Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: IND34033 Country: Date: 4 December 2008

Keywords: India – Sacha Sauda – Communal violence – 2 February 2008 Bombing – – State protection – Internal relocation

This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein.

Questions

1. Please provide information about the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) and about a bomb blast involving the DSS on 2 February 2008. 2. Please provide information about the treatment of DSS supporters and what protection the Indian authorities provide to supporters of DSS who are targeted by the Sikh community, particularly in relation to DSS supporters who are themselves Sikhs. 3. Please provide any information about whether such people can relocate to other parts of India.

RESPONSE

1. Please provide information about the DSS and about a bomb blast involving the DSS on 2 February 2008.

RRT research responses dated 31 October 2008 (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33842, 31 October, (Question 1) – Attachment 1), 28 March 2008 (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33077, 28 March, (Question 1) – Attachment 2), and 16 January 2008 (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND32740, 16 January, (Question 1) – Attachment 3), provide general information on the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS).

In relation to whether there was a bomb blast involving the DSS on 2 February 2008, sources indicate that on 2 February 2008, a number of people were injured when a bomb exploded near the convoy of Dera Sacha Sauda chief in Karnal district in the state of Haryana. An article in dated 2 February 2008 indicates that:

The convoy of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim was attacked at about 3 pm today at Bhutana near Pipli in Karnal district. The Dera chief escaped unhurt but 10 others were injured in the blast. Four people who were travelling in the black Scorpio that was damaged in the blast were taken to a hospital in Karnal. There were six vehicles between the truck from where allegedly a bomb was hurled and the car in which the chief was travelling. The Baba has Z-plus category security cover. “It was an attempt on the Dera chief by some people. Some evidence has been collected in this regard that points towards the same,” said Karnal SSP A.S. Chawla.

...Two people, the truck driver and the cleaner, have been taken into custody (‘Tension over Dera Sacha Sauda again as chief escapes bomb attack, 10 hurt’ 2008, Indian Express, 2 February – Attachment 4).

A Press Trust of India article dated 2 February 2008 refers to “Haryana and its neighbouring state Punjab” being “put on high alert after a blast on the cavalcade of Dera Sacha Sauda chief in Karnal district on Saturday, with thousands of followers blocking the National Highway number one at different places.” Police “were facing great difficulty in dispersing the followers, who were protesting against the alleged attack and were shouting slogans, police sources said in .” The article also refers to 11 people being injured in the incident, although “the sect chief, who was returning along with his followers after a appearing in a court in Ambala, escaped unhurt” (‘Dera incident: High alert in Haryana, Punjab; chaos on highway’ 2008, Press Trust of India, 2 February – Attachment 5).

An article dated 3 February 2008 also provides information on the attack on Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s convoy. It is stated in the article that:

Sources told that high-power explosive material like RDX might have been used in the attack. Forensic experts have reportedly found at least one detonator from the blast spot.

The damage to vehicles clearly indicated that high-power explosives were used in the attack.

…Two vehicles belonging to the dera followers were badly damaged in the blast. Two persons were reportedly admitted to a trauma centre with minor injuries.

…The police has impounded a truck bearing a registration number of Haryana from the spot which was allegedly used in the attack. The rear portion of the truck was also damaged.

Karnal police chief A.S. Chawla did not rule out the possibility of a role of the truck’s occupants in the incident.

The sources said the police had rounded up two occupants of the truck. One of them belonged to Assandh (Karnal) while the other hailed from Mansa district in Punjab .

Meanwhile, an official spokesman for the dera, Pawan Insan, who was also in the convoy, told The Tribune over the telephone that the dera head was on the way to New Delhi from Ambala when the incident took place.

According to the sources, there were more than 50 vehicles of followers in the dera chief’s convoy.

“A police escort Gypsy was ahead of the convoy. The moment our black Scorpio overtook a truck, we heard a deafening sound of the blast. There was total chaos, but no one was seriously injured,” the spokesman added. He confirmed that the dera head was safe (Joshi, Vishal 2008, ‘Clashes after attack on dera chief’s convoy’, The Tribune Online Edition, 3 February http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080203/main2.htm - Accessed 11 March 2008 – Attachment 6).

An article in dated 4 February 2008 refers to preliminary investigations suggesting the “involvement of Bakshish Singh, a former head of ” in the attack on the Dera Sacha Sauda chief’s convoy. The article indicates that:

Two persons - identified by cops as Mohinder Singh, a truck owner, and his aide Sawaran Singh - were arrested for the attack that damaged two cars and injured six people, Karnal SP A S Chawla said, adding a remote-controlled bomb kept at the rear of a moving truck was used in the attack.

Preliminary investigations suggested involvement of Bakshish Singh, a former head of Khalistan Commando Force. Cops said Bakshish and Mohinder first met during in a Patiala Dera where they planned the attack. Samples collected from the blast site proved RDX was used in the bomb-making, cops said.

“It was a tyre filled with RDX and attached to a trigger. The attackers had to detonate the bomb, connected to the battery of the truck, by pressing a switch in the cabin,” the SP said.

“As the convoy of the Dera chief passed close to the truck, which was moving on the left side of the GT Road near Manak Majra village in Karnal, they pressed the switch, but failed to identify the car in which the Dera chief was travelling and exploded the bomb on a wrong vehicle,” the SP said (Sabharwal, Vijay 2008, ‘Attackers couldn’t identify Dera chief’s car: Cops’, The Times of India, 4 February – Attachment 7).

A report on NDTV (India) on 7 February 2008 indicates that police had “carried out raids at the house of Bakshish Singh,” who police said “masterminded the attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh”. According to the article:

“Bakshish Singh has been an active member of the Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan (BTFK). He then joined the KCF for some time. He is from the Samana district in Punjab,” said A S Chawla. SSP, Karnal.

…A resident of Patiala, Bakshish Singh motivated two men, one of them a cancer patient, to carry out a suicide attack on the Baba, police say.

He supplied the high-quality explosives, two kgs of RDX, which was hidden in the stepney of a truck and connected to the truck’s battery.

However, the blast did not go entirely as planned and they missed their target.

The two men survived the blast and have now been arrested but the mastermind, Bakshish Singh is missing.

…The police are yet to find out which terrorist outfit is behind the blast but many fear this might be an indication of a revival of terrorism in Punjab (Bajpai, Deepak 2008, ‘Attacker of Dera chief on the run’, NDTV (India), 7 February – Attachment 8).

An article dated 7 February 2008 refers to the Haryana Police having taken into custody for questioning “Dharmender alias Bhinda, brother-in-law of suspected mastermind behind the attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s convoy, from his village Ganga Nagar in Lakhmirpur Khiri district of Uttar Pradesh, police sources here today stated.” The article indicates that “Bakshish Singh, owing allegiance to the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) had planned the bomb explosion on the convoy of the Dera head in the district last week.” The article also indicates that: Meanwhile, investigations by the Forensic Science Lab (FSL), Madhuban has revealed that break [sic] failure of the truck used in the attack could be the reason for the failure of the attackers to hit their target.

FSL officials said that Mohinder Singh, driver of the truck became jittery when he found that the brakes of the truck had failed. In panic he triggered the blast, hitting the ‘wrong’ vehicle in the convoy of the Dera chief (‘Dera attack: Relative of mastermind nabbed in UP’ 2008, UNI (United News of India), 7 February – Attachment 9).

An article in the dated 14 March 2008 indicates that a 19-year-old girl had been arrested “for the February 2 attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Parveen alias Meena, police said, had allegedly stored the explosive material and also agreed to be a ‘human bomb’.” [DSP (Headquarters) Surinder Singh] “Bhoria said she belonged to Bhamme Kalan village in Mansa district and had been influenced by Bakshish Singh, the alleged mastermind of the plot who has been eluding the police. She had met him through his wife.” The article also indicates that “[a] tyre stuffed with explosives had been hurled at Gurmeet Singh’s cavalcade near Nilokheri, 20km from here. One of the cars had burst into flames injuring 11 people, but the Dera chief was unharmed” (Gupta, Kul Bhushan 2008, ‘College girl held for Dera chief attack’, Hindustan Times, 14 March – Attachment 10).

An article in The Times of India dated 9 September 2008 refers to the police arresting a suspect named Dharmender “for his alleged involvement in the attack on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s cavalcade in February this year in Karnal district.” The article indicates that those already arrested in the case were “Mohinder Singh, Swaran Singh, both driver and cleaner of the truck used in the attak [sic], Jaswant Singh of Jind district, Hoshiar Singh of Mansa district, Praveen of Mansa district, Gurvinder Singh of Patiala district” (‘Attack on Ram Rahim: 1 more held’ 2008, The Times of India, 9 September – Attachment 11).

