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Incident Demanding arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, Sikh activists on Wednesday stopped trains at several places across Punjab. The protests were sparked after the killing a Sikh youth, Balkar Singh, outside a shopping mall in Mumbai by the Dera chief’s bodyguards. A protest in Mumbai, led to altercations between Ram Rahim Singh’s supporters and the Sikh group which turned violent after the group allegedly started pelting stones. It is said that a private bodyguard of the Baba opened fire on the agitating crowd that killed one person and injured more than two. Following the death Sikhs went on the rampage in Mumbai.

Protests Many radical groups are demanding the arrest of the Dera chief. Dera chief has been provided with the Z plus security cover. When he is having the Z-plus security then why he is having the private bodyguards? Why he was having the private arms? These are the questions that are haunting the minds of the people. It must be recalled that there were widespread protest against the Dera last year that had turned into a major controversy and the centre government had to intervene to defuse the situation. At many places Sikhs and the followers of the dera had clashed.

Politics During the elections for Punjab assembly Dera chief had urged the people to vote in favor of the Congress party. But the elections were won by the Akali Dal and BJP coalition. The Dera has remained in headlines because of the controversies related to sexual exploitation of the women and anti Sikhism activities. Last year when Dera chief had appeared in the dress resembling to the tenth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh  Ji , in a public meeting , it had triggered wide spread agitations by the Sikhs against the Dera. This turned violent and at many places clashes were reported between the Sikhs and the Dera followers.Situation could only be controlled after the intervention of the center government by pacifyiung the Sikh community.

Vested Interests Reasons behind the controversy are political as well religious. Some political parties are backing the Dera. They want to keep the people of Punjab engaged into violent activities. People only with political interests are fueling the violence. They have nothing to do, neither with Sikhism nor with Dera except their political ideology.