Click to play videoSirsa (Punjab): Punjab continues to simmer for the fifth consecutive day even as an all-party meeting is held on Friday to solve the tension arising out of the clash of faith between two sects.
“I did not imitate anyone. I did not mean disrespect,” said Dera Sachha Sauda Head Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim to bring back peace.
The Baba may be trying to calm his followers down and bring in peace but his supporters continued to show their anger towards Akalis and Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal.
There was anger in Sunam too and this time from the Akalis.
Several Akali supporters and Baba's critics gathered to mourn the first casualty of the clash of faith, which has engulfed Punjab.
It was the funeral of Prakash Singh, who was killed when Akalis and Dera Sachcha Sauda supporters clashed on Thursday
What became clear was the failure of the Badal government to deal with the situation.
All that Prakash Singh Badal had to offer was a series of meetings and monetary assistance.
“I'll take action only after I get the police report,” said Prakash Singh Badal.
Baba may have mellowed and there may be pressure from Centre to bring calm to the state but the SGPC is in no mood to relent.
“We will follow what the SGPC says. We are ready for any sacrifice. And we will put them in their place,” said SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.
For Badal it’s a tightrope walk - balancing faith with politics. He is now under pressure from his ally BJP, which showed concern over simmering Punjab.
The astute politician that Badal is, he will have to use all his political acumen to win this battle.
(With inputs from Brijesh Pandey in New Delhi)
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