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Dera sees conspiracy to tarnish its image

CHANDIGARH: The controversial socio-religious outfit, Dera Sacha Sauda, alleged that there was a conspiracy to use the State police and some other vested interests to tarnish the image of the sect.

The allegations were made by the spokesman and the chief volunteer of the women’s wing of the Dera, Aditya Insaan and Himali Insaan respectively, while addressing the first ever press conference here, since the sect was involved in a controversy in which its chief, Baba Ram Rahim Singh, was charged with hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community. “We appeal to all Sikh brothers to realize that we have no issues with them or their sacred institutions,” they said.

Dismissing them as a “bunch of lies”, both the Dera leaders reacted sharply to the recent claims of the police, which circulated photographs of five Dera women followers describing them as “dangerous” who could indulge in self-immolation, throw acid or even be suicide bombers for VIP targets. They sought a judicial probe to uncover what was described as a “Stink Operation”.

Disclosing that the Dera was contemplating legal recourse, Dr. Aditya Insaan questioned the process under which the photographs of these women were circulated even before any case was registered. He said the powerful liquor and drug mafia was also involved as the sect had campaigned against their unscrupulous businesses. He said ruling dispensation in Punjab was unnerved by the growing popularity of the Dera, which Dr. Insaan attributed to major pro-people work at the national level by the sect.

Amid betrayal of emotions, Ms Himali Insaan claimed that the five women who were being falsely implicated by the police were actually ordinary, simple, educated teachers and housewives. She challenged police to produce evidence of involvement in any criminal activity by these women. Responding to queries, the Dera leaders explained that the police had actually taken the photographs of the women while they were leading peaceful protests against repression and injustice unleashed against the ‘Premis’ (followers of the sect) and incidents of insult of the Dera chief. It was pointed out that one of them, Rama Devi, was an eyewitness to the series of events where persecution by a local Akali leader had forced a Premi, Shyam Sunder, to self-immolate.

The Dera leaders also pointed out that the other “dangerous women” had led a march seeking action based on the dying declaration of Shyam Sunder and were targeted at the cremation of the deceased. These women include Kuldeep Kaur, who is a teacher in Khalsa College in Bathinda, whose president, Rajinder Singh Sidhu, made a statement before the police, on which a “false case” was registered against the Dera chief.

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