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Efforts to end Dera stalemate continue

Staff Correspondent

Disagreement over use of some words in draft statement

CHANDIGARH : The efforts to end the standoff between the Dera Sacha Sauda and Sikh organisations led by the Akal Takht were deadlocked on Thursday.

Sources close to the delegation of religious leaders led by social activist Swami Agnivesh claimed to have made some headway in brokering a compromise. However, there was disagreement over the use of some words in a draft statement, to be made by the Dera chief, that would satisfy everyone. Simultaneously, the Centre and the Haryana Government too are trying to find a ``respectable way out of the crisis.''

Once the draft of the statement is prepared, it will be placed before the Singh Sahibs.

Early solution

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal told reporters that an early solution to the crisis, triggered by an alleged act of blasphemy committed by the Dera chief, appeared to be in sight. However, he refused to come out with a time frame within which the crisis would be resolved.

Earlier, Mr. Badal presided over a meeting of the present and former MPs, legislators, office-bearers and presidents of districts units of the Shiromani Akali Dal. Mr. Badal refused to comment on the allegation by the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Avtar Singh Makkar that the Congress president Sonia Gandhi engineered the crisis.

Working president of the Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh cut short his foreign trip and returned to the State on Friday. He is expected to persuade the youth wing of the party to support the peace efforts.

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