This refers to the editorial, “Goons, not godmen” (November 21). ‘Operation Rampal’ took time to reach its logical conclusion, but the remarkable restraint shown by the police was commendable. The police had to tread cautiously because innocent lives were at stake. They had little choice initially because the devotees acted as human shields to protect the so-called godman. The Government's swift move to evict people stranded in the ashram also deserves appreciation.
The impunity with which self-proclaimed godmen like Rampal infuse insanity among people, is frightening. Unfortunately, they earn blind followers who overlook the fact that their ‘saviors' are mere mortals, often with a murky past. Over-confidence in their ability to remain untouched is indisputably a major reason for people like Rampal being in the possession of firearms and acid pouches. Sant Rampal's larger-than-life image is a telling commentary on the ineffectiveness of previous Haryana Governments.