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Sunday, May 20, 2007
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Congress: we won't allow sectoral split

Special Correspondent

Asks people to maintain peace

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday urged the people of Punjab to maintain peace and social harmony in the State.

Expressing concern over the situation that arose following clashes between Sikh organisations and followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda during the past few days, the recently constituted coordination committee on Punjab, at its first meeting here, felt that any activity that hurt the religious sentiments of any section should be avoided, general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, in-charge of the party affairs of the State, said.

While reiterating its full support to the Punjab Government in maintaining law and order, the meeting criticised the Chief Minister's statements seeking to blame the Congress for the situation. The party would not allow Punjab to be divided on sectarian lines, the meeting resolved.

In the February Assembly elections, the Dera supported the Congress. The sect, which has followers in both Punjab and Haryana, has a good presence in the Malwa region, where the Congress did well in the elections. The recent clashes occurred following an alleged act of blasphemy by the Dera chief.

The Congress president constituted the coordination committee earlier this month, following the resignation of PCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo, owning moral responsibility for the election defeat.

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