Chandigarh ,Feb. 28: Palpable tension continued on Sunday across southwestern Punjab and parts of Haryana where angry Dera Sacha Sauda supporters ran amok, damaging crores worth of public property to protest against the registration of a fresh murder case against their spiritual guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, on Saturday evening.
Evidently held back by the visible presence of khaki uniforms at all trouble spots, dera supporters refrained from any further violence through Sunday while paramilitary units were positioned to quell more trouble.
The Centre rushed around 1,400 paramilitary personnel to the two states Sunday and Union home secretary G.K. Pillai said “strict instructions” had been given to the two states to “take severe action against those breaking law and order.”
Flag marches were, meanwhile, held at Sirsa, Moga and other locations where curfew-like conditions prevailed following Saturday’s violence.
Asit Jolly
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NSCN chief Muivah still pushing for ‘sovereignty’
Age Correspondent
New Delhi
Feb. 28: NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, who arrived here Saturday on a 10-day visit to New Delhi to hold peace talks with the Centre, said his outfit will not withdraw its demand of “sovereignty” for Nagaland.
He said the Centre was to blame for the failure to resolve the six-decade-old Naga insurgency problem even after a prolonged dialogue with New Delhi.
The top Naga rebel leader will hold talks with government-appointed interlocutor R.S. Pandey, a former petroleum secretary, on Tuesday and Wednesday, official sources said here.
Mr Muivah, who is expected to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P. Chidambaram, described the new interlocutor as a “good man”, but said “he has to prove himself”.
He said the “sovereignty” demand cannot be withdrawn as it “is with the people, and the people should decide their fate.”