With just a day left to meet the deadline set by the Sikh High priests to vacate the deras, the Dera Sacha Sauda on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking protection for all its premises across the country.
The court however said “these are matters to be sorted out politically at the government level.” A Bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice D K Jain said such matters are to be looked into by the Government.
The court made this observation when the petition filed by Abhijit Bhagat, a trustee and Vice-Chairman of the Dera, was mentioned before it. Hearing on this petition along with another petition was adjourned to June 4.
Bhagat said the petition was necessitated since the Sikh’s highest Temporal seat have issued a ultimatum that all the properties of the Dera must be vacated by May 27.
He alleged that the Punjab Government has not taken any steps against the threat, and was supporting the Akali Dal in the stand-off against the Dera Sacha Sauda.
The stand off was triggered following Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s alleged act of insult to tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
A Public Interest Litigation was also filed seeking protection to the lives and properties of both Sikhs and followers of the Sacha Dera Sauda cult. The court said both the petitions will be heard together.