'May Influence Voters In Assembly Election': Haryana Congress Writes To EC Against Parole To Ram Rahim Singh

In a letter written to Chief Election Commission of India, HPCC's KC Bhatia said that in case the parole was granted to the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief, he may influence the voters of Haryana "as he has got a mass following as a religious preacher and his past record is well known in this regard".

Rohtak (Haryana): Amid strict conditions by the Election Commission of India for parole granted by the Haryana government to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has written to the Election Commission of India against the move saying the sect chief could influence voters in the election.

In a letter written to the Principal Secretary, Chief Election Commission of India, KC Bhatia, Chairman, Legal Human Rights and RTI Department in the HPCC, said, “I would like to draw your kind attention towards the fact that it is breaking news a media that Govt of Haryana run by RIP is going to grant parole to Sh. Ram Rahim”.

Haryana Congress letter to EC against parole to Ram Rahim Singh (Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee)

“In case parole is granted to Sh. Ram Rahim before polling in the Haryana Assembly Election-2024 Sh. Ram Rahim may influence the voters of Haryana as he has got a mass following as a religious preacher and his past record is well known in this regard. It is therefore requested that an appropriate order may please be passed, Sh. Ram Rahim may not be granted parole during operation of Model Code of Conduct,” Bhatia said.

The Haryana government on Tuesday granted a 20- parole. To Ram Rahim, who was taken out from Rohtak's Sunaria jail at around 6:30 AM to Barnawa Ashram in Uttar Pradesh amid tight security.

The Election Commission of India has set stringent conditions for the parole to the Dera Sacha Sauda chief including a ban on his entry in Haryana, delivering public speeches and indulging in political activity.

Singh is serving a 20-year sentence given in 2017 for raping two of his disciples. The Dera chief and three others were also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist more than 16 years ago. Singh had sought a 20-day parole ahead of the October 5 Haryana Assembly polls. The counting for the polls will be held on October 8.