When 'god of politicians' pleaded for mercy before the judge!

CHANDIGARH: The “Pita Ji” as addressed by Dera's cult of some 50 lakh followers went on knees, while breaking down, seeking mercy from special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh inside the Rohtak jail on Monday. For last few days his followers have held two Northern states of India –Punjab and Haryana to ransom, by threatening, pressurizing and vandalizing.

However, that didn’t deter the judge to pronounce 10-year imprisonment to self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim- convicted in the rape case. A water tight case prepared by the CBI didn’t give the rapist Baba’s advocates to exploit any loophole. The CBI judge who was flown to Rohtak jail gave ten minutes each – to both sides to present their arguments. The CBI had sought life imprisonment, while the defence cited his age, health, and social work as mitigating factors.

After Singh was convicted in the rape case on August 25, the followers of the Dera resorted to violent protests across several parts of Haryana and Delhi. At least 38 people were killed in the violent clashes, mostly in Panchkula. The administration has issued a stern warning to Dera followers and is keeping a close vigil on Rohtak and surrounding areas.

Anshul Chhatrapati, son of the slain journalist who blew the lid on Dera Sacha Sauda chief, said that the CBI court's verdict was satisfactory. "We have been saying since long that Ram Rahim Singh is an enemy of our society."

The CBI filed the charge sheet against the Dera head in an Ambala court in July 2007 about five years after the registration of the rape case. The charge sheet mentions sexual exploitation of two ‘sadhvis’ (women followers) between 1999 and 2001. The special CBI court framed charges against him under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC in September 2008.

Between 2009 and 2010, the two complainants recorded their statements before the court. The special CBI court shifted from Ambala to Panchkula and the case against the Dera chief was also transferred to Panchkula CBI Court.

It is the political parties -Congress, SAD and BJP, who have sought Dera support openly from time to time almost in all the state assembly elections in the last twenty years. Giving rise to the dera culture and its influence.

On Saturday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the violence, after the conviction of Mr Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. While responding to Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain, who is representing the Centre, the court said ”He is the Prime Minister of India, is Haryana not a part of India? Why is it that Haryana and Punjab are treated like step children?” Before this, the court had also pulled up Haryana’s Chief Minister M L Khattar saying ”You let a city like Panchkula burn due to political reasons.”

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s role is also under scanner. 75 people have died in different agitations in last three years in Haryana. The nation- wide outcry seems to have made little impact on Khattar and his advisers. Ironically, the unfazed Chief Minister of Haryana thinks, he and his team has dealt with the situation effectively. With the Home Minister Rajnath Singh giving him a clean chit, Khattar and his coterie seems to be at ease.

Four columns of Army have cordoned off the Dera’s headquarters at Sirsa. In Rohtak a seven-layer security cordon has been laid around the jail to prevent a repeat of Friday’s violence. All educational institutions, including government and private schools, colleges and other institutions, in districts Panchkula, Rohtak, Kaithal, Ambala, Bhiwani and Fatehabad remained closed on August 28. Both Haryana and Punjab has extended the suspension of mobile internet till August 29.