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Bhai Ranjit Singh under house arrest

Former Akal Takht jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh, who has not given up the claim of heading the highest temporal and spiritual seat of the Sikhs, was today placed under house arrest and in the process prevented from proceeding to the Golden Temple complex.

Bhai Ranjit Singh, who last month accused Punjab chief minister and Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal of being anti-Panthic and lowering the dignity of the Akal Takht, had summoned the latter to the Takht today to answer allegations.

Since morning, Bhai Ranjit Singh's residence in the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee-run Guru Ram Das Hospital was cordoned off sending a clear signal that if he moved out he would be taken into custody.

The sacked jathedar told mediapersons that he would not move out of his residence as he did not want a confrontation with the authorities which would give Badal an opportunity to dub him a terrorist.

A posse of policemen led by the superintendent of police (city) S K Sinha was posted at the entry points to the hospital complex as well as at the main and back door entrance of the former jathedar's residence.

Sinha said their presence was only a precautionary measure as Bhai Ranjit Singh's presence at the Akal Takht could create a law and order problem.

The police officer indicated that the SGPC-appointed Takht head Puran Singh was present at the Akal Takht and if Bhai Ranjit Singh was allowed to proceed there it would lead to a confrontation.

Duty magistrate S S Johal, who was also present at the hospital, however, said Bhai Ranjit Singh had not been served with any notice but he would not be allowed to move out of his residence.

Meanwhile, Bhai Ranjit Singh's efforts to contact senior officers of the district administration in the presence of newspersons came to nought as no one was available to attend his phone calls.

''They do not want to tell me my offence,'' he said and termed it as high-handedness of the Badal government.

UNI

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