The Dera chief’s followers must maintain calm and let law take its own course
Charges of rape against self-styled godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim were grave and the Central Bureau of Investigation court has taken the right call. For the moment, the Dera chief has been sent to custody and the final quantum of sentencing will be pronounced on August 28. Nonetheless, the present case, and also others, like the one on Asaram Bapu and Sant Rampal, are but an indication that the courts have been more pro-active in taking up cases against such ‘godmen’. To this end, it is the duty of the courts to take the Dera chief’s case to a conclusive end. It is essential that the case be handled fairly — in a similar manner as they would have been done in any other case that may have involved a lesser known individual. The godman-turned-actor must neither be given preferential treatment nor must he be hounded unfairly. His supporters will, of course, never accept the verdict just as Asaram Bapu supporters did not. After all, the power of devotion is the most formidable. His followers and those who are arraigned against him need to understand that their rant will serve no purpose. But it is not their fault. The godman has been so central to the lives of the devotees that they can never accept his conviction and are also willing to die for him. But the law has to be equal and must be allowed to take its own course. It must punish all law breakers, high or low.
It is most unfortunate that a tense situation prevailed in the State and law and order went for a toss. In an immediate reaction to the verdict, the Dera chief’s frenzied followers, who had gathered in large numbers days before the verdict was to be out, turned violent. Chaotic situations were witnessed in Haryana, Punjab and in adjacent States soon after the verdict was pronounced — cars and vans were vandalised and toppled; incidents of stone-pelting were reported even as the police resorted to measures to control the unruly mob. But the water cannon, tear gas shells, and lathis of police were met with stronger force. A confrontation between the police and the Dera followers caught the police on the wrong foot and should have been avoided given that the High Court had ordered the Haryana police to clear the Dera followers from Panchkula. Worryingly, more than 10 people have lost their lives and hundreds were injured.
In the first place, such large crowds should never have been allowed to assemble. History tells, such verdicts have resulted in violence en masse. Second, matters were complicated because many supporters were women and children. Third, the number of supporters clearly outnumbered police personnel. The State Government should have been better prepared. Nevertheless, that the High Court has attacked Dera properties to compensate for the loss is welcome. lessons must be learnt and the State Government must owe responsibility and not let a similar situation prevail on the day sentencing is to be done. Both, the Punjab and Haryana Governments must get their acts together. Hopefully, good sense will prevail and the Dera leaders will counsel their followers not to take law and order machinery into their hands. Religious and spiritual leaders have for long been the guiding force. It is distressing that over the years they have been losing their moral sheen. They mustn't betray the trust that people repose in them.