Bal Thackeray cautions Sikhs

24 Jun, 2008, 0000 hrs IST, ET Bureau
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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.