Panchkula: Bhiwani resident Rajpal doesn’t flinch an eye when he talks about his guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. “Duniya jhooti hai, bas ek yeh akele sache hai (The world is a lie, only he is true),” the 60-year-old says about the rape accused self-styled godman, famously known as Messenger of God (MSG).
Rajpal is part of the thousands of people who have come in from Bhiwani, taking the total number of MSG’s followers camping at Panchkula to over a lakh. MSG is the head of Dera Sacha Sauda.
The quaint town in Haryana has been turned into a fortress as a special CBI court is set to deliver its verdict in a rape case that was filed by one of MSG’s women followers, known as sadhvis.
The accusations, however, are not strong enough for MSG’s followers to disrespect him. Many have travelled far and wide and got to Panchkula much before the court ordered restrictions to be put in place.
MSG’s sadhvis are not taking a shower, but in all parks around the CBI court, men can be seen taking a shower and cleaning themselves openly from water in large tubs that have been placed in various spots.
“We came here three days ago. I came alone with my teenage sons and daughter. Baba has always been there for us whenever we’ve needed him. Now, he needs us,” 47-year-old Bimla told CNN News18. A resident of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, she had made herself a make-shift tent in one of the parks around the court.
One could see scores of huge boxes with chapatis, different types of pickle and cold drinks placed at various spots where the followers were camping. “We are very comfortable here. We just want the truth out,” Bimla asserted. So, does she believe that MSG is being accused of no reason?
“Of course. He has done such good work. He can do no wrong,” she cemented. Bimla wasn’t the only one who thought that the self-styled godman was being tried on false charges.
“All world leaders who were ahead of their time were wronged. Look at Kabir and Guru Nanak. This is what is happening to our Ram Rahim,” said Rajkumar, a resident of Bhiwani. The 58-year-old said that MSG was a complete saint and all of these were accusations to bring him down.
The Dera Sacha Sauda claims to have 50 million followers. The followers of the sect are called ‘Premis’ and consider the godman to be their spiritual preceptor, psychologist, family confidante and business advisor.
A woman follower, 15 years ago in 2002, wrote an anonymous letter to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee narrating her ordeal. She alleged that the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh raped her and other Sadhvis too. The contents of the letter indicated that she was called to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's room one night. When she entered the room, an armed Singh with a revolver was there with a pornographic movie playing in the background. The Sadhvi claimed that she was raped and assaulted for three years and 35-40 other women too had to bear the same pain.
Despite such strong allegations, the magnetic pull of MSG has ensured his supporters believe that the cases against him are a conspiracy to malign their guru.
Calling him the messenger of peace, Rajkumar said: “whenever evil in the world rises, baba descends on Earth.”
“We are peace-loving people. We don’t want any ruckus and will not indulge in any violence. We just want our guru safe and sound,” he said.
Comments
0 comment