Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the head of the Dera Sacha Sauda has once again been released on parole. This time for 30 days. He is serving two sentences of ten years each after having been convicted in a rape case. This is his twelfth parole since 2020 when he became eligible for it for the first time. During last two years, he has been released on parole seven times, a unique ‘feat’ for a convict undergoing a sentence for rape.
Dera Sacha Sauda is a sect with its headquarters in the Sirsa town of Haryana. It has followers spread across five states. While most of the supporters are based in Haryana and Punjab, the dera has presence in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi also. Despite the conviction and 20 years’ sentence, Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh remains quite popular among his followers, who believe that he (Singh) has been implicated, convicted and sentenced under a conspiracy.
Whenever there are elections, anywhere in the states he holds influence in, he gets paroles for long periods. While the Bharatiya Janata Party remains in power, it is being accused of using his influence in the elections. Every party would do it. Even the Congress did it in Punjab in 2007, the Akalis also did it in the past, as did the Indian National Lok Dal of the Chautalas.
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He may not hold a sweeping sway and influence over his followers, but he does carry a lot of influence and a considerable section of them does vote according to his directives.
It is not that he announces blanket support for one particular political party. In every election, his overall support may be for one party, but ‘Dera’ is known for supporting individual candidates in different parliamentary and assembly elections. That is the reason not many political parties oppose his parole. In any case getting parole is his legal right, which he has been exercising and is lucky enough to be able to exercise it. Not every convict undergoing long sentence is as lucky as him.
Everything seemed to be going on quite well for Ram Rahim, till he courted controversy by dressing up like Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, serving ‘amrit’ like him. This infuriated the Sikh community, which sought action against him for this “sacrilege”. Later he was awarded “pardon” by Akal Takht in a controversial manner, as he did not personally appear before the Akal Takht for pardon. Eventually the pardon was withdrawn.
Dera Sacha Sauda supporters are also being accused of having committed the sacrilege and desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot in 2015. The incident is still haunting the state, as it has not been conclusively established as who was the real culprit. The sect has repeatedly denied its role in the incidents of sacrilege.
His repeated paroles have been opposed by the Sikh leadership from time to time. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has strongly opposed his parole this time also.
As the BJP has posed a tough challenge to the AAP in Delhi as it wants to return to power in the national capital after 26 years, it (the BJP) has been trying to pull all the stops. The number of Dera followers may not be very significant in Delhi, but in the constituencies bordering Haryana, there are a lot of them, on whom BJP appears to be banking. In the past, the BJP seems to have definitely benefited from the Dera support, at least in Haryana. Or at least, there is a perception that Dera support was instrumental in its last victory.
Like most of the political leaders from northern states pay obeisance at the Dera Beas, which has always remained non-controversial and politically neutral, before the sacrilege incident, all political leaders would pay obeisance to Ram Rahim also.
He would have a stream of visitors, particularly during the election time, from all the political parties. After registration of cases not many people would visit him. However, his prominent followers have always maintained contact with all the political parties trying to keep everyone happy. But normally, the Dera is believed to be always going along with the winning side for obvious reasons.
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