PATIALA: Former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh's loyalist and Patiala mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu appeared before controversial Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the latter's virtual congregation on Sunday and it has created a political flutter in the state.
Sharma appreciated the dera head for the works of his followers during the Covid-19 pandemic in Patiala and thanked him on behalf of the city's municipal corporation and all the Patiala residents. Under an expansion plan, the name of the dera's 'Naam Charcha Ghar' or congregation house on the Patiala-Sangrur highway had been changed to 'Shah Satnam Ji Noorani Dham Dera Sacha Sauda' a few months ago.
The rape convict dera head is out on parole and holding virtual congregations in Punjab. Patiala's former mayor Amrinder Singh Bazaz of the SAD objected to Sharma's dera visit and accused him of hurting the sentiments of Punjab's people. He said: "Both Sikhs and Hindus revere Guru Granth Sahib, which the dera head is accused of disrespecting. Gurmeet Ram Rahim is also a murderer and a rapist. The mayor can worship whoever he likes in his personal capacity but not on behalf of all the Patiala residents."
Asked why he went to the dera's branch in Patiala on Sunday, Bittu said: "I was there on the request of some dera followers an in my personal capacity, only to acknowledge the dera's good during Covid-19. Only the dera followers had come forward to donate blood at that time. I respect all the religions." Bittu left the Congress to join Amarinder's Punjab Lok Congress, which merged into the BJP later. Bittu lost the 2022 assembly election for the Patiala rural seat.
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