Gurmeet Ram Rahim gets furlough ahead of Punjab polls

The Show Time | Punjab

08 Feb 2022

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving a life term for the murder of his manager in 2002 and that of a journalist, and also received a 20-year sentence for rape cases, has been granted furlough for 21 days just ahead of the February 20 Punjab elections.

While the government in Haryana and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are maintaining that this is a mere coincidence, their political rivals do not think so.

The reason is the Dera’s involvement in electoral politics in the region over the past many years. So, as Ram Rahim has been granted furlough ahead of the assembly elections in Punjab, the tremors are being felt already in the political circles.

Dera Sacha Sauda has played a pivotal role in previous elections in the state of Punjab and has its own political wing that is currently active with meetings that are taking place. With the Dera chief coming out of jail, his followers are expected to abide by his wish as predicted by the opposition.