Why the Sacha Sauda Dera has so many followers?

key words: Ram Rahim, Dera Sacha Sauda, rape, dera culture

It is not just about spirituality, subsidised food and free treatment besides equality of all castes and humility of the management are pull factors for the followers

Jupinderjit Singh

Besides spirituality, there seems to be many other attractions which attract people to become followers of the Sacha Sauda dera in Sirsa in droves.

The controversial dera is hogging limelight again these days with the dera head Ram Rahim Singh facing a verdict in a rape case against him tomorrow. Lakhs of followers have made a beeline to Panchkula where a Special CBI court will deliver the verdict tomorrow afternoon.

Thousands of others are gathering in the worship centres called the ‘Naam Charcha Ghar’ in Haryana and Punjab praying for the verdict in the dera head’s favour, who they call ‘pita Ji’ lovingly.

 But why so many people throng the dera and follow the sect head who has courted several controversies besides starring in two films based on him. He is probably the only sect head in India who has acted in a film.

Caste equality in the dera is one such reason. “We get mental peace in the spiritual environment in Sirsa dera and at the various Naam Charcha houses in our city. But above all, the dera life provides an equal status to all castes,”says Prem Insaan, a resident of a poor colony near the Railway Station, Bathinda.

He adds there is still so much discrimination in society on the basis of caste. “It is an open fact that different communities and castes have their own temples and Gurdwaras in Punjab and Haryana but in our dera all are equal. We all have one sir name-Insaan. It means Human. The dera advocates humanity. We may be Hindu, Sikh or anything but we have failed to end the caste divisions in the society.  In dera, the divisions are erased,” insisted Prem Insaan.

For some, the humble ranking of managements is an attraction. Sukhveer Insaan, a dalit from Mansa said the dera management has devised nomenclature like Insaan to advocate not just equality but humility also,”The managements divides state into zones which are further divided into unit. Each unit is headed by a man given the title Bhangi Dass. The word ‘Bhangi’is an offensive word used otherwise for lower caste people. But when the unit head is called this, it gives the word respect. That is why so many people of lower castes are followers of the dera.”

Then subsidised food and free medicines is a huge attraction, “The dera headquarter in Sirsa and the district units provide subsidised ration to the members. This comes as huge boon for poor families. Unlike the government schemes like free ration for Below Poverty Line families which are often delayed or marred with corruption, the supply of subsidised ration is smooth and equal for all in the dera,” said a Bathinda based Sikh follower Swaran Insaan.

The dera followers have high concentration in Malwa region of the state. These comprise of districts, Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa, Bathinda, Fazilka, Faridkot and Ferozepore. Most of these are close to the Sirsa district of Haryana where the dera headquarter is situated and thus they are influenced by the dera activities. This region is plagued with deadly diseases like cancer apart from knee problems due to bad quality of water. The dera offers free treatment to these patients.

“There is a set system of providing free treatment. A Bhangi dass collects slips from followers in his area about the ailment they are suffering from. He co-ordinates with the dera headquarters and takes appointment. The free treatment along with spiritual environment is a great pull for a poor patient or others from even middle class also,” revealed a Bhangi Dass from Sangrur.

Prof.  Pramod Kumar, Director Institute for Development and Communication on mushrooming of deras

Deras and religious Babas are the poor cousins of religion. They are the schoolmaster of subaltern poor and middle class. They have emerged as messengers of God between the people and the God.

Not only this, these mediators of God swept away the faith of their followers in politics, courts, government and even markets. Notwithstanding this, their appeal amongst people is a tonic which is embraced by the political leaders. All the political parties try to outdo each other to woo deras. On the other hand, deras are issuing the diktat to induce people to vote according to their faith rather than their conscience. It is violative of the secular principles and free and fair elections. It appears that people have swallowed the make-believe pills being traded by the political parties that the misuse of deras is justified. In turn, these Deras and religious ‘babas’ are provided shield against rule of law to allow them to promote their commercial enterprise, personal leisure and also act as a medicine for poverty and inequities.

​EOM​