With a huge number followers, the god-men in Haryana have been integral to the State politics for the past several years, influencing the voters to decide the outcome of the election, especially the Assembly polls which are decided with small margins.
However, with Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Sant Rampal being behind the bars, the popularity graph and consequently the power of these two big religious groups in the State have dwindled considerably over the past couple of years making them politically impotent.
Also, the current political situation in the State wherein the opposition parties, hit by splits and infighting, stand weakened and the ruling BJP seems to have a clear edge has also rendered these god-men politically insignificant during the upcoming Assembly election.
Contrast this to 2014 when Dera Sacha Sauda is considered to have played a pivotal role in establishing the BJP government in the State, swaying voters in the saffron party’s favour in at least a dozen seats just a day before the polls.
With the BJP just managing a simple majority of 47 seats in the 90-member Assembly in 2014, Dera Sacha Sauda was, indeed, a deciding factor.
With its headquarters in Haryana’s Sirsa district, Dera Sacha Sauda, a “non-profit” religious organisation, set up in 1948, gradually rose to prominence after Ram Rahim took over the reigns in 1990s increasing its base in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. It is estimated that Dera had more than six crore followers under Ram Rahim at one point in time and could influence the election in Punjab, Haryana and parts of Rajasthan. But with his conviction in two rape cases in 2017, the popularity and the political influence of the Dera sharply dipped.
Political parties silent
However, it is still too early to completely write it off. Perhaps, this is why the BJP and the other political parties in Haryana, including INLD and Congress, have refrained from speaking against the Dera and kept mum over Ram Rahim recently seeking a bail ahead of the Assembly polls.
Similarly, the popularity and the following of Sant Rampal, who was arrested in 2015 after a six-day stand-off that claimed six lives and recently convicted for murders, has also been hit adversely since. Sant Rampal, has also been rendered politically insignificant with dip in popularity.
Besides these two, Radha Soami Satsang Beas and Nirankari Mission religious groups too have significant presence in the State, but the two groups are largely believed to have kept themselves away from active involvement in the State politics.
Sant Nirankari has a large number of followers in Ambala and adjoining areas. In addition to this, there have also been several other god-men with local influence. One such god-man in Gurugram was in news recently after his alleged video with a woman went viral.
Political analyst Ram Kanwar said: “The god-men have been rendered politically insignificant in these elections not only because of their dwindled popularity and following, but also the political situation in the State. Helped by the Modi factor, a wave of nationalism and the weakening of the Opposition, the BJP seems to be comfortably placed with no real challenge. A close electoral contest is, therefore, not expected this year unlike in 2014. So the god-men are unlikely to make any difference to the election that seems largely one-sided.”