Another article in The Times of India dated 12 October 2008 indicates that “Bakhshish Singh, former Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) militant and alleged mastermind behind the failed assassination attempt on -based Dera Sacha Sauda head Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in February” was “on the run” and had “allegedly started reconstructing his network.” Samana police had “registered a fresh case against four persons, including Bakhsish Singh and three others - Amarjit Singh, Bagicha Singh and Gobind Kaur - for trying to create tension between Sikhs and Dera Sacha Sauda followers” (Sharma, Parvesh 2008, ‘Fresh case filed against KLF militant, 3 others’, The Times of India, 12 October – Attachment 12).

2. Please provide information about the treatment of DSS supporters and what protection the Indian authorities provide to supporters of DSS who are targeted by the Sikh community, particularly in relation to DSS supporters who are themselves Sikhs.

The RRT research response dated 31 October 2008 includes information on whether the State government in Punjab had taken action against the Dera Sacha Sauda and its members, and whether the police discriminated against DSS members in Punjab. The research response also looks at whether a person can be a Sikh and a DSS member at the same time (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33842, 31 October, (Questions 1, 5 & 6) – Attachment 1).

The RRT research response dated 28 March 2008 provides information on whether members of the Dera Sacha Sauda were at risk of harm from members of the mainstream Sikh community and whether the police provided protection to members of the Dera Sacha Sauda from hostile members of the community (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33077, 28 March, (Questions 2 & 3) – Attachment 2).

The RRT research response dated 16 January 2008 includes information on clashes between followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda and the Sikh community in Punjab, the treatment of DSS followers by the police, and whether the authorities were prosecuting Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND32740, 16 January, (Questions 2, 3, 5 & 6) – Attachment 3).

Further recent articles regarding the treatment of DSS members in Punjab and whether protection is provided by the authorities in Punjab to supporters of the DSS who are targeted by the Sikh community include the following:

An article in The Times of India dated 29 November 2008 in relation to a case registered against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh “in May 2007 by the Bathinda police under section 295-A (deliberate & malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting religious beliefs) for hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs”, indicates that:

Following sustained contentions of the Punjab Police that Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was not cooperating with its investigation team visiting Sirsa to interrogate him, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday directed the Dera chief to appear at the Punjab Police headquarters here for interrogation. The court has fixed the date for December 3.

Justice A N Jindal also ordered the Haryana police to provide adequate security cover to Gurmeet Singh when he appears for interrogation in the city in December. Also, if it could not be completed in a day then it should continue on the following days.

…Keeping in mind the huge following of the Dera head, the judge directed the Haryana DGP and the UT IGP to ensure that law and order is kept intact.

The case was adjourned for hearing on December 15.

The article also indicates that “[w]ith the parliamentary elections not far away, the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab seems to have adopted a lenient approach towards Dera Sacha Sauda. The Dera, too, has started its activities despite a hue and cry raised by some Sikh organizations opposed to the ruling combine.” According to the article, Dera followers had “assembled at Sangatpura village in Lehragaga block on Thursday to hold a naam charcha (religious congregation). When members of these Sikh organizations came to know about it, Damdami Taksal activists, under the leadership of Amarjit Singh, tried to disrupt the meet. They were, however, stopped by police. Angry, they raised anti-government slogans” (‘Appear at Punjab Police hqs on Dec 3: HC to Dera chief’ 2008, The Times of India, 29 November – Attachment 13).

A further article in The Times of India dated 11 November 2008 regarding criminal cases brought against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, refers to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) accusing the Haryana police of interfering in cases against the DSS chief. The Haryana police had sought an “exemption for Dera chief from appearing in court on security grounds.” The DSS chief “was not present at the CBI court on Saturday for hearings regarding Ranjeet Singh’s murder and sexual exploitation of Dera sadhvis.” It is stated in the article that: Arguments on framing charges against the Dera chief in the Ranjeet Singh murder case had concluded during the last hearing on October 4.

CBI court special judge AK Verma had fixed November 11 as the date for orders regarding charges in the case.

