Dera Sacha Sauda

Dera Sacha Sauda
Dera Sacha Sauda
Founder Shah Mastana Ji Maharaj
Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

Dera Sacha Sauda (Punjabi: ਡੇਰਾ ਸੱਚਾ ਸੌਦਾ, Hindi: डेरा सच्चा सौदा) colloquially DSS) is a non-profit spiritual organization based in Sirsa, Haryana, India. The Dera Sacha Sauda was established by Shah Mastana Ji from Baluchistan in 1948, as a center for spiritual learning.

The organisation has achieved Guinness World Records for several blood donation drives and a tree-planting initiative.[1] [2]

Contents

Etymology

The name Sacha Sauda ("True Deal") refers to an incident in the life of Guru Nanak Dev. Some historical sources tell of how, when Guru Nanak Dev was a young boy, his father gave him twenty some money and instructed him to conduct a business operation in order that he make a profit and learn business skills. Guru Nanak used the money to buy food to feed the poor, and explained to his father that in doing so he had done a "True Deal."[3]

History

Dera Sacha Sauda was established in 1948 by Shah Mastana from Baluchistan, who focused on attracting followers from different backgrounds.[4] His successor, Shah Satnam, opened branches in several different states and continued his work. Under the current head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Principles and positions

The cardinal principles of the sect laid down by Shah Mastana Ji are 1.Only vegetarian food is allowed 2. The drinking of liquor is forbidden 3. Illicit sex is not allowed. The sect also believes in secularism, equality, no acceptance of materialistic wealth, and truth and faith over everything else, meditation to road of truth, no politics, strict individual discipline, strict social discipline, hard work, true faith and meditation to escape from re-births (moksha).[5]

Welfare activities

Green S Welfare Force

Singh formed a welfare and disaster relief organisation called "Shah Satnam Ji Green-S Welfare Force", which now has more than 35,000 doctors, engineers, rescuers, paramedics, and tradesmen participating. The organisation has rendered aid during many of India's natural disasters.[6][non-primary source needed]

Charitable programs

Singh has initiated a variety of charitable programs during his tenure.

  • An annual eye care camp on 13–15 December each year, staffed by eye surgeons.[7]
  • A campaign against female foeticide; the organisation has also built the Shahi Betiyan Basera for orphan[clarification needed] girls who were to be killed by their parents. This home is called the Home for the Royal Daughters and provides amenities for destitute female children.[8]
  • Support for the transgendered; Singh has directed his organisation members to help intersex children who join itinerant transgender communities.He plans to support their schooling in special institutions.[9] This community is heavily afflicted with HIV due to commercial sex.
  • Blood donation drives, for which DSS has thrice been recognised by the Guiness World Records:
    • 7 December 2003 in Sirsa, Haