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Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

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Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan
Singh (left) consoling victims of a fire in Darjeeling on 20 April 2012
Born (1967-08-15) 15 August 1967 (age 56)[1]
NationalityIndian
Occupations
  • Social group leader
  • actor
  • director
  • singer
Years active1990–present[1]
OrganizationDera Sacha Sauda
Children
  • Honeypreet Insan
  • Charanpreet Insan
  • Amarpreet Insan
  • Jasmeet Insan
Parents
  • Maghar Singh
  • Nasib Kaur
[1]
Websitesaintdrmsginsan.me

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh (born 15 August 1967) is an Indian guru, music producer, actor and director.[2] He has been the head of the social group Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) since 23 September 1990. The Indian Express placed Singh 96th in their list of the 100 most powerful Indians of 2015.[3]

Singh has also been involved in controversies.[4][5] Singh has been accused of mocking Sikh and Hindu religious figures.[6] He has also been accused of rape, murder and forced castrations.[7][8][9] On 25 August 2017, he was convicted of rape by a special CBI court.[10][11][12][13]

Early life and family

Singh was born in August 1967 at Sri Gurusar Modia village in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. At the age of 7, he was initiated into the Dera Sacha Sauda sect by his predecessor Shah Satnam Singh.[5]

On 23 September 1990, Shah Satnam held a satsang where he publicly conferred sainthood and succession of the spiritual leadership upon Gurmeet Ram Rahim.[1][non-primary source needed] He is married to Harjeet Kaur and has three daughters and a son. They all use Insan as their last name. His son Jasmeet is married to the daughter of Harminder Singh Jassi, a Punjab Congress leader.[14] His adopted daughter Honeypreet Insan is a movie actress and director.[15]

Ram Rahim was educated in a school in his village of Sri Gurusar Modia.[citation needed]

Political influence

Singh is known for political clout, as his Dera has a large number of followers among Dalits and Other Backward Classes. His Dera Sacha Sauda is the only one among the various Deras that openly asks its supporters to vote for particular political parties.[16]

Singh originally supported the Indian National Congress.[5] Singh's son is married to the daughter of the Congress leader Harminder Singh Jassi. The Dera Sacha Sauda supported Congress in the 2007 Punjab state elections, and helped the party take control of the Malwa region.[17] Before the 2012 Punjab state elections, the Congress leader Amarinder Singh, his wife Preneet Kaur and his son Raninder Singh visited Singh, asking him to extend his support to Congress.[18][19] However, Dera's support to Congress alienated the party's Sikh vote bank. In the 2012 elections, Congress performed poorly, and Jassi lost the election. The poor performance of Congress in Malwa in 2012 was seen as a signal of the downfall of Dera's political power.[17]

Before the 2014 Haryana state elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narendra Modi praised Singh in order to attract the Dera Sacha Sauda followers.[20] Singh supported the BJP in the state elections, thus helping BJP form a non-coalition government in the state for the first time.[5] In February 2015, his organisation openly supported BJP in Delhi elections, saying that he has over 2 million followers in Delhi.[21][22][23] His organisation supported BJP in the Bihar assembly election in 2015, and nearly 3,000 Dera followers campaigned for BJP in the state.[24] In 2016, the Haryana sports minister Anil Vij announced a 5 million grant to the Dera for promoting sports, in Singh's presence, leading to a controversy.[25]

Social work

Ram Rahim has organised drives for blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screening that have been recognised by Guinness World Records.[26][27][28] In association with the American Society of Echocardiography, he also organised the world record for "Most Cardiac Echo Tests".[29] On 21 September 2011 in New Delhi, Ram Rahim initiated a series of sanitation drives and also pledged his support to the Central Government's campaign.[30] As of 2016, about 30 Mega Cleanliness Campaigns have been conducted in several states of India.[31][32][33][34] On 22 May 2012 Ram Rahim laid the foundation of the Shah Satnam ji Super Speciality Hospital at Sirsa. He established a specialised disaster relief and welfare agency called Shah Satnam Ji Green-S Welfare Force Wing in 2001, especially in the aftermath of the Odisha cyclone and Gujarat earthquake.[35][36][37][38][39] A CBI report investigating criminal allegations against him lead to his arres.[40] He has also spoken out against cattle slaughter in India.[41]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Lyrics Composition Label Notes
2012 Thank You For That Yes Yes Universal Debut[42]
Network Tere Love Ka Yes Yes Universal
Chashma Yaar Ka[43] Yes Yes Universal
Insan Yes Yes Universal
2013 Lov Rab Se Yes Yes Universal
2014 Highway Love Charger Yes Yes Universal[44] Album sold 3 millions copies in the first three days.[45] Music video became an instant hit on YouTube[46]

Film songs

Year Title Songs Lyrics Composition Label Notes
2015 MSG: The Messenger Desh, Daru Ko Goli Maro, Papa The Great, Never Ever, Never Ever remix, Rataan Bataan, Ram Ram Yes Yes Sony Music India Singh was awarded 4 Platinum Plaques from IFPI for music of this movie[47]
MSG-2 The Messenger Party Dhoom Dhaam Se, MSG The Messenger, Rooh Nashiyaani, Hasin Wadiyon Mein, Sapnon Mein Aana Tera, Hule Maale Gile Chila, Party Dhoom Dhaam Se(remix) Yes Yes T Series Singh has sung in different voices[48]
2016 MSG: The Warrior Lion Heart Dhol Baaje, Sohna Mera Mishri Di Daliye Yes Yes Zee Music[49] Second song unveiled in live concert admist 3.6 million fans[50]
2017 Hind Ka Napak ko Jawab - MSG Lion Heart - 2 Jung Hai Humri Aatankwad Se, System Hil Gaya, Thank U For That, Tujhe Paa Ke Yes Yes Zee Music
2017 Jattu Engineer Holi Ki Pichkari Yes Yes

