July 27: The spiritual head of the Dera Sacha Sauda, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has sought a truce with the Sikh community, offering to resolve all pending controversies and differences.
Significantly breaking his long silence on the year-long strife between his followers and the Sikhs during his monthly majlis or religious congregation in Sirsa, the Dera chief said he was prepared to "sit down and talk in the interest of peace and harmony".
Apparently subdued following fresh clashes in Dabwali and the continuing attacks on his followers across Punjab and Haryana, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh said he had "never meant to disgrace Guru Gobind Singh or any of the Sikh Gurus."
The Dera chief also clarified that he had never asked any of his followers to resort to violence under any circumstance.
The religious guru said miscreants who had nothing to do with the Dera Sacha Sauda had been causing trouble. On the killing of the Sikh protester, Bakshish Singh in Mumbai, he insisted that he had left the venue completely unaware of the incident. "The police is now investigating the incident," he said.
On the rape and murder charges he is facing in the CBI special court at Ambala, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh said, "I have full faith in the judiciary and truth will prevail in the end."
The softened stance of the Dera and its spiritual head has however failed to impress Sikh leaders who had come together for the bhog or memorial ceremony for Mandar Singh, the Sikh youth who died in the recent clash in Dabwali.
Addressing the ceremony, representatives of the Sant Samaj and Damdami Taksal insisted the Dera chief was unrepentant and was seeking a truce only because he sensed the tide turning against himself.
By Asit Jolly, Chandigarh
