press trust of india
Chandigarh, August 23: Haryana and Punjab were maintaining maximum alert ahead of the court judgement in a sexual exploitation case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh August 25.
The Haryana government is even contemplating to seek Army help to tackle the situation, if needed.
As a precautionary measure, government has ordered closure of schools and colleges in Panchkula district August 24 and 25, Panchkula Deputy Commissioner Gauri Parashar Joshi said Wednesday.
Over 35,000 followers of the Dera are estimated to have already reached and many more are still arriving at the sect’s Sector-23 based ‘Naam Charcha Ghar’ (congregation/prayer centre) in Panchkula to show their solidarity with the sect chief, who has been asked to appear in person in the special CBI court Friday.
Joshi said that the administration and police were keeping an eye to ensure that law and order is maintained.
There is heavy police and para forces deployment near the routes leading to the district court complex in Panchkula, where the lawyers have suspended work for three days from Wednesday to avoid inconvenience to the public visiting the courts.
When asked if Dera chief will appear before the court in Panchkula Friday, a spokesman of Dera Sacha Sauda Wednesday said that the sect and its head has always followed law and will do so in future also. “We have always followed due process of law, never have we gone out of law’s purview and never ever will we do so,” he said. When asked if Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh will appeal to his followers to help maintain law and order and peace, he said, “during his Satsangs (at sect head in Sirsa) in mornings and evenings, Guru ji always talks about humanity and things which will benefit humanity. He talks about tree plantation, organ donations, blood donation and helping out weaker sections”.
Security forces in Haryana and Punjab have been taking out flag marches at many sensitive places. Haryana government has already clamped prohibitory orders in all its districts as a precautionary measure.
Police have set up barricades at several places in the two states, besides their common capital Chandigarh, where security has been further tightened ahead of the court verdict.
