Latest news with #DeraSachaSauda
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
10 years on, justice awaited in Punjab sacrilege cases
Bathinda: Come Sunday, Punjab will mark 10 years since June 1, 2015, when the bir of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village near Bargari, Faridkot, and which eventually led to the sacrilege of the Sikh scripture later in Oct that year, triggering a turmoil in panthic politics. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With justice still awaited in the sacrilege cases of Oct 2015 and police firing upon protesters later, Sikh organisations have decided to mark the day by holding a protest march from Gurdwara Burj Jawahar Singh Wala to the light point intersection of Kotkapura, where police took action against protesters in the early hours of Oct 14, 2015. Thr groups accuse successive govts of the state by using the emotional issue of sacrilege and the subsequent killing of two protesters for political gains, but failing to deliver justice. Investigations into the case are yet to reach a conclsuive end in the courts. A Punjab Police special investigations team (SIT), headed by retired DIG Ranbir Singh Khatra, claimed to have cracked the case, but it did not result inany convictions. Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim was also named in the cases and in the chargesheets filed by the police in three interrelated sacrilege cases, but no headway was made. Sikh organisations have only angered after cases were transferred to courts in Chandigarh. "Justice being elusive makes us think that Sikhs are treated differently even in Punjab, where we are in majority," said Behbal Kalan police firing victim Krishan Bhagwan Singh's son, Sukhraj Singh, who held a long protest for justice. Even though the he was named in sacrilege cases and his sect's member Pardeep Kler was arrested on Feb 9, 2024, Ram Rahim and his adopted daughter, Honeypreet, were not brought to Punjab for investigation. "This points to the non-seriousness of the govts in delivering justice," said Sukhraj. "It seems even a decade is not enough to provide justice, especially when the entire Sikh Panth is demanding it. Right from Shiromani Akali Dal to Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, all played with the sentiments of Sikhs and looked only into electoral gains but failed when it came to delivering justice," said Gurdeep Singh Bathinda, who was associated with the cases from the beginning.
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Former MLA Virsa Valtoha seeks action against Punjab minister Baljit Kaur for visiting Dera Sacha Sauda centre
Seeking action against Punjab Cabinet Minister Dr Baljit Kaur for violating the Sikh code of conduct, former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha shared a video on Tuesday in which she is seen visiting a centre of the Dera Sacha Sauda headed by rape-murder convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The video, originally uploaded by a social media account by the name 'Team Dr Baljit Kaur', shows the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader bowing her head and offering prayers at the Dera. Pictures of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim are also seen in the video. The caption accompanying the clip reads, 'Marked attendance at Dera Sacha Sauda', along with a religious slogan associated with the sect. Dr Baljit Kaur holds the portfolios of social security, women and child development, social justice, and minorities' empowerment in the Punjab Cabinet. Sharing the footage, Valtoha said, 'Punjab Cabinet Minister from the Aam Aadmi Party and Malout MLA Dr Baljit Kaur recently visited Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa, where she bowed in reverence and marked her presence. This act is a clear violation of the edict (hukamnama) issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.' The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader added, 'In accordance with Sikh traditions and the Sikh code of conduct (maryada), appropriate religious action should be taken against Dr Baljit Kaur.' Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is currently serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples. He is also an accused in the 2015 sacrilege case in Punjab. Following a series of controversies, Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the highest temporal seat of Sikh authority, had formally excommunicated the Dera in 2007. While the sect maintained influence in some political circles, open political support for the Dera significantly declined after the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)'s defeat in the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections—a campaign in which the Dera had openly backed the party.
