DERA SACHA SAUDA

The country’s independence was just a year old and the state of Haryana was yet to be born. In the Sirsa area of erstwhile Punjab, Baluchistani saint, Shah Mastanji, set up a spiritual and social organisation by the name of Dera Sacha Sauda. On September 23, 1990, the Dera’s guru, Satnam Singh anointed Ram Rahim Singh as his successor. The new leader had a penchant for staying in the news, be it for organising mammoth blood donation camps that landed the Dera in the Guinness Book of World Records, or for inspiring its followers to marry sex workers. These initiatives transformed him into Sant Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhji.

The breaks to this rise came in the form of an uproar when Rahim Singh imitated the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh in a publicity campaign.

He faced opposition and attacks from Sikhs. A warrant was also issued in his name for hurting religious sentiments. Then tumbled out grave charges against him. The first of having killed a Dera follower by the name of Fakir Chand, the second of having got murdered Ranjit Singh, a manager of the Dera, and a journalist, Ram Chandra Chatrapati. The third was of sexual harassment, a charge that became public when an anonymous sadhvi wrote to the Prime Minister accusing Rahim Singh of sexual assault. 

All the cases are being investigated by the CBI. In Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, Rahim Singh’s popularity is such that people address him as Papaji and are ready to do anything for him. One person who has deposed against him admits that life has become very difficult.  “I had loaned lakhs to an acquaintance who now refuses to pay up only because I have spoken against Rahim Singhji. Even the police do not want to intervene.”