An apology by Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, years after a standoff with the Sikh community, resolved the vexed issue which had repeatedly pitted the supporters of the Dera and hardline Sikh groups against each other.
The controversial sect head may have erred in the eyes of many by donning the garb of Guru Gobind Singh but the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) forgave the self-styled god man in a strategic political move .
The quick succession of events that altered the entire situation in less than a week could not be just a twist of fate.
Akal Takht, on September 24, absolved Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim for blasphemy over his attire imitating Sikh’s tenth master after he sent a written apology to the Sikh clergy along with a video clip explaining his position. The clergy, breaking away from the standard procedure, did not even ask the Dera chief to appear before it.
The next day, his movie — Messenger of God: MSG-2 — that was facing an “unofficial” ban in the State hit the screens across Punjab. It was followed by an appeal by the Dera to withdraw all cases against “Sikh brothers”.
The development led to worldwide protests by the Sikhs against the Akal Takht’s decision, with radical organisations coming together and announcing a bandh on September 30, Wednesday.
That is not all! Amidst strong protest against the decision, the General House of the SGPC, backed by the SAD, on Tuesday approved the Akal Takht’s decision of exonerating Dera Sacha Sauda chief while appealing all the Sikhs to “abide” by the clergy’s decision.
In the entire process, the ruling Akali Dal, it seems, has placed itself in a win-win situation by striking a “deal” with the Dera head with an eye on the next Assembly polls in Punjab, scheduled to be held in early 2017.
On the other hand, the Dera too is set to be benefited as it can now function and spread its discourse among Sikhs without any interference.
Haryana-based Dera sect holds a sway in Punjab’s Malwa region, especially among Dalit Sikhs, enjoying mass support on at least 40 of the 65 seats in the region out of the total 117 Assembly seats in the State.
By pulling strings to absolve Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2007 case, the SAD has managed to influence nearly 70 lakh followers of the Dera across the State. The move came in the wake of Dera’s open support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana during the Assembly polls that helped the saffron party come to power for the first time in the State.
It is believed that, in Punjab too, the Dera had helped the Congress to win Malwa in 2007 polls as the party’s senior leader Harminder Singh Jassi, a close relative of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, played a role of middleman in inking the pact between the two. Congress faired badly in Majha and Doaba resulting in its defeat.
However, things changed after the radical Sikhs attacked Dera followers after Ram Rahim imitated the Sikhs’ tenth Guru Gobind Singh. Staying away from protecting the Dera followers proved costly for the Congress.
Punjab witnessed violent clashes between the Sikh community and Dera Sacha Sauda sect followers across the State in May-July 2007, with several lives lost, after Gurmeet Ram Rahim set off a controversy by dressing like tenth Sikh master.
Criminal cases were registered against him. Besides, the Sikh clergy, led by the Akal Takht, had also ordered social boycott of the godman and his sect.
REASONS BEHIND MOVE
Aam Aadmi Party’s emergence and the Congress party’s aggressive attitude against the SAD-BJP ruling combine seem to have prompted the Akali Dal to settle on the “pact” with the Dera.
Punjab goes to polls in February 2017, and seeing Dera-factor doing wonders for BJP in the neighbouring Haryana, the party realised that it could not manage to defy the Dera votes with strong anti-incumbency wave against it, in both the State and the Centre.
SAD’s GAIN, CONGRESS’ lOSS
SAD’s gain is the Congress’ loss. By cutting a “deal” with the Dera, the SAD has gained the support of dera followers, running in lakhs, that is expected to translate into votes during 2017 polls. Dera, in 2007 polls, had supported Congress to make a clean sweep in Malwa, but owing to poor performance in other parts of the State, it failed to win polls.
WHAT NEXT
With the exoneration of Dera chief, the cases registered against Dera followers at Talwandi Sabo and Bathinda in 2007 matter is also expected to be dropped in the coming days. Already, Dera has asked its followers to withdraw all cases filed by them against the Sikhs. It is likely that the Akali Dal leadership may also proceed behind.
SARBAT KHAlSA
Upset over Akal Takht’s decision, the Sikh organisations have announced to convene a Sarbat Khalsa — an assembly of Sikh masses including all Sikh political and religious outfits — to replace the five takht jathedars. “If the clergy or the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal fail to apologise within a month-and-a-half, the Sikh bodies would convene a Sarbat Khalsa on Diwali in November, which would be aimed at replacing the Takht jathedars who are party to the decision on the Dera head,” said SAD (Mann) head Simranjit Singh Mann.
RADICAl outfits TEAR EDICT COPIES
Accusing the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of concocting the pardon drama and five Takhat jathedars of executing it, the radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa and SAD (Panch Pardani) on Tuesday tore the copy of Akal Takht edict.
They have also rejected the decision to exonerate Dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim for his blasphemous act in 2007.
Members of both the organisations on Tuesday staged a silent sit-in at Akal Takhat to lodge their protest against the decision to pardon Dera head. They alleged the Sikh clergy of succumbing to political pressures only for pecuniary benefits.
PUNJAB BANDH TODAY
The Sikh radical organisations have announced to observe Punjab Bandh on Wednesday in protest against the Akal Takht’s decision to exonerate Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
