Ram Rahim wished women devotees wear western outfits, claim followers
Vishal Joshi
Tribune News Service
Kurukshetra, August 29
Flamboyant sect leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, now in jail for raping two of his ‘sadhvis’ women followers, was intending to give a glamour touch to his ‘spiritual’ dera to attract the rich and the famous.
The Tribune spoke to a few ardent dera followers who claimed they had instructions for women to preferably wear western outfits as per the wish of the sect leader while visiting the Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa.
Devotees with a passport stamped with travel visa to various countries were given a privileged treatment.
They admit the controversial institution had started discriminating the followers on their financial status.
For the last few years, the emphasis was being laid to wear flashy robes at the dera functions, said a follower.
“A considerable section of the dera followers belong to the economically underprivileged backgrounds. But the dera management in Sirsa and at the respective district units used to insist followers to wear western outfits for a stylish lifestyle. Some visitors were seen pleading their inability to afford a separate set of robes for the dera,” said a devotee who did not wish to be identified.
Another fellow ‘premi’ (as followers are called) said a passport stamped with a visa was a guarantee to enjoy special status at the dera.
“There was a special counter at Sirsa where visitors could produce their visa-stamped passport to the dera administration. Such persons were served food in special enclosures, allotted luxurious rooms to stay and allowed to have closer darshan of Ram Rahim, which otherwise was not possible for a regular devotee,” he said.
Contrary to the claims that the dera did not accept remittances, the devotees claimed they were forced to give donations frequently.
“Items, including empty food baskets and vegetables, were auctioned by the dera management at exorbitant prices. Devotees were told these items had divine powers of the dera chief and devotees use to jostle to get one,” he said.
A woman follower said she went to Panchkula on August 23, two days prior to the conviction of Ram Rahim, which was followed by widespread violence.
“We were asked by the dera authorities to reach Panchkula in groups for celebrations as Ram Rahim is bound to be acquitted by the court. But it was shocking that devotees were used as human shield by a section of violent members of the dera. I along with a few other women ‘premis’ were lucky to get pushed out of Panchkula by the police and our faith has been completely shattered,” she said.
