“Bahaaron phool barsao, mera mehboob aaya hai”, the tune of the immortal Mohammed Rafi tune rings out from loudspeakers seconds earlier than Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim arrives on the stage at his ashram at Barnawa in Baghpat on the Meerut-Baraut state freeway.
Sentenced to life on two separate counts of rape and homicide and jailed in Haryana’s Sunaria jail, Rahim is out on parole – coinciding with one other spherical of elections within the state, this time an Adampur bypoll and coming panchayat polls. Nonetheless, that makes little distinction to his followers, males, ladies and kids, round 600 of whom are on the ashram immediately to hearken to his sermon and bhajan, sitting on white sheets, in separate pavilions.
Each few metres are stationed personnel of the Dera’s personal safety staff, protecting a detailed watch. Cellphones are a strict no-no, to be deposited on the entrance.
Whereas on parole, Ram Rahim has been holding on-line classes, together with with Haryana BJP leaders Ranbir Gangwa (the Meeting Deputy Speaker), Renu Bala Gupta (the Karnal Mayor) and Himachal minister Bikram Thakur, and has recorded and launched a music video. Each night, his each day sermons are put up on Fb.
As per Haryana Jail guidelines, a convict is entitled to parole of 90 days yearly, topic to clearances on his conduct and safety clearances from the district administration the place she or he can be staying in the course of the parole interval. Haryana Prisons Minister Ranjit Singh earlier advised The Indian Specific it’s “the authorized proper of any convict to be launched from the jail on parole or furlough, offered the convict has accomplished a requisite variety of months of the imprisonment”.
The Barnawa ashram was established by Ram Rahim’s “guru” Shah Satnam Singh in 1980. The primary Dera Sacha Sauda ashram in UP, it’s unfold over 100-odd acres. Granted 40-day parole on October 14, Ram Rahim is anticipated to remain right here until the tip of the interval, i.e. November 24.
The second Ram Rahim, wearing a spotless white kurta-pyjama, takes his place on his particular chair, he alerts the background music to be postpone. Pin-drop silence falls on the pandal, the place ladies devotees outnumber the lads.
Sandeep Kaur, who works with the Dera Sacha Sauda’s media cell, says the devotee numbers would have been a lot increased. “Round 500 to 800 of his followers come each day for the bhajans and sermons by Babaji. The numbers are low because the Dera has despatched a message to its followers to not come for a darshan of Babaji whereas he’s on parole. Had these been regular instances, there would have been enormous crowds,” Kaur says.
Ram Rahim begins by asking his devotees to protect towards alcohol, meat and infidelity. “Earlier than I begin immediately’s guru mantra, I’ll enchantment to you to take three vows – for abstinence from alcohol, and for marital constancy and vegetarianism. With out incorporating this in your life-style, you can’t attain prosperity and happiness,” he says, including: “I’m prepared to debate with any scientist on this planet how following these vows ensures longevity and sound well being.”
Ram Rahim provides: “Individuals will see and choose you as per who they’re, and therefore you shouldn’t fear about what opinion they’ve fashioned about you, and comply with the three vows. With these three and the guru mantra, I assure drastic adjustments in your well being in addition to prosperity.”
He additionally tells his devotees to not donate something to the ashram. “If that you must donate, assist the poor or admit victims of street accidents to hospitals, and God will take care of you.”
The three.52-second music video launched by the Dera Sacha Sauda chief on parole, written, composed and directed by him, got here out on the evening of Diwali on YouTube and had been seen by 42 lakh viewers in a day. Individually, Ram Rahim introduced that he had given a brand new identify to his “adopted daughter”, Honeypreet, who had additionally been accused with him however was exonerated later. “She might be recognized any longer as Ruhani didi or Ruh di, within the language of millennial youths,” he stated.
Among the many few to have questioned how Ram Rahim seems to have stepped again into his pre-conviction routine, whereas on parole, is Delhi Fee for Girls chief Swati Maliwal. “Ram Rahim is a rapist and assassin. He’s given life imprisonment by the court docket, however the Haryana authorities provides him parole every time they need. He’s organising satsang and ruling celebration leaders attend these meet. I enchantment to Haryana authorities to take again his parole,” she tweeted just lately.
Requested about her remark, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had stated, “I’ve no position on this… jails have their very own guidelines.”
Sandeep Kaur says they’re very strict about who visits Ram Rahim. “No political chief has come to fulfill Babaji in the course of the current parole. We’re strictly following situations hooked up to the parole and don’t need to violate any regulation,” Kaur stated.
Ram Rahim was first convicted in August 2017 by a particular CBI court docket in Panchkula, and is at present serving a 20-year jail time period for raping two of his ladies disciples on the Dera headquarters in Sirsa. In 2019, Ram Rahim and three others have been convicted for the 2002 homicide of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. Final yr, he, together with 4 others, was convicted for hatching a conspiracy to kill the Dera’s former supervisor Ranjit Singh, who was shot lifeless, additionally in 2002.
In the meantime, wrapping up his sermon on the ashram, Ram Rahim tells his gathered devotees: “Place confidence in me as a result of I’m the chosen one to guide you in the direction of well being and prosperity.” His followers break right into a bhajan: “Dhan-dhan satguru, tera hello aasra (Blessed are you, the true guru, you’re my solely hope).”
