Punjab has always been a land where peace existed but only by numerous agreements and compulsions.Slightest provocation could possible throw the state of functionality and that has what happened in the past one week .The violence between the hardline sikhs and the more liberal Deras has put the state out of control .

Of all that interests me is todays statement by Sikh head priest giving deadlines .

22 May : Apology from the Dera swami or State wide bandh ,considering that the state has very very rarely gone on strike that too from akali dal

27 May : All dera establishments removed ,and lands vacated .

30 May : cases against the dera head ,handedover to CBI .

else suicide bombers arranged to vacate deras.

The point i want to ask is Who are the sikhs to ask deras to abandon their faith .For a country that boasts of secularity and democracy ,can anyone force people to abandon their religion or faith ? What would happen if the sainiks in mumbai would call for a strike demandng removal of all darga’s ? can we give it in to them ? .wont it be a failure of democracy ?? .

and using violence to achieve this is even more insulting to our constitution .Right and wrong can always be argues but Faith and religion are best to individuals themselves and attempt to force on the issues will only provoke emotional responses and leading to terrible violence all over .

The next few days will be interesting how things roll out .Will the government have the guts to stand up and preserve the democracy or will it indulge in petty politics and try to remove the deras.Remember it was the dera community that voted against akali dal and supported congress in the previous elections .