New Delhi,February 6, 2015: On the last day of campaigning for the Delhi elections, the BJP has a pledge of support from the Dera Sacha Sauda, a controversial sect in neighbouring Haryana headed by the controversial Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
Aman Insaan, secretary of the political wing of the Dera, claimed that the Dera has 20 lakh followers in Delhi, at least 10 lakh voters spread across the 70 Delhi constituencies. We have spread the message across Delhi to support BJP candidates”.
The Dera Sacha Sauda has made headlines recently with its motorbike riding 47-year-old chief featuring in a film ‘MSG: Messenger of God’ that was controversially cleared for release by a tribunal, prompting members of India’s censor board to resign in protest that their red flag to film was ignored.
“Dera Sachcha Sauda extends support to BJP. Now we know why the censor board was unceremoniously packed off in the case of MSG movie,” tweeted Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav.
The film has been banned in Punjab, where the BJP participates in a government led by ally Badal Dal. The two parties, partners of many years, are also contesting the Delhi elections together, with at least three Badal Dal candidates contesting under the BJP symbol and one as an Badal Dal candidate.
The Badal Dal has been in the forefront of massive protests against the film, which Sikh groups allege “glorifies” the Dera chief who has several criminal cases against him. They have also alleged that Ram Rahim’s dialogues in the trailers of the film are provocative and appear to challenge Sikhs.
There have been protests in towns and cities across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi over the film, which is yet to release.
Sikh organisations and the Dera Sacha Sauda have been at loggerheads ever since Gurmeet Ram Rahim attempted to personify himself as Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh guru, in 2007. Akal Takht had issued an edict against DSS and it’s chief after which the Sikh organisations started opposing dera’s activities.
Dera had extended support to BJP in recently held state assembly elections in Haryana. Political observers are of the view that the BJP may have entered into a deal with the dera chief and BJP may shield dera head in criminal cases prosecuted by CBI (a central agency).