Their chief may be currently lodged in jail for raping two women disciples and has been accused of murdering two individuals, but it seems Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s followers simply choose to overlook his criminal records and are “willing to die” for their ‘guru’.
Dera Sacha Sauda’s ‘Qurbaani Dal’ has sent out threatening letters to various news channels and journalists saying “anyone who reveals the details about Rahim Rahim’s deeds shall be killed”.
India Today and Aaj Tak have reportedly received a letter warning of dire consequences for “doing false telecasts” against the Dal’s “fatherly figure”.
The letter further reads:
Also, BJP government had betrayed us like Captain Government betrayed us in 2007. We are like alive corpse. We will thrash the people who are doing negative publicity of Ram Rahim.
It also names Gurdas Singh, Hansraj Bhupendra Singh and Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s former driver Khatta Singh who have spoken against the self-styled godman.
According to India Today, the members of the ‘Qurbaani Dal’ were recruited last year and were promised a house and Rs 10 lakh cash for their service.
On being interrogated by Haryana and Punjab police, some of the members said they were “ready to sacrifice their lives” for Ram Rahim.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)