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NEW DELHI: Is it a coincidence that after a tribunal cleared the controversial film MSG: Messenger of God, its chief protagonist Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of the Dera Sacha Sauda extended his support to the Bharatiya Janata Party for the Delhi elections?
"We have 20 lakh followers in Delhi, at least 10 lakh voters spread across the 70 Del constituencies. We have spread the message across Delhi to support BJP candidates," said Aman Insaan, secretary of the political wing of the Dera.
"Dera Sachcha Sauda extends support to BJP. Now we know why the censor board was unceremoniously packed off in the case of MSG movie," tweeted Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav.
The tribunal’s verdict that overturned the Censor Board of India’s decision not to give a clearance certificate to the film with the 47 year old Ram Rahim in the lead role on a motorcycle, led to mass resignations in the Board including its chief at the time Leela Samson.
The BJP despite its support for the film was unable to persuade its coalition partner in Punjab to screen MSG. Instead the Akali Dal has banned the film, after leading massive protests all over the state against it. Sikh groups claim that the movie glorifies Ram Rahim who has several criminal cases against him. The Akali Dal and other organisations are also angry with Ram Rahib appearing in clothes similar to those of Guru Gobind Singh, the revered tenth Sikh guru.
On the last day of campaigning Ram Singh and his Dera Saccha Sauda decided to support the BJP that is contesting the elections in alliance with the Akali Dal.
The movie has yet to be screened in Delhi and many other parts of India.
The BJP appears to be scrambling for votes, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounding defensive in his rallies in the city. He insisted the polls giving an edge to Aam Aadmi party were a sham and meaningless. He sought to convince the people that he would convert Delhi into a developed city with all opportunities, directing them not to waste their votes on any other party. Interestingly the BJP has dropped the ‘bhagoda’ campaign against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal as many of those who are planning to vote for him are pointing towards the action he took such as the lowering of the power tariff, rather than the time he stayed in government. It picked up the corruption campaign against but from all accounts the charges have not stuck, and Kejriwal remains in the lead in many parts of Delhi.
The support of Ram Rahim and his sect has been criticised by the opposition parties as a clear indication of the links between the BJP and the Dera Saccha Sauda. MSG, the movie has Ram Singh playing the role of a rock star guru, riding a motorcycle and doing good. The Censor Board had refused to give this a certificate despite some pressure, with the tribunal intervening in Ram Rahim’s favour.There are seven songs in the movie, all sung by Ram Rahim.
