BJP’s way to get votes: Cong; no politics involved: Govt

Chandigarh, August 13

As rape and murder convict, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, was released today on 21-day furlough and proceeded to his Baghpat ashram in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress and the BJP traded charges on the timing of his release.

The dera chief has influence over several districts of Haryana and could help the BJP in the state elections as he had been doing in the past. State Congress chief Udai Bhan said the saffron party could do anything to win the poll and claimed that the dera chief’s release would not impact the Congress’ prospects. He said, “This is their (BJP) tactic to get votes. They can do anything to get the mandate, but people have understood their game. The dera chief’s release is not going to impact the poll.”

On the other hand, Jails Minister Ranjit Singh claimed, “There is no politics involved. The matter doesn’t even come to us and is decided by the Divisional Commissioner concerned as per the 2022 Act [Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022].”

Dera Sacha Sauda has a significant number of followers in Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Panchkula, Ambala and Kurukshetra. Ram Rahim has frequently been granted furlough or parole around elections. Earlier, he was released on a 21-day furlough on February 7, 2022, just before the Punjab Assembly elections on February 14. — TNS