Twitter
Advertisement

'Godman' Rampal surrendered but his cult didn’t

Latest News
article-main
Supporters of Rampal at the ashram
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

‘He is God. He will make a return’, cried Trupti, 30, a women from Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior. 

Rampal saga is much more than a fifty thousand policemen seizing an ashram for a week long just to get one man out. It’s a tale of caution that how a self-styled godman can persuade people to such levels that they would die for him.

Satlok ashram has been vacated now but people’s belief in Rampal and this place wouldn’t leave their conscience for long. Police claimed weapons, a thousand strong private army assaulting women and all others inside.  But majority of who were evacuated from ashram by the police said that nothing wrong happened inside and we will return to the place, once baba makes a return.

“He is destined to return. Nobody can stop him. I am not a blind supporter of Rampal. I left my job in Saudi Arabia to come here,” said a young boy of 24 years of age from Uttra Pradesh who wished his identity to remain a secret.

The followers were dropped by Haryana roadways buses to bus stand and railway station throughout the day on Thursday and police claimed that it has already evacuated thirty thousand people. But when the media was allowed inside, it got to see a sea of humanity refusing to vacate the place as they wanted Rampal to return.

“Majority of the supporters want baba back because we know that he didn’t do anything wrong. Many of us knew that police will maintain the seize but still we came on baba’s call,” said Shailendra Kumar, a youth from Noida.

The followers mainly belonged to Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, UP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Some of them had been staying in ashram for more than ten days. The people boarding trains to Delhi and Rajasthan had tears in their eyes. “I am educated and want to pursue MBBS. But still I have faith in baba,” said a young girl from Indore.

Another thing that amazed both media and police was the level of comfort given to them.

Comfortable arrangement for rest, good food which included stable diet of kheer every day and a whole ward equipped with all sorts of medical facilities including an X-ray machine was seen in the ashram. Rampal had fathomed the possibility of police backlash one he defied the High Court. Therefore his associates had stored food for more than 15 days.

Police claimed that massive atrocities were done on women by Rampal’s private army including a few who were subjected to repeated rapes. Police also alleged that Rampal used women and children to shield himself from administration’s brute force.

But the followers refused everything. “Would anybody bring his family here to get women of the family assaulted? Police on the other hand assaulted us. They nabbed all young boys and suspected them as naxalites. People from MP and Jharkhand were considered as naxalites by police,” said Govindrao Kendre who came with family from Latur in Maharashtra.

Rampal is behind bars till 28 November and Hisar administration is relaxed now.

Majority of the followers too must have reached the comfort of their homes by now, but this episode will be etched in their minds for a long time.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement