Ram Rahim out on parole: Days ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim has once again been released on a 20-day parole from Rohtak's Sunaria jail. The controversial religious leader is currently staying at the Dera ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat, under the condition that he does not enter Haryana during his parole period. However, the timing and frequency of his paroles continue to raise eyebrows.
The Dera chief has been serving a 20-year sentence since 2017 for the rape of two female disciples. Despite this, in the last four years, he has been granted parole on 15 different occasions. By the end of this 20-day parole, Rahim will have spent a total of 275 days outside prison during his sentence, a fact that has sparked significant public and political debate.
Questions are being raised about his frequent paroles, especially since many of them coincide with key political events, such as elections. This latest release comes just ahead of the Haryana assembly polls which has added to the concerns regarding the influence Rahim and his followers could have on the political landscape. During his current parole, the Dera chief has been restricted from participating in any election-related activities, including social media engagement. Notably, seven of his paroles occurred just before elections, leading to speculation about the possible influence he could wield over the political landscape through his followers.
A look at Ram Rahim's paroles ahead of elections:
- February 2022: For the first time, he got 21 days of furlough before the Punjab assembly elections.
- June 2022: 30 days of parole before the Haryana Municipal Corporation elections.
- October 2022: 40 days of parole before the Adampur bypoll in Haryana.
- July 2023: 30 days of parole ahead of Haryana panchayat elections.
- November 2023: 29 days of parole before the Rajasthan assembly elections.
- January 2024: 50 days parole ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
- August 2024: 21 days parole ahead of Haryana Assembly elections.
Questions raised on Rahim's repeated paroles
In the past, the Shiromanu Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee and the Shiromani Akali Dal have questioned "repeated" paroles being given to the Dera chief. They said "justice" was not being done with 'Bandi Singhs' (Sikh prisoners), who they claim, were in jails even after completion of their sentences. The Dera chief and three others were also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist more than 16 years ago.
