Don’t let things go out of control
Police must be tough and careful in dealing with Dera supporters
The build-up of followers of the controversial head of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, ahead of a CBI court’s verdict on August 25 on a rape case, has put both Haryana and Punjab on the edge. In spite of prohibitory orders under Section 144 in Haryana and the barricading of roads, about 50,000 Dera followers, mostly women, have marched to the Chandigarh suburb 48 hours before the court hearing. Their number may swell to 500,000 by the time the verdict comes. Intelligence assessments say that the followers may turn unruly in case of an adverse judgment against their beleaguered spiritual chief. Such fears of violence are not exaggerated, going by the followers’ spirited mobilisation and a shrill defence of their head’s innocence on social media. A confrontation with the Dera is the last thing the BJP government in Haryana would want, considering the sect had openly supported the party in the 2014 assembly elections. Also, the Manohar Lal Khattar regime hasn’t forgotten the hard lessons it had learnt from a botched-up handling of a violent showdown with the supporters of another sect leader Rampal in Hisar in 2014.
What has added grim portent to the fast-evolving crisis is the Punjab Police reports on the followers stockpiling petrol, diesel and weapons in their homes and the sect’s congregation centres across the state. Punjab, on a high alert like Haryana, has more reasons to worry in the backdrop of a decade-long simmering bloody conflict between the Dera and Sikh radicals. To their credit, both states were quick to flag the issue with Union home ministry, and are pulling out all the stops to deal with the tricky situation. The Centre has rushed about 60 companies of paramilitary to the trouble spots and is likely to send more. But, that may not be enough to defuse the volatile build-up that can quickly degenerate into a conflagration of unimaginable consequences.
Notwithstanding its political compulsion, it’s an hour of test for the Haryana government to take an unequivocal stand in favour of upholding the rule of law. To that end, it will need to be both firm and tactful.