Filmography

Films

Year Film Director Writer Role Notes
2015 MSG: The Messenger Yes Yes Guru Ji Debut
MSG-2 The Messenger Yes Yes Guru Ji Based on true events
2016 MSG: The Warrior Lion Heart Yes Yes Lion Heart
2017 Hind Ka Napak ko Jawab - MSG Lion Heart - 2 Yes Yes Sher-E-Hind Based on 2016 Uri attack and 2016 India–Pakistan military confrontation[51]
2017 Jattu Engineer Yes Yes Sghaint Singh Sidhu, Shakti Singh Sisodia

Online Gurukul is a future project of Singh speaking out against terrorism, where he is slated to play six different roles.[52]

Awards

Singh is a 2016 recipient of the "Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation Award" (not to be confused with the Indian Government's Dadasaheb Phalke Award[53]) for making movies with a social message.[54] Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was awarded four Platinum Plaques in four categories including Vocals, Lyrics, Composition and Music Direction for music of MSG: The Messenger from IFPI.[55] He received the Giants International Award for his social work in 2016.[56] In 2017, Singh received the Bright Award for best actor and most versatile personality.[57] He has also been nominated for the Dronacharya Award by The Yoga Federation of India(YFI) for producing 'World Champion yogis'.[58][59][60][61][62]

Controversies

Singh has been accused of being involved in enforcing the castration of hundreds of followers; Singh has repeatedly denied involvement.[63][64][7][65]

Conflict with Sikh groups

In May 2007, Singh was accused of hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by wearing, in an advertisement, an attire, resembling the tenth and final living Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, by using a turban with a kalgi (egret feather).[66][67] His followers also organised a demonstration against their alleged persecution at the hands of some religious organisations.[68][69] Ram Rahim was attacked by a mob on 16 July 2007, but escaped unhurt.[70] The Dera Sacha Sauda tendered multiple apologies, regretting confusion over the dress, and stated that it had high regard for all Sikh Gurus, Sikh religion and the entire humankind.[71] A multi religion delegation approached the apex Sikh organisation to accept the apology.[72] Though the Akal Takht didn't use the word "rejected" – they maintained that the apology was inadequate on several counts.[73]

A criminal case filed against him, for hurting the Sikh sentiments, was dismissed by the Sirsa court in 2009 and Bathinda court in 2014.[74][75] Counter-terrorism expert Ajai Sahni has stated that the tensions between the Sikh community and the Dera have been exploited by the pro-Khalistan elements. He has further quoted Indian military intelligence that Iknoor Khalsa Fauj, Khalistan Zindabad Force and Khalistan Commando Force have attempted to eliminate him.[76] In a case where the Dera's followers were accused of being suicide attackers, the Dera has stated publicly that it was being targeted by vested political groups that were conspiring to defame it.[77][78] The organisation has demanded a judicial probe into the allegations.[74][76][79]

On 2 February 2008, Ram Rahim's cavalcade was attacked with explosives, injuring 11 persons.[80] A Khalistan Liberation Force member was later arrested for the attack who confessed to arranging explosives for the attack on the Dera chief and also executing the plan along with his associates.[81][82] After that, Ram Rahim was protected with Z+ security cover.[83]

On 20 June 2008, a group of Sikhs shouted anti-Dera slogans during Gurmeet Ram Rahim's visit to the Nirmal Lifestyles mall in Mumbai. The situation developed into an altercation between the protestors and the Dera followers, and one of the Sikh protestors was killed.[84] This led to further protests from Sikhs in Mumbai and Punjab.[85]

On 27 September 2015, the Akal Takht accepted his apology and pardoned him, but, on observing widespread resentment and protest among Sikhs regarding his pardon, the organisation revoked the pardon on 16 October.[86]

Rape conviction

In 2002, a female follower of Singh's allegedly penned an anonymous letter to then Prime Minister of India Atal Vajpayee accusing Singh of sexual abuse. A CBI probe was ordered into the incident on 24 September 2002. In the same year, Singh had murder charges levied against him for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, who was writing articles at the time about Dera Sacha Sauda, and for the murder of Dera Sacha Sauda manager Ranjit Singh.[87]

On 25 August 2017, a special CBI court in Panchkula, Haryana, delivered its verdict in a sexual assault case regarding a former Dera sadhvi, finding Gurmeet Ram Rahim guilty of two counts of rape.[10][11][12] Singh was taken into custody.[88] More than 200,000 people had gathered near the court premises ahead of the verdict in Panchkula, Haryana.[89] Following the conviction, 30 people were killed and another 80 were injured in violent protests in parts of India with reports of widespread vandalism.[90][91][92]

On 26 August 2017, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the police to seize the properties of the group to compensate for the vandalism caused in protests by his supporters.[93]

See also

References

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  6. ^ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41065306
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  35. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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  37. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 April 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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  87. ^ "2002 sexual abuse case: Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Insan claims he's not capable of having sex". Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  88. ^ "Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh conviction live updates: Violence kills 30 in Panchkula, Dera chief's Z security to be withdrawn". 25 August 2017.
  89. ^ "Ram Rahim Singh's supporters riot after rape conviction". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
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  92. ^ CNN, Huizhong Wu and James Masters. "Deadly clashes break out in India after guru convicted of rape". CNN. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  93. ^ Sanyal, Anindita (26 August 2017). "Dera Property Will Be Seized To Pay For Friday's Damages, Orders Court". NDTV. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)

External links