The court had framed charges against him in the sexual exploitation case in September. Dera chief had signed that chargesheet and given his consent to face trial. Dera chief, who is the lone accused in the sexual exploitation case, faces charges under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

CBI officials were upset when they came to know that he was not coming. CBI special public prosecutor HPS Verma opposed the plea for exemption saying the accused was being provided Zplus security.

He expressed doubts about security concerns saying Dera chief had been attending public gatherings during the past few days at various places. The court directed that the accused be produced on the next date of hearing, as he had not been attending proceedings regularly. Due to his absence, charges couldn’t be framed against the Dera chief in the Ranjeet Singh murder case. The next hearing of the case is scheduled on December 12. However, two witnesses - Mohinder Singh and CL Meena - were able to get their statements recorded in the sexual exploitation case.

The Dera chief is also facing charges in the murder case of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. CBI had filed chargesheets against him and seven others in the three cases in July 2007 (Sharma, Shiv 2008, ‘CBI claims police interfering in Dera chief’s cases’, The Times of India, 11 November – Attachment 14).

Another article in The Times of India dated 12 November 2008 indicates that members of Sikh organizations were getting together to oppose the Dera Sacha Sauda’s activities and had “decided to further intensify the struggle to ensure the closure of dera branches in Punjab.” According to the article:

At a time when Dera Sacha Sauda, embroiled in many controversies, have revived its activities after lying low and the state government is alleged to have adopted a lenient approach towards it, members of Sikh organizations too are getting together to oppose its activities. These have decided to further intensify the struggle to ensure the closure of dera branches in Punjab.

And leading the protest are residents of Deewana village, who after getting support from hardliner Sikh bodies, blocked vehicular traffic at the court roundabout here for more than four hours. The protesters were demanding presentation of challan by incorporating section 295-A [hurting religious sentiments] against 14 Dera followers booked by Bhadaur police on August 14 after some Sikhs had got injured in a clash between Sikhs and Dera men at Deewana village on the question of “naam charcha” (religious congregation). Thirteen followers arrested after the incident were able to get bail as Sikh bodies alleged that the police failed to present the challan.

Protesters accused Bhadaur SHO of demanding Rs 25,000 from them for booking those arrested under section 295-A , a charge vehemently denied by SHO SS Virk, saying that it was a false allegation.

…Meanwhile, Daljit Singh Bittu of Shiromani Khalsa Dal accused the government of allowing the revival of Dera activities to reap electoral benefits. He said soon Sikh organizations would meet at Takht Damdama Sahib to decide future course of action (‘Villagers protest against Dera, block road’ 2008, The Times of India, 12 November – Attachment 15).

An earlier article in The Times of India dated 16 August 2008 refers to “[a] clash between members of various Sikh organizations and Dera Sacha Sauda followers” in Deewana turning violent. “Five persons were injured in the clash as angry Sikhs reportedly torched two vehicles of Dera followers and damaged four others”, while “[v]illagers also blocked the Barnala-Deewana road to press for the arrest of Dera followers.” SP(H) Surinderpal Singh Parmar had “said the police was on the job and efforts were being made to pacify the agitators. He said some arrests had been made” (Kamal, Neel 2008, ‘5 injured in Dera-Sikh clash’, The Times of India, 16 August – Attachment 16).

An article in The Times of India dated 11 November 2008 indicates that “Punjab chief secretary Ramesh Inder Singh has stated that the state government had never banned the religious activities of any outfit but sometimes some steps were needed for maintaining law and order. He was reacting to activities of Dera Sacha Sauda and said any sect or body was free to preach its religion, provided it did not pose any law and order problem” (‘Govt not for banning religious outfits: CS’ 2008, The Times of India, 11 November – Attachment 17).

A further article in The Times of India dated 11 November 2008 refers to the Punjab police claiming “to have foiled a Khalistan Commando Force plan to assassinate controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by arresting its three members and confiscating a large consignment of arms and ammunition.” [Punjab DGP N P S] “Aulakh said the three told their interrogators that -based self-styled KCF chief Ranjit Singh Neeta had delivered the weapons near the Hussainiwala border on October 31 and that they had been in constant touch with him over the past couple of months. He said they had been entrusted with the job to carry out the assassination.” The three men were identified as Sukhwinder Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Gurcharan Singh. “On Thursday, another person who was travelling in a car with two AK-47s and four pistols, was arrested. Aulakh said the arrested men had no past record of involvement with the militant outfit” (Sharma, Dinesh K. 2008, ‘Punjab police sniff out major KCF plan to kill Dera chief’, The Times of India, 11 November – Attachment 18).

