Man with Many Faces, a Long Shadow
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HINDUSTAN TIMES, CHANDIGARH 4 ❘ punjab/haryana ❘ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012 Man with many faces, a long shadow SELF-STYLED GODMAN Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda’s enigmatic chief attracts a lot of awe, but also a certain contempt Hitender Rao and prowess. He himself sings ■ [email protected] bhajans (religious songs) dur- ing the satsang (discourse and INTERVIEW SIRSA (HARYANA): For an onlooker, prayer). he remains an enigma. A huge In fact, a new video of the GURMEET RAM RAHIM SINGH following of admirers who dera chief donning the role of swear by his name, an array a western singer is about to be of philanthropic activities to released. We are keen to resolve his credit, a Z-plus security The music video, titled cover, flashy outfits, and also Insaan, features Gurmeet Ram a string of controversies sur- Rahim in a western outfit, wear- dera-Sikh row peacefully rounding him. The head of Dera ing fingerless gloves, tapping Sacha Sauda (DSS), 45-year-old to the tunes of a self-composed he November 24 clash A lot of Sikhs are dera fol- They were of the view that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh song – ‘Thank you for that’. Dr between a group of lowers. However, there are since they live in a society, enjoys godly status among his Insaan says the composition also TSikhs and supporters some goons who, in the garb they needed representatives followers. carries “a message of goodness of the Dera Sacha Sauda in of religion, commit bad deeds who could help in getting their The self-styled godman comes and morality”. Sirsa has put a politico-reli- and disturb peace. work done. There is nothing from a Jat Sikh family of Gurusar gious rivalry in the limelight wrong with that; everyone Modia village in Rajasthan’s POWERPLAY, AND again. And this ongoing feud Such incidents often create has the right to vote. Casting Sriganganagar district. He was THE PRICE threatens to disrupt peace in opportunities for radical ballot is an individual’s pre- inducted into the sect at the Having excelled in large-scale Haryana and neighbouring elements to disturb peace. rogative. I fail to understand age of seven by his predecessor humanitarian work, the dera, Punjab. The genesis lay in Do you agree? why some people think that by Shah Satnam Singh Maharaj. probably in a rather ambitious the 2007 episode when the Yes, there are such people… I creating disturbance, they can The third of the dera’s chiefs, shift, decided to subtly dabble in dera chief allegedly hurt reli- would like to quote a couplet mould people’s views… Gurmeet Ram Rahim took over politics. It has set up a political gious sentiments by wearing to answer this: Na Hindu bura Politicians from various the reins when he was barely 23. affairs wing. attire akin to that worn by hai, na hi Sikh Isaai Musalman parties came to the dera He is married and has children, In the 2007 Punjab assembly the tenth Sikh guru. As both bura hai; burai pe utar aaye woh during the Punjab assembly though he is said to have sacri- polls, it supported the Congress. sides blame the other for the insan bura hai (Hindu, Sikh, polls. We asked them to give ficed his personal life for public The party may have lost over- violence and arson, HT posed Christian or Muslim, none is an undertaking that they will service, and thus not much is all, but the dera’s political some questions to the dera’s actually bad; bad is the man make efforts to curb drug known about it. affairs wing helped it do well in chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim who indulges in bad deeds). addiction, female foeticide; we He has probably never looked Punjab’s Malwa region, which Singh, during the evening sat- Those who are looking to asked them to give affidavits back since. was traditionally considered an sang at the dera headquarters disturb peace, they get an in this regard. Akali stronghold. in Sirsa. opportunity… We had said FAME AND GLOOM The dera’s emergence as earlier that we are ready to Do you feel a danger to your- The Sirsa-based cult has a power player, however, did What is the solution to the take an initiative and enter self in these circumstances? attained both fame and discredit ■ Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh honouring roller skaters from dera-run educational institutes. HT PHOTO not go down well with many ongoing feud between into a dialogue to settle issues. Hamara toh Satguru maula with Gurmeet Ram Rahim at the and invited the wrath of Sikh Sikhs and Dera Sacha Actually, we took several ini- hai (God is our master). I helm. While the socio-spiritual the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind official monitoring