Peeved at the defiant stand taken by Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha Member S S Ahluwalia has asked the former to drop 'Gurmeet Singh' as part of his name and adopt a new name after he insulted the tenth guru of the Sikhs Guru Gobind Singh by appearing in attire similar to the one worn by the guru and distributed amrit (nectar) to his followers at his Dera in Sirsa.

"Why not? He should not only stop using the name Gurmeet Singh, but also Ram and Rahim as he is insulting the Sikhs, the Hindus and the Muslims alike. He is a shameless character who has created unncessary furore by his uncalled for actions," Ahluwalia told rediff.com on Sunday night on phone.

The veteran parliamentarian pointed out that Vishwa Hindu Parishad chief Ashok Singhal has also reacted sharply to the actions of Baba Ram Rahim.

The Sikh clergy was so upset with the pictures that appeared on May 15 in some newspapers in Punjab that they demanded an immediate apology.

On Sunday, the heads of five takhts asked the state government to close down all the Deras in Punjab. The Sikh high priests will review the situation on May 31 in a meeting to be held under Akal Takht jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti.

The Dera chief has been directed to apologise before the Sikh sangat, but Baba Ram Rahim has been dilly dallying on the issue and has refused to use the word mafinama in the regrets issued.

His spokesman has put the responsibility on the state administration for protecting Deras from Sikhs who are waiting to destroy them.

Journalists are becoming targets of attacks both in Amritsar and Sirsa. Media vehicles with stickers of 'Press' are being attacked on the national highways as well by both parties.

With a Punjab bandh slated for Tuesday, media colleagues have been advising newsmen from Delhi to travel by night to reach their destinations in order to ensure their personal safety.