According to a United News of India (UNI) article dated 31 October 2008, Punjab police had arrested “three suspected terrorists and claimed that they had links with Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who is based in Pakistan.” SSP S K Asthana claimed that Didar Singh, Bahal Singh and Ajmer Singh “had targeted Mithu Singh, a member of the 15-member political committee of Dera Sacha Sauda. However as they found Mithu Singh a ‘difficult target’, they targeted Bhola Singh, brother of Mithu Singh. However Bhola survived the September six attempt and was injured in the attack.” The article also notes that “[t]he Patiala police had arrested Bagicha Singh, Amarjit Singh and Gobind Kaur last month for their involvement in the failed assassination attempt on Dera Sacha Sauda head Ram Rahim Singh. However the police has not yet been able to lay its hand on Bakshish Singh, a local resident who is wanted by the Haryana police for masterminding the attack on the Dera Sacha Sauda head near Karnal” (‘Three terrorists nabbed in Punjab’ 2008, UNI (United News of India), 31 October – Attachment 19).

A United News of India (UNI) article dated 25 July 2008 indicates that “members of the Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj, a Sikh religious group” had “clashed with Dera Sacha Sauda followers at Sheikpura village near Talwandi Sabo” in Punjab. “Police reached the spot after which the Sikhs dispersed but not before they had set a three-wheeler ablaze and damaged two tractors parked ouside [sic] the house of Gurmail Singh. Police is [sic] expected to register a case after probing the matter.” The article also indicates that “[i]n another incident, two Shiv Sena members were beaten up by Sacha Sauda followers in Bathinda today. The two, identified as Sonu Sharma and Monu, were targetted as they had gone around the town on July 23, asking the shopkeepers to down their shutters in support of the Punjab ‘bandh’ call given by the ‘Sant Samaj’ to demand the arrest of Sacha Sauda head Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh. So far, no arrests had been made in this incident” (‘Sikhs clash with Sacha Sauda followers in Punjab’ 2008, UNI (United News of India), 25 July – Attachment 20).

According to an Indo-Asian News Service article dated 23 July 2008, “[n]ormal life was paralysed in many towns of Punjab and Haryana Wednesday as a daylong shutdown called by Sikh activists, demanding the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, led to clashes in many places and halted rail and road traffic.” It is stated in the article that:

Rail and road traffic in Punjab was severely hit by the state-wide shutdown. Many people had to walk long distances in and other places to reach their destinations as bus services were suspended.

Officials said activists of various Sikh organisations - including Sant Samaj, Damdami Taksal, Buddha Dal and Guru Nanak Dal - blockaded railway tracks in Amritsar district. The protesters also disrupted rail services between Delhi and Punjab and road traffic in Fatehgarh, Phagwara, Bathinda and Moga towns.

The Sikh activists are demanding the arrest of the Dera chief and his bodyguard for allegedly killing three Sikhs - one in Mumbai, one in Dabwali (Haryana) and one in Sonam in district (Punjab).

…Damdami Taksal spokesperson Baba Harnam Singh appealed to protesters to remain calm. However, many Sikhs brandishing swords were seen forcibly closing down shops in Bathinda (‘Shutdown over Sikh-Dera row hits Punjab, Haryana’ 2008, Indo-Asian News Service, 23 July – Attachment 21).

There was limited specific information found in the sources consulted in relation to the treatment of Sikh supporters of the Dera Sacha Sauda in Punjab, with most articles referring to the treatment of DSS supporters in general.

The RRT research response dated 16 January 2008 refers to articles from 2007 that include allegations that DSS followers were being pressured to disassociate themselves from the sect (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND32740, 16 January, (Question 6) – Attachment 3). An article in The Times of India dated 5 July 2007 indicates that the Dera Sacha Sauda had alleged that its followers were “forcibly being converted to Sikhism.” A DSS memorandum stated “that ‘Dera followers are not being allowed to hold marriages or bhog ceremonies according to their customs. There have been incidents when the body of a Dera follower was not allowed to be cremated until the whole family vowed to disassociate themselves from the sect’” (Mullick, Rohit 2007, ‘Punjab govt settling scores: Dera’, The Times of India, 5 July – Attachment 22). An Indian Express article dated 2 July 2007 refers to “Punjab’s Leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal” alleging that the Akalis were “trying to terrorise Dera Sacha Sauda followers into disassociating themselves from the sect… Bhattal, a former Chief Minister, said Dera followers or premis, were being summoned to village gurdwaras where they were being coerced to swear that they had nothing to do with Sacha Sauda. The oath over, they were presented with siropas” (‘Dera followers being terrorised: Bhattal’ 2007, Indian Express, 2 July – Attachment 23).

