Policemen stop a vehicle to check for supporters of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect near Panchkula, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
The BJP, AAP and the ruling Congress in Punjab have appealed for communal harmony and peace to be maintained post the court verdict on Friday. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh said: “Premis (dera followers) are our Punjabis. They do not wish to disturb peace in the state. They want to stand by their baba ji.”
Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said “amity is paramount”, and peace was the “responsibility of all of us together”. AAP MLA and Leader of Opposition, Sukhpal Khaira, too appealed for peace. “Whatever is the decision of the court, it should be respected. Everybody should maintain communal harmony and peace,” he said.
Aman Arora, AAP’s co-convenor in Punjab who is also the party MLA from Sunam, added: “The most important thing is that law and order should be maintained. Brotherhood should not be disturbed. Everybody has a responsibility towards it. We should have complete faith in judicial system…”
State BJP secretary Vineet Joshi said: “We hope dera premis will maintain peace as they are good citizens. We have full faith that peace and harmony will prevail.”
