Dera Sacha Sauda chief to hold online satsang from Bathinda's Salabatpura on Jan 29
Mohali, January 28: Notwithstanding opposition to frequent paroles to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the self-styled godman has announced his online satsang at Salabatpura in Punjab's Bathinda on January 29.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has been opposing Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim's parole and has decided to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the issue.
Followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim have started preparations for the event. Salabatpura is the second largest dera after that of Sirsa in Haryana. Ram Rahim will be addressing his followers online from here.
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On parole controversy, Haryana Power Minister Ranjit Singh had said no additional parole had been given to the dera chief. The Jail Minister said 10 weeks of parole and four weeks of furlough were given in a year. He (Ram Rahim) could ask for whenever he wanted.
On the other hand, in a major relief for Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is convicted of rape and hatching conspiracies for murders, the Haryana Government has waived his 90-day sentence.
On the occasion of Republic Day, the Haryana Government has decided to give a relaxation of three months to prisoners sentenced for more than 10 years. Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim will also be getting benefit of the same. At present, the dera chief is out on parole.
Of late, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim has come under fire for frequent paroles. He is out of jail once again. The dera chief is serving a 20-year jail term in prison in Rohtak for raping two women disciples at his ashram in Sirsa. He was granted 40-day parole on January 20 again.
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In 2022, he was out of jail for a total of 91 days — 21 days in February during the Punjab Assembly elections , then 30 days in June when there were Haryana municipality elections and he was yet again granted 40-day parole in October. Prior to this, he was granted bail in 2021 to see his mother.
Frequent paroles to the dera chief has kicked off controversies with political leaders raising objections over the same and also raising questions over different yardsticks amid growing chorus over the release of Sikh prisoners in Punjab.
- With inputs from our correspondent