the recent ATHLETE, WHO LIKES Panthic organisations. Some Sauda followers? tiatives, but apparently no have never felt any danger organisation has earned emi- Singh at a public function in situation. Many in the state THE GOOD LIFE political observers relate the We want to resolve this in solution could come out. nor would, ever. nence for humanitarian work Salabatpura in Bathinda by administration also believe that He may be under fire in one 2007 controversy with the a peaceful manner. In fact, – blood donation, eye donation, donning attire resembling the the fresh round of hostilities sense, but Gurmeet Ram Rahim dera’s growing political clout we were ready to resolve it The feuds arose after the dera But it seems rehabilitation of prostitutes, guru’s. The incident set off wide- may continue for a while. The certainly lives in style. He drives and ambition. earlier too and do not have started dabbling in politics. that the dera relief operations during calami- spread violent clashes between police booked about 2,000 dera a Range Rover sports utility However, in the 2012 assem- any dispute with the Sikhs. Is it okay for a socio-religious followers are ties -- it has its share of contro- radical Sikhs and dera follow- followers following Saturday’s vehicle (SUV), wears flashy bly polls in Punjab, the dera sect to get directly or indi- becoming intoler- versies, including two murder ers. As the radicals demanded violence in Sirsa. clothes and headgear, delivers seemed to have lost much of rectly involved in politics? ant? The violence cases including that of journalist his head, the dera chief had “We may not like to spell out sermons from an ostentatiously its political credence. “Even the I have nothing to do with on November 24 is an Ram Chander Chattarpati, a a narrow escape in February the exact reasons but it seems decorated podium, and enjoys father-in-law of his (dera chief’s) politics. The sangat indicator. Would you like case of sexual exploitation of 2008 when his cavalcade was that whenever certain pending proximity to influential politi- son, a Congress candidate from (followers) wanted to send a message to women followers, and a case of attacked in Karnal. Later, a court cases against the dera cians. A Z-plus protectee, he Bathinda-urban, lost the polls to set up a politi- your followers? alleged castration of devotees. Khalistan Liberation Force head or the followers arrive also has a select band of pri- this time,” underlines a dera cal affairs wing. We have always propagated Dera supporters are quick (KLF) operative and six others at a critical stage, the ‘premis’ vate security guards forming watcher. love and peace. But I would to term the “infamy propagan- were arrested and sentenced to become edgy and start flexing an inner cordon to protect him. The dera spokesperson, like to ask you: if someone da” as part of “well-planned imprisonment in the case. their muscles,” says another During his religious discourses, however, insists that the sect enters your house and attacks conspiracies of various anti- government official. four elegantly dressed ceremo- has never issued any diktats to your family, would you turn a dera elements”. It must be men- RECENT VIOLENCE Dera spokesperson Dr Aditya nial guards stand close to the its followers. “In fact, it is the blind eye towards them? Our tioned, though, that Gumeet The outbreak of recent clash- Insaan denies the charge. podium. sangat (followers) that decides followers were meditating in Ram Rahim has been exoner- es between the dera’s followers “We never started the alter- “He is a tireless worker who on its own and chooses the best the Naam Charcha Ghar in ated in a case pertaining to the (called ‘premis’) and Sikhs has cation. But still we are being is an example for others,” says candidate, irrespective of party their hometown Sirsa. We murder of a former dera man- its origin in the 2007 contro- blamed. People on the other Dr Aditya Insan. or affiliation,” he claims. were not interfering in any- ager, Faqir Chand. versy. “Deep seeds of hostility side were issuing open threats An avid sportsperson, Politicians of various hues one’s affairs. But, are we pro- The dera chief was also at were sown in 2007 when the on November 24 but have not Gurmeet Ram Rahim is often and shades, however, continue hibited from using the streets the centre of a religious contro- dera chief made a public appear- even been booked,” says Insaan, seen playing cricket, football or to visit the dera to solicit the leading to our homes and our versy in 2007 when he purport- ance dressed as the tenth Sikh showing some video footage of throwing the javelin with what “blessings” of Gurmeet Ram ashram? edly tried to portray himself as guru,” says a senior Haryana the recent Sirsa incident.