Patiala: Activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa is set to descend from a 400-foot telecommunications tower in Samana on Friday, bringing the Samana Tower Morcha to a close after a prolonged protest over a strong law against sacrilege. “An Akhand Path commenced early Wednesday morning near Baba Banda Singh Bahadar Chowk. The Bhog ceremony is scheduled for Friday around 10 am, after which Khalsa will come down from the tower,” said one activist. The morcha began with longstanding demands from the Sikh community for a formal, legally enforceable law protecting sanctity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Incidents of sacrilege against the holy scripture had caused anguish across Punjab over the past several years, and the community had claimed that existing legal frameworks were insufficient. Khalsa had climbed the telecom tower and refused to come down until concrete legislative action was taken providing stringent punishment for sacrilege.On April 13 this year, the Punjab Legislative Assembly passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2026. Following an official notification by the Punjab govt, the law came into effect across the state, fulfilling the central demand of the morcha. District authorities said they were taking precautions to ensure Khalsa’s safety during the descent. Patiala ADC Damanjit Singh Mann said the administration was working to maintain contact with Khalsa and bring him down safely. “We are making every possible effort to maintain contact with Gurjeet Singh and to bring him down in a safe manner,” Mann said. Officials said bringing a person down from a height of about 400 feet required specialised technical expertise and standard rescue arrangements were inadequate. The district administration had consulted police, the fire brigade and other expert agencies. A formal request was also made to the Indian Army for technical assistance. SDM Samana Richa Goyal said the Army’s involvement was sought for its specialised experience and equipment for high-risk rescues.Officials said Khalsa indicated he intended to climb down on his own, but they were not willing to take chances. They said his health deteriorated during his time on the tower, and that a self-managed descent carried risks. “The first priority of the district administration is the protection of a human life,” ADC Mann said. “The entire operation is being carried out safely, without any haste.”Morcha coordinator Gurpreet Singh confirmed the sequence of events for Friday and said the peaceful conclusion reflected how the agitation was conducted. He said that Khalsa’s health had deteriorated as he has diabetes and other ailments. MSID: 130445542 413 |