Hindustan Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Review: The Deras by Santosh K Singh
Punjab is known for its sprawling deras – places where self-proclaimed religious heads recite sermons and run the institution as a personal enterprise. These gurus build their brand through charity work including the organization of blood donation camps and mass marriage ceremonies. Politicians of all stripes are now warming up to the possibility of co-opting dera congregations. Unsurprisingly, deras are increasingly playing a critical role in times of political crisis. Today, there are some 9,000 deras in Punjab that are patronized by about 80 per cent of the state's population. These institutions are believed to pocket much of what is given to them by way of religious donations. While most are a heady mix of the esoteric and the political, they are also reflective of the sacred geography of the land. The rising popularity of alternative religious sects has sparked much academic and popular interest in the deras, which have, over the years, emerged as seats of alternative spiritual power. Each with a charismatic baba adopts distinct rituals, ceremonies, traditions, slogans, symbols, auspicious dates, customs, prayers and religious rituals. Given the traditionally hierarchical nature of Indian society, the popularity of deras centred on singular messianic individuals is understandable. Many have emerged in response to prevailing caste-based social discrimination and the exclusion of marginalized castes from the mainstream religions. Those that cater to the large Dalit population, an estimated 32 per cent in the state, especially, give their following a sense of social identity. There is also a vast reservoir of individuals without options for whom deras provide a progressive focus and a viable way forward. Together with mammoth physical infrastructure, these bodies provide social mobility and a sense of belonging for those deprived of it. The attraction of the deras, then, needs to be understood as part of a complex social process. There is of course much variety in the character of the deras – with the highly influential Dera Sachkhand Ballan and the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda both being part of the spiritual landscape. Sects are a feature of religions across the world and this is true of Punjab too. In a sense, the deras act like tributaries of the main channel, whether it is Sikhism or Brahmanical Hinduism. Far from being boxed within a narrow framework, they carry within them the richness of diverse philosophical realms. The Deras by Santosh Singh offers a compelling sociological perspective on these institutions which continue to evolve and stay relevant. Spread across seven chapters, the book presents a fascinating view of how deras negotiate the contemporary scenario. It provides an ethnographic narrative on the burgeoning of this specific culture and also examines how related aspects of social welfare are gaining precedence. An absorbing study on a subject that greatly influences the character and politics of contemporary Punjab, The Deras puts forward the view that the mushrooming of these bodies has to do with the fact that subaltern identity has yet to be mainstreamed with aspirations for inclusion and equality yet to be fulfilled. The dera phenomenon then needs to be viewed as a push towards the generation of social capital, which eventually contributes to the emancipation and empowerment of the marginalized. Sudhirendar Sharma is an independent writer, researcher and academic.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
2017 Panchkula arson case Another 126 acquitted due to lack of evidence
In the fourth judgment this month regarding the violence that occurred in Panchkula on August 25, 2017, following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Panchkula court has again acquitted all the accused in a case which was heard on Wednesday. The prosecution failed to prove the charges against them. Prior to this judgment, 69, 29, and 19 accused in separate FIRs were acquitted this month. Additionally, 12 were acquitted in March, and 41 in February of this year. A court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ajay Kumar, has acquitted all 126 accused in a presnt case related to violence that occurred in Panchkula on August 25, 2017, following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The court cited a lack of direct evidence connecting the accused to the alleged offences. The FIR, registered on August 26, 2017, by the Sector-5 police station, named 124 women and 2 men from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. One of the accused died during the trial, and proceedings against her were dropped on December 12, 2019. According to the prosecution, on August 26, 2017, the then station house officer (SHO) Inspector Karambir Singh of Police Station-5, Panchkula, and his team received information that followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who were allegedly involved in stone pelting and arson on August 25, were gathering again at Yavnika Park. The police team, including Inspector Sunita, SHO of the Women's police station, reached the park and found 103 accused persons present. The police claimed that stones were also found at the location and were taken into custody. This complaint led to the registration of the FIR, and further arrests were made during the investigation. However, the court found critical flaws in the prosecution's case. The court said that none of the witnesses examined by the prosecution could identify any of the accused as being involved in the stone pelting or arson on August 25. In this manner, there is no direct evidence available which can connect the accused persons with the alleged offences/incidents which took place on dated August 25. The court also ruled against the admissibility of confessional statements, citing Sections 25 and 26 of the Indian Evidence Act, and rejected the use of demarcation memos as evidence under Section 27 of the same act. A key point of contention was the recovery of stones. The prosecution argued that 100 stones were collected from the accused, implying they intended to use them for violence. However, the court pointed out that the stones were not recovered from the personal possession of the accused but were found at the location where they were apprehended. The court quoted the cross-examination of Inspector Karambir Singh, who admitted that similar stones were 'easily available near any public road.' Furthermore, the court highlighted inconsistencies in the testimonies of police witnesses. Head constable Ravita stated in her cross-examination that no recoveries were made from the accused in her presence. Similarly, constable Rekha Rani testified that she did not remember whether the recovered stones were lying unattended or not. In its verdict, the court concluded that the prosecution has miserably failed to prove its case against the accused beyond all reasonable doubts. The court acquitted all 126 accused of all charges, granting them the benefit of the doubt.
