The
special CBI court on 17, January 2019, sentenced the Sirsa based Dera Sacha Sauda
chief Ram Rahim Singh and three others to life imprisonment for
the murder of journalist Ramchander Chhatrapati. The court also imposed a fine
of ₹50,000 each.
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| Ram Rahim- The Dera Sacha Sauda Chief |
Dera Sacha
Sauda Chief Ram Rahim was in news for raping his followers. A huge fan
following created a riot like situation in Punjab and Haryana states of India
in August 2017 after the court gave its verdict against a spiritual leader
Gurmeet Singh.
Who was Ramchander Chhatrapati?
The
case pertains to the murder of journalist Ramchander Chhatrapati in year 2002
after he published an anonymous letter in his evening newspaper ''Poora Sach''
by a female Dera follower who accused Gurmeet Ram Rahim of rape. Chhatrapati
was shot five times outside his house. He succumbed to his injuries a few days
later.
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| The murdered Journalist- Ramchander Chhatrapati |
Who is Ram Rahim or Gurmeet Singh?
Ram Rahim
or Gurmeet Singh is Dera Sacha Sauda Chief, who has been a self-claimed
spiritual leader and a god like figure for some believers in India. However,
the self-claimed god man launched a couple of Movies and some product in
business, and fans had been a source of revenue as well.
He has
been the head of the India-based socio-spiritual organization Dera Sacha Sauda
since 23 September 1990. DSS oversees several social programmes, such as
cleanliness campaigns, blood donation drives, tree planting, disaster relief,
and support for transgender people.
What do believers think of him?
Supporters
claimed that he was not guilty and a baseless letter was the cause of putting Ram Rahim
in Jail. They considered it a conspiracy, and injustice.
Followers
believe that he has been godlike figure, and protected so many prostitutes.
Therefore, he is a spiritual leader, social reformer, actor, director and
singer, so it is impossible for him to commit the crime.
What is the truth?
The Rape allegations
against Gurmeet Ram Rahim go back to 2002, when a Dera (Ram Rahim’s Ashram)
Sadhvi ( A woman who lives to serve) wrote a letter to then PM Atal Bihari
Bajpayee saying that she was rape several times and so her companions.
In
letter, the victim elaborated that she tried to communicate with her family and
other devotees but, people had so much faith that they would deny anything
against Gurmeet Singh.
Being
famous spiritual celebrity with a morality tag, even if it does not exist, he
could have killed the Sadhvi. So she wanted to be anonymous, but wanted a test
to be conducted or a standard procedure to be followed so that the truth could
come on the surface.
In letter, the Sadhvi revealed her pain that
people considered Sadhvis pure, but they were treated like prostitutes in
Ashram and given the example of Lord Krishna’ who had Gopis for pleasing
him.
The
Punjab and Haryana High court took sou motu – of its own accord and directed in
May 2002 directed the District and Sessions Judge (Sirsa) to probe. However,
the judge found that no one was willing to speak up.
The CBI examined 18 girls who had left the ashram, some of who
said that the Dera chief, its management and his followers were “very dangerous
people” and they feared for their lives if they spoke up.
It was in May-July 2006 that the CBI managed to convince two
victims to share complete information. They gave a detailed account of what was
happening inside the Dera chief’s rooms and what transpired to them in August
1999. One of them recorded her statement under Section 164 of the Cr.PC in
March 2007.
[Reference:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/evidence-that-nailed-ram-rahim-cbi/article19567218.ece]
To
get the whole copy of statement please CLICK ON THE link above, however. Since
2002, in August 2017, he was found guilty and awarded minimum 10 +10 years of
jail.
Reaction of the crowd
The
followers are psychological slaves often and too sentimental to understand
justice. They denied evidence and ruling of the court. They protested heavily
in Punjab and Haryana States, and partially Delhi was affected when the verdict was given in 2017. Section
144 was imposed, that meant no gathering or crowd. However millions of devotees
took to the streets and harmed the public properties. They attacked on news
crews.
Conclusion
Rapists/murderers should get punishments, and
the justice is evidence based process. Political parties use influence of such
gurus who are doing welfare of people for namesake publicity.
The
spirituality tag should not be considered as the character certificate for
someone. Thanks to the CBI who took the case seriously and to the justice
system that it did not show any mercy to such a criminal.
