'Godman' Rampal and his 'Commandoes' Defeat the Indian State in High Voltage Drama

NEW DELHI: Lumpens and ‘devotees’ armed with guns, brickbats and petrol bombs were able to defeat the Indian state in a day long drama in Haryana. Self styled godman Rampal who has evaded arrest since 2006 when he was first charged with murder could not be arrested by the Haryana police as per the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court because of the tough resistance of the supporters who had surrounded his ashram in the Hissar district of Haryana.

The pitched battle between his ‘private army’ of supporters with the Haryana police, fortified by little more than ill fitting riot gear, was uneven from the very beginning with the police finding it easier to attack journalists covering the event than break into the fortress being zealously guarded by the lumpens who described themselves as “Baba’s Commandos”.

Several persons were injured, including journalists and the police, with at least 20 ambulances pressed into service. The state was finally unable to honour the court’s ruling and continuous extensions to produce Rampal who remains inside the fortified ashram. A new date for November 21 has been set by the courts, even as sections of his private army have reached Delhi to protest outside the courts against his arrest.

The Haryana government said that Rampal could not be arrested as he was unwell, and forced action would have led to many more injuries and even deaths. The judges observed that the will to arrest was lacking. Rampal has reportedly skipped appearances in the court 43 times in four years. He himself was a state government employee before his ‘godman’ avatar.

Amicus curiae in the case Anupam Gupta claimed that a large part of the force outside the ashram was suddenly withdrawn around 7.30 pm on Sunday. “This is complete abdication of authority by the State,” he charged, demanding to know why the police failed to enter the ashram and bring out Rampal. He said that if the Haryana government failed to arrest him by Friday, the new date set by the court, then a contempt notice under Section 12 should be issued to the Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar who also hold the Home portfolio.

"As per my information received after heavy deployment of police forces yesterday in and around the ashram in Barwala, in the evening yesterday, the entire police force and security bandobast was suddenly withdrawn. There was no police force in and around the ashram throughout last night and early morning today. I said this has been suppressed by the state government and DGP, Haryana," Gupta said.

Gupta castigated the government for its failure to arrest Rampal saying it amounted to a "a complete abdication of authority by the State. Why did they not move on in late evening and at night and why they withdrew forces last night?"

Rampal has evaded the law since July 2006 when violence broke out between his and Arya samaj followers at his ashram in Karontha, Rohtak. One person was killed and Rampal was booked for murder.

His clout was clear from the fact that two years later the Haryana High Court gave him exemption from personal appearance in the case. In July this year there was again violence in the courts of Hisar and Rohtak as Rampal deposed through a video conference from the courts at Hisar. The district judges of both places wrote to the High Court complaining against the violence during the trial after which the High Court initiated contempt proceedings against the accused Rampal and an aide Ram Kanwar Dhaka.

On November 5 the two did not appear before the High Court that has issued non-bailable warrants against them. Dhaka is finally presented before the High Court on November 10 but there is no sign of Rampal. Fresh non bailable warrants are issued against him by the High Court. Again the law and order arm of the government failed to arrest him on November 17, even as his counsel insisted that he be allowed to depose through video conferencing because of ill health. The high court rejected this observing “We are prepared to address that health issue. The fact remains that contemnor Rampal is bold enough to hide in Satlok Ashram with a human shield.” While issuing fresh warrants the HC had earlier said, “Police authorities cannot unduly wait for days together to execute the warrants issued by this court… (It) is bound to send a wrong signal to the public.”

The Haryana government has asked for drones from the centre to increase the surveillance on the ashram. It has disconnected the power and water supply. The state was, however, unable to inform the court whether cases have been registered against any of those who had prevented the officials from going in to arrest Rampal.

Instead of Rampal, state government officials Haryana Home Secretary and Director General of Police appeared before a Bench of the High Court headed by M. Jeyapaul as per its November 10 directions demanding their presence in case the police failed yet again to arrest Rampal. Advocate General of the state, Hawa Singh Hooda told the court that the Haryana government needed more time to arrest Rampal, as a large number of supporters were inside the ashram as well and the violence could lead to more injuries and deaths.

It was left to Amicus curiae in the case Anupam Gupta to plead that the Haryana government was now in contempt of the court by failing to execute the non bailable warrant issued against Rampal on November 5. Gupta pointed out that the state’s failure to act would lead to lawlessness, disorder and anarchy.

There is tremendous tension in and around Barwala town. Hindu Sena members, according to reports, are also in Delhi to protest against Rampals arrest. All restaurants and dhabas along the national highway in the vicinity have been closed. The schools in Hisar have been closed for three days, while hospitals have been put on high alert. Rampals supporters remain defiant making it clear they will not allow him to be arrested.

Rampal, 64, was a junior engineer in the Haryana governments irrigation and public health department. He became a disciple of one Ramdevanand and in 1999 set up his own ashra in a village Karontha in Rohtak district. He then declared himself a saint and started opening ashrams all across Haryana.