Don’t attach old properties, pleads dera faction in HC

PETITIONERS ARGUE THAT DERAS BUILT BY SECT FOUNDER SHAH MASTANA SHOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM ATTACHMENT AS THEY HAVE ‘HISTORIC AND RELIGIOUS VALUE’ FOR FOLLOWERS

CHANDIGARH:A faction of the Dera SachaSaudahasapproachedthe Punjab and Haryana high court pleading that the old properties of the commune should not be auctioned or attached.

If the need arises, then the properties built by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh after 1990 be used for the same, it has prayed.

The petitioners have argued that the deras built by sect founderShahMastanashouldbe exempted from attachment as they have historic and religious value for thousands of followers.

Ten-odd petitioners have stated that they are followers of Shah Mastana and that they have no connection with Ram Rahim Singh and his followers. Hence, if the court orders attachment/auction of properties of the dera to compensate for the losses to public and private property during violence in Punjab and Haryana following conviction of the dera chief on August 25 in two rape cases, the old properties be exempted from the same.

The damages be recovered by attaching commercial and private properties of Ram Rahim or from the deras built by him, they said.

They added that there are 20 deras and about 200 ‘naam charcha ghar’s established by Ram Rahim.

As per them, Shah Mastana constructed about 17 deras in Punjab and Haryana during his time.

The applicants include Mahatma Gora Gurmukh, Mahatma Gurdial Singh, Kirpal Singh, Roshan Lal and Amar Singh. They have saidthat many of them remained associated with the founder.

The plea is likely to be taken up by the high court next week.