A further article in Frontline dated 2-15 June 2007 indicates that “[c]lerics at the Anandpur Sahib Gurdwara at Talwandi Sabo, whose flock is most hit by Sachcha Sauda’s influence, have launched an energetic reconversion initiative. According to the Jathedar of the gurdwara, Balwant Singh Nandgarh, who is one of the five high priests of the Sikh faith, some 500 families have chosen to be readmitted to the religion, following public expressions of regret and a ritual of penitence. Sachcha Sauda followers, though, allege coercion. One SAD councillor in Bathinda is said to have told local premis to “come back to the gurdwara, for otherwise if the police were to pick you up tomorrow, I will not be able to help” (Swami, Praveen & Sethi, Aman 2007, ‘Faiths at War’, Frontline, Volume 24, Issue 11, 2-15 June http://www.flonnet.com/fl2411/stories/20070615002602500.htm - Accessed 14 March 2008 – Attachment 24).

According to an article dated 29 May 2007, “[a]s many as 2000 followers” of the Dera Sacha Sauda had “sought protection from the raging Sikh community, who have demanded the eviction of DSS followers from camps in Punjab”, by seeking refuge with “the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the top management body of Sikh shrines”. The article also indicates that DSS followers had “said that the dubious acts of DSS chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh were true” (‘Dera Sacha Sauda sect followers seek refuge under Sikh body’ 2007, Asian News International, 29 May – Attachment 25).

Another article dated 29 May 2007 indicates that “[t]he Akal Takht, the supreme spiritual and temporal seat of the Sikhs”, had “called upon the Sikh followers of Dera to leave the sect and ‘come back to Sikhism’” (‘Dera apology: Akal Takht dissatisfied’ 2007, IBNLive website, 29 May http://www.ibnlive.com/news/dera-apology-akal-takht-unsatisfied/top/41601- 3.html?xml - Accessed 10 March 2008 – Attachment 26).

A report on the NDTV.com [New Delhi Television Limited] website on 18 May 2007, which refers to a call by the Akal Takht to boycott Dera Sacha Sauda supporters, notes that “experts say that Dera followers have always been the marginalized as Dalit Sikhs.” The report indicates that:

“Theoretically, Sikhism is supposed to be without castes, but casteism is there and it has been perpetuated for political benefit,” said Professor MS Gill, Punjabi University, Patiala.

In fact, Dalit Sikhs have always had a separate Gurdwara and cremation ground - a separate God or spiritual leader is only a progression that Dera followers made (Choudhury, Sunetra 2007, ‘Dera followers flee Sunam’, NDTV.com website, 18 May http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070012512 – Accessed 2 December 2008 – Attachment 27).

Question 2 of the RRT research response dated 28 March 2008 refers to articles that include information on the possible effects of tensions between jats and dalits arising from the Sikh- specific caste hierarchy in Punjab on the political conflict between mainstream Sikhs and the Dera Sacha Sauda (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33077, 28 March, (Question 2) – Attachment 2).

An RRT research response dated 13 March 2008 also refers to sources that provide information on caste and political aspects of the conflict between the Dera Sacha Sauda and orthodox Sikhs (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33034, 13 March, (Question 1) – Attachment 28).

3. Please provide any information about whether such people can relocate to other parts of India.

A search of the sources consulted did not locate specific information on whether a Dera Sacha Sauda supporter could relocate to other parts of India.

The earlier RRT research response dated 16 January 2008 also indicates that specific information could not be found on whether a supporter of the Dera Sacha Sauda could relocate within India. The research response refers to articles that indicate that the Dera Sacha Sauda has branches and followers located outside Punjab and Haryana (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND32740, 16 January, (Question 9) – Attachment 3).

