the city to ransom for 2 days.
With the Sikh bodies presenting their
case, the Shiv Sena supremo Thackeray warned them that Shivsainiks
will not be mute spectators to violence against innocent ‘Hindus’.
“Though Punjab is quiet, the situation in Mumbai is volatile due to
the violence unleashed by the Sikhs....They should stop violence
immediately and maintain peace,” he said in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna
on Monday.
The newspaper carried an editorial by Mr
Thackeray on Monday and a front-page commentary on the issue on Sunday
airing the Sena chief’s resentment over the violence sparked off by
the killing. “Why are you raising your sword on innocents? Maintain
peace and stop the violence immediately,” Mr Thackeray said and added,
“Attacking innocents will boomerang on you. I want to say only one
thing to the Sikhs. Stop this violence irrespective of your sect. If
it continues, Maharashtra may soon retaliate.”
On Monday, the Akali Dal decided to send
a delegation led by Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal
to meet the members of the family of Balkar Singh, who was killed in
an alleged firing by private security guards of Dera Sacha Sauda
chief, Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh.
A decision to send the delegation was
taken at the meeting of the core committee of the ruling party
presided by chief minister Prakash Singh Badal in Chandigarh. The
delegation is expected to call on Vilasrao Deshmukh to urge him to
take the strictest possible action against the culprits responsible
for this incident, an SAD official said.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurudwara
Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Monday demanded judicial probe into the
killing. Addressing the media here, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar
said they have submitted a memorandum to this effect to deputy CM RR
Patil. SGPC wants the Dera chief to be booked for Balkar Singh’s
murder.
