Dera sends draft of joint statement

Efforts to end the face-off between Sikhs and Dera Sacha Sauda on Thursday appeared to have made headway as the Sirsa-based religious sect sent the draft of a joint statement, which is to be the basis of peace between the two sides.

Swami Agnivesh told PTI on telephone from Delhi that he had received the draft of the statement from the Dera and was discussing the same with leaders of other religions who had accompanied him to Sirsa for marathon talks with Dera chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh.

"We are trying to simplify the draft statement which we will telephonically discuss with the Sikh leaders", he said.

Besides Swami Agnivesh, the draft statement sent by the Dera was being examined by leaders of other religions Rakesh Prakash Jain, Father Philips and Mohammad Jamal Ahmed Ilyasi who had gone to Sirsa.