Farmers of various unions gathered outside Nanaksar Kaleran Dera in Jagraon constituency of Ludhiana on Monday and raised slogans against Baba Lakha Singh, one of the chiefs of Nanaksar Kaleran sect, met National Commission for Scheduled Castes Chairman Vijay Sampla, a are also. BJP Leader.
Nanaksar Kalran Dera is located inside the Shri Nanaksar Gurdwara – a place of historical importance that attracts hordes of devotees – which is located about five miles from Jagraon town along the road from Ludhiana to Moga and Firozpur. Baba Lakha Singh is one of the heads of this sect.
Incidentally, on January 8 this year, Baba Lakha Singh had gone to Delhi and met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, while offering to mediate between the government and the protesting farmers’ unions. Later the same day, he had also gone to the Singhu border to meet the protesting farmers’ unions, but had to return empty-handed as no farmer leader was present at that time. The farmers’ union leaders later issued a statement saying that they did not want any vicholia (mediator).
On Monday, Kanwaljit Singh Khanna of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU)-Dakonda said, “On Sunday we came to know that Vijay Sampla had gone to meet Baba Lakha Singh. Two other sects – Baba Ghala Singh and Baba Arvinder Singh – had previously refused to meet Sampla. We had also opposed Sampla’s meeting with Baba Lakha Singh on Sunday, due to which Sampla had to hurriedly leave the camp through the back door.
Another farmer leader Darshan Singh Ghalib said, “On Monday we again raised roadside slogans against this meeting. We did not create any traffic jam as it was a full moon day and the Gurudwara there witnessed huge crowd of devotees.
Another farmer Gurcharan Singh said, “We will hold a meeting at Jagraon Railway Park on Tuesday to plan our next course of action. Baba Lakha Singh should not have met Sampla, as we were boycotting all BJP leaders.
Khanna said that earlier too, Baba Lakhan Singh had met the Union Agriculture Minister and now it was the turn of the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. “Sunday’s meeting could have been avoided,” he said.
Incidentally, Baba Lakha Singh had organized langar for the protesters at the Singhu border when the sit-in against agricultural laws began last year, while also visiting the spot several times to extend support to the farmers.
Baba Lakha Singh is associated with the Sant Samaj, which had influence during the SAD-BJP government in Punjab. He was among those invited for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan.
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