Anshul Chhatrapati, the son of renowned late journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, has raised objections to the parole granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the head of Dera Sacha Sauda. Amidst the election season in Haryana, Gurmeet Singh received parole for the 11th time, approved by the commission. This came as a surprise due to his large follower base in the state, known for unilateral voting.
Anshul Chhatrapati has called the parole granted to Ram Rahim a threat to the election and democratic process. Gurmeet Ram Rahim was convicted in 2002 for the murder of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati and received a life sentence from a special CBI court in 2019. Besides this, he was also sentenced to ten years in 2017 for raping his female disciples.
Also Read: Is It Punishment or Parole? 11 Instances of Ram Rahim’s 'Freedom' in Four Years - Here’s Why It’s Linked to Elections
Parole Grants Ram Rahim Opportunity to Come Out of Jail
Until recently, Ram Rahim was lodged in Sunaria Jail in Rohtak but now he has been granted parole and is about to step out. He returned to jail on September 2nd after being furloughed on August 13th, but within a few days, he has once again gained freedom.
In his letter, Anshul Chhatrapati wrote, "Ram Rahim is an extremely influential individual who has been bending the law to his advantage for the last two decades. Even when he was sentenced on August 25, 2017, he disrupted the law and order with the help of his followers, creating unrest throughout the state, an incident known nationwide. Granting such an individual repeated paroles poses a threat to democratic values and the impartial election process."
Instances of Ram Rahim's Freedom
"For the first time, he was granted furlough for 21 days before the Punjab Assembly elections in February 2022. Then, he received 30 days of parole before the Haryana Municipal elections in June 2022. In October 2022, he got 40 days parole before the Adampur Assembly by-polls in Haryana. In July 2023, he received 30 days parole ahead of the Haryana Panchayat elections. Before the Rajasthan Assembly elections in November 2023, he was again granted 29 days parole," shared Anshul Chhatrapati.
He further elaborated in his letter, "In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, questions were raised about the repetitive parole granted before elections. The court instructed the Haryana government to make unbiased and impartial decisions in Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s case. However, disregarding this, the Haryana government once again granted him a 21-day furlough before the August 2024 Assembly elections."
Vote Dealings in Elections
Anshul Chhatrapati claimed, "Gurmeet Ram Rahim has maximized his benefits from political parties to save his skin. Consequently, he established a political wing within Dera Sacha Sauda. Through this wing, Ram Rahim has been negotiating votes from his followers for the past two decades.
Also Read: Parole Conditional For Ram Rahim; EC Bars Him From Visiting Haryana and Election Campaigning
Anshul Chhatrapati highlighted that Ram Rahim has been granted parole or furlough ten times in the last two years, six of which were right before various elections. He stated, "Granting parole to Ram Rahim before elections is an attempt to influence the votes, making it challenging to conduct free and fair elections."
According to media reports, Ram Rahim recently applied for emergency parole, which has been forwarded to the Haryana government following approval from the Election Commission. In his letter, Anshul Chhatrapati urged the Election Commission to instruct the Haryana government to cancel Ram Rahim’s parole and vigilantly monitor the political activities of Dera Sacha Sauda to ensure a fair electoral process.