The RRT research response dated 13 March 2008 provides information on whether Sikhs could relocate outside Punjab to other areas within India, and refers to sources that indicate that there are many Sikh communities in India outside Punjab (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33034, 13 March, (Question 3) – Attachment 28).

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources: Government Information & Reports Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/ UK Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ US Department of State http://www.state.gov/ United Nations (UN) UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Refworld website http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain Non-Government Organisations Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/ Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org International News & Politics BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk Region Specific Links Search Engines Copernic http://www.copernic.com/

Databases: FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIAC Country Information database) REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Research & Information database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) MRT-RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33842, 31 October.

2. RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33077, 28 March.

3. RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND32740, 16 January.

4. ‘Tension over Dera Sacha Sauda again as chief escapes bomb attack, 10 hurt’ 2008, Indian Express, 2 February. (FACTIVA)

5. ‘Dera incident: High alert in Haryana, Punjab; chaos on highway’ 2008, Press Trust of India, 2 February. (CISNET India CX210686)

6. Joshi, Vishal 2008, ‘Clashes after attack on dera chief’s convoy’, The Tribune Online Edition, 3 February http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080203/main2.htm - Accessed 11 March 2008.

7. Sabharwal, Vijay 2008, ‘Attackers couldn’t identify Dera chief’s car: Cops’, The Times of India, 4 February. (FACTIVA)

8. Bajpai, Deepak 2008, ‘Attacker of Dera chief on the run’, NDTV (India), 7 February. (FACTIVA)

9. ‘Dera attack: Relative of mastermind nabbed in UP’ 2008, UNI (United News of India), 7 February. (FACTIVA)

10. Gupta, Kul Bhushan 2008, ‘College girl held for Dera chief attack’, Hindustan Times, 14 March. (FACTIVA)

11. ‘Attack on Ram Rahim: 1 more held’ 2008, The Times of India, 9 September. (FACTIVA)

12. Sharma, Parvesh 2008, ‘Fresh case filed against KLF militant, 3 others’, The Times of India, 12 October. (FACTIVA)

13. ‘Appear at Punjab Police hqs on Dec 3: HC to Dera chief’ 2008, The Times of India, 29 November. (FACTIVA)

14. Sharma, Shiv 2008, ‘CBI claims police interfering in Dera chief’s cases’, The Times of India, 11 November. (FACTIVA)

15. ‘Villagers protest against Dera, block road’ 2008, The Times of India, 12 November. (FACTIVA)

16. Kamal, Neel 2008, ‘5 injured in Dera-Sikh clash’, The Times of India, 16 August. (FACTIVA)

17. ‘Govt not for banning religious outfits: CS’ 2008, The Times of India, 11 November. (FACTIVA)

18. Sharma, Dinesh K. 2008, ‘Punjab police sniff out major KCF plan to kill Dera chief’, The Times of India, 11 November. (FACTIVA)

19. ‘Three terrorists nabbed in Punjab’ 2008, UNI (United News of India), 31 October. (FACTIVA)

20. ‘Sikhs clash with Sacha Sauda followers in Punjab’ 2008, UNI (United News of India), 25 July. (FACTIVA)

21. ‘Shutdown over Sikh-Dera row hits Punjab, Haryana’ 2008, Indo-Asian News Service, 23 July. (FACTIVA)

22. Mullick, Rohit 2007, ‘Punjab govt settling scores: Dera’, The Times of India, 5 July. (FACTIVA)

23. ‘Dera followers being terrorised: Bhattal’ 2007, Indian Express, 2 July. (FACTIVA)

24. Swami, Praveen & Sethi, Aman 2007, ‘Faiths at War’, Frontline, Volume 24, Issue 11, 2- 15 June http://www.flonnet.com/fl2411/stories/20070615002602500.htm - Accessed 14 March 2008.

25. ‘Dera Sacha Sauda sect followers seek refuge under Sikh body’ 2007, Asian News International, 29 May. (FACTIVA)

26. ‘Dera apology: Akal Takht dissatisfied’ 2007, IBNLive website, 29 May http://www.ibnlive.com/news/dera-apology-akal-takht-unsatisfied/top/41601-3.html?xml - Accessed 10 March 2008.

27. Choudhury, Sunetra 2007, ‘Dera followers flee Sunam’, NDTV.com website, 18 May http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070012512 – Accessed 2 December 2008.

28. RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33034, 13 March.