Dera chief should seeks apology in person: Sikh outfits

Sikh outfits Dal Khalsa and Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) today said they could let go the matter of exoneration of Dera Sacha Sauda Sect Chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh if he comes to Akal Takht and seek apology when he visits the Golden Temple.
"Gurmit Ram Rahim's offer to visit 'Golden Temple' holds no waters unless he come at Akal Takht in person and tender apology in clear words for his blasphemous act and pledge not to repeat the same in future," radical Sikh outfits Dal Khalsa and Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) said here.
Reacting to Gurmeet Ram Rahim's statement that he was willing to visit Golden Temple for peace, they said, Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) was the only religious shrine where anyone can visit to pay obeisance irrespective of religion, caste and creed.

They alleged that the constitution of the committee by Jathedars to look into the exoneration of Dera sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh was a diversionary tactic to defuse anger and confuse the Sikhs by those occupying the highest offices of community.
Dal Khalsa chief H S Dhami and his Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) counterpart Kulbeer Singh Barapind said "What's the utility of constituting the committee after issuing clean chit to head of heretical cult for his sacrilegious act? What relevance would the committee hold when large section of Sikhs have already rejected the so-called pardon decision?"
Taking a dig at Akali leadership for offering "hollow and vague" reasoning in pardoning Gurmit Ram Rahim, they said, "It's being argued that for the sake of peace and harmony in the region, it was necessary to end the lingering animosity between Sikhs and Sirsa dera."

The dera head was recently exonerated for his alleged blasphemous act in 2007 when he imitated a Sikh guru following which clashes took place in Punjab and Haryana.