Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 28: The CBI court at Panchkula has found that rape charge levelled against Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, has been proved. At a time when people are awaiting to hear the pronouncement of his sentence today, the people of the city recall that Baba had visited the city, stayed here, and delivered special discourses ten years back.

Several years before that, he had delivered an address at Nehru Maidan here to his followers. Thereafter, he had visited the city another time to meet a relative living here. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who has a colourful personalty and owns almost all modern gadgets and cars, has been spearheading Dera Sacha Sauda which has 46 branches in the country and abroad. He has been preaching about the need to inculcate humanitarian virtues.

During his visit here a decade ago, the Baba had spoken to his followers who had assembled at Karavali Maidan. The Baba had come with his own set of body guards. Police personnel were also present in large numbers. Over a thousand people who had gathered at the venue gave enthusiastic welcome to the Baba when he arrived, by clapping their hands and whistling. In his speech in Hindi in which he hailed basic principles of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, he laid special emphasis on human values. His address which was in Hindi was translated in Kannada by a city-based lecturer.

The spiritual leader addressed a gathering the next evening at Suratkal. That meeting also had good response. In his address there too he mentioned about humane values preached by all religions. Thereafter, he had addressed meetings at Madikeri and Mysuru.

Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is known more for his modern and luxurious way of living as compared to religious leaders who project themselves to be austere and dispassionate towards worldly pleasures. His liking for cars, malls, motor bikes, cinema etc is well known. He also has acted in films made by himself. Because of controversies surrounding him and opposition from certain sections, Malls visited by the the self-styled godman in the city during his visit had been cleared of people in advance and police had arranged for tight security.