A new book examines Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s hold on Punjab’s culture despite controversies

How does one make sense of Dera Sacha Sauda and its controversial chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan? In 2013, an opportunity to attend a congregation near the Japanese Park in Rohini, Delhi, which was addressed by the chief of the DSS, was very insightful.

A large open ground had been converted into a huge venue, which was overflowing with people. An army of premis and uniformed sevadaars worked with great fervour to manage the crowd. The venue was under heavy security surveillance, from the entry gate to the inner area from where the dera chief was to deliver his sermon. The chief’s personal and official bodyguards had formed a ring cordoning off the crowd. The entire area was also being monitored through CCTV. At the entry gate, each person was thoroughly frisked and checked. A large number of followers were wearing metal lockets bearing the insignia of the dera, which stated, “God is one”, and many of them had pictures of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

People – young and old, men and women – had gathered from not just Delhi and the neighbouring Haryana, but also from Punjab, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Outside the venue were shops selling lockets, calendars, posters, herbal...

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