Release of Sirsa dera head raises eyebrows

The recent release of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rape and murder convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim on parole a week ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections has raised eyebrows.

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This is not for the first time that Ram Rahim — who is undergoing 20-year imprisonment in connection with the rape of two of his disciples, and has also been sentenced for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati — has been released just before elections. He has, on several occasions, been released around elections in Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Delhi — places where the dera has considerable influence.

“We have witnessed a series of ‘planned coincidences’ in the recent past. It is quite obvious that the frequent paroles and furloughs being granted to the dera chief around elections are motivated by political considerations. People now seem to be unmoved by such blatant measures, which is the real cause of concern,” says author and political commentator Dr Satish Tyagi.

The considerable hold of heads of these “spiritual sects” on their followers despite conviction in criminal cases perplexes not only the average man, but even the sociologists.

“The influence of such self-styled mystics on a large number of people despite their conviction in cases of heinous crime like rape and murder is intriguing,” says Dr Neerja Ahlawat, a sociologist.

She opines that some kind of brainwashing or hypnosis seems to be at play in these deras and ashrams.

“The followers of such sects are strongly united through resource networking and support systems designed to serve their individual interests and give them a sense of being under a common protective umbrella. Several highly educated persons blindly following these ‘gurus’ is surprising,” she adds.

Sociologist Jitendra Prasad points out that the followers of a given sect tend to tilt towards a party that grants their guru some relief under its tenure. “Owing to strong networking and mass hypnosis, the message is promptly circulated and religiously followed by staunch disciples,” he states.

The fact that leaders of ruling and opposition parties make a beeline to pay obeisance at these deras and ashrams, and the fact that no party has opposed the grant of frequent paroles and furloughs to such self-styled godmen, indicates that these so-called spiritual outfits, which are supposed to benefit the common people, prove more beneficial for the powerful.