An example, perhaps, of why India does not do anything about its corrupt God Men and Women.
Ram Rahim Singh: fatal clashes follow Indian guru's rape conviction
At least 30 killed as violence erupts across two states after spiritual leader found guilty of assaulting two female sect members
So much for "spirituality" and "enlightening influences" that denial over a 15 year old "rape" accusation causes 30 deaths and clashes with the Indian police and army.
Of course, it's both "religion" and "politics" so perhaps we will never know the whole truth of Ram Rahim Singh did, but what also drew my eye was that the "Dera Sacha Sauda sect" ... that I have never ever heard of before ... was
a) a journalist and author of an anonymous letter who investigated the Dera Sacha Sauda was shot dead, and
b) established in 1948, it claims 60 million followers worldwide making the Brahma Kumaris look like small fry by comparison
Like the Brahma Kumaris Singh has amassed vast wealth from their "enlightenment and an ashram headquarters on a sprawling, 400-hectare (1,000-acre) Haryana property that includes a hotels, cinema, schools and even a cricket stadium. Like the BKs, it claims to be a "non-profit social welfare and spiritual organisation", albeit highly profitable for the leaders. Like the BKs, devotees are "asked to abstain from ritualism and from making monetary reigious donations", except to it, presumably. And, like the BKs, it runs various businesses, managed by its "sadhus", for the benefit of its leaders ... cough ... erm, devotees.
It's a shame because in the past he had done good work saving widows and prostitutes by encouraging followers to marry them which makes me wonder that the so accused sexual exploitation of woman followers.
The accusations include the samo-samo guru pick up line ... that having sex with him would "purify" the women.
Victims claim to be in fear for their and their family members' lives. Sounding very much like a Brahma Kumaris case, one of them had been an arts graduate, but was persuaded by her parents to become a Sadhvi (renunciate nun).
I don't know how far the Brahma Kumaris have gone in such cases, but they have certainly suffered similar and worse, and used their money and political power to cover things such as rapes, suicides, and child sex abuse up. There was even one case in Panipat where a corpse of someone who had burned to death was removed from a BK centre and the evidence cleaned up.
Apparently 18 (women) Sadhvis out of 40 were involved.
Ram Rahim Singh: fatal clashes follow Indian guru's rape conviction
At least 30 killed as violence erupts across two states after spiritual leader found guilty of assaulting two female sect members
So much for "spirituality" and "enlightening influences" that denial over a 15 year old "rape" accusation causes 30 deaths and clashes with the Indian police and army.
- dera-759.jpg (16.62 KiB) Viewed 19425 times
At least 30 people have died in riots and arson attacks that have broken out across two states in northern India after a flamboyant spiritual leader was convicted of raping two of his female followers.
The Indian army was deployed in the city of Panchkula on Friday shortly after the court found Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty of sexual assault. The self-styled “godman” and leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect has been taken into custody and will reportedly be flown by helicopter to a jail in Haryana state before sentencing on Monday.
Authorities told the Hindustan Times that at least 30 people had been killed across the region, with a further 250 injured. Electricity supplies, mobile internet and cable television had been cut in parts of Haryana and Punjab states before the verdict as up to 200,000 members of the sect massed in Panchkula in a show of defiance and support.
Of course, it's both "religion" and "politics" so perhaps we will never know the whole truth of Ram Rahim Singh did, but what also drew my eye was that the "Dera Sacha Sauda sect" ... that I have never ever heard of before ... was
a) a journalist and author of an anonymous letter who investigated the Dera Sacha Sauda was shot dead, and
b) established in 1948, it claims 60 million followers worldwide making the Brahma Kumaris look like small fry by comparison
Like the Brahma Kumaris Singh has amassed vast wealth from their "enlightenment and an ashram headquarters on a sprawling, 400-hectare (1,000-acre) Haryana property that includes a hotels, cinema, schools and even a cricket stadium. Like the BKs, it claims to be a "non-profit social welfare and spiritual organisation", albeit highly profitable for the leaders. Like the BKs, devotees are "asked to abstain from ritualism and from making monetary reigious donations", except to it, presumably. And, like the BKs, it runs various businesses, managed by its "sadhus", for the benefit of its leaders ... cough ... erm, devotees.
It's a shame because in the past he had done good work saving widows and prostitutes by encouraging followers to marry them which makes me wonder that the so accused sexual exploitation of woman followers.
The accusations include the samo-samo guru pick up line ... that having sex with him would "purify" the women.
Victims claim to be in fear for their and their family members' lives. Sounding very much like a Brahma Kumaris case, one of them had been an arts graduate, but was persuaded by her parents to become a Sadhvi (renunciate nun).
We have heard it’s not easy to get justice in India, especially when the fight is against a powerful person. A person who has money can do anything here ...
Fortunately, this case was handled by honest officers from CBI. They have tried their best to ensure justice to us. That's why we have hope.
She said dera followers had more faith in “Baba” than their children. “If anybody complains against the dera chief, their parents would tell them, ‘you are wrong’. Many other sadhvis want to leave the dera, but they can’t because of the terror. If somebody dares to speak against the dera chief, he or she is subjected to atrocities.
We have even heard that a girl’s backbone was broken,” she alleged.
I don't know how far the Brahma Kumaris have gone in such cases, but they have certainly suffered similar and worse, and used their money and political power to cover things such as rapes, suicides, and child sex abuse up. There was even one case in Panipat where a corpse of someone who had burned to death was removed from a BK centre and the evidence cleaned up.
Apparently 18 (women) Sadhvis out of 40 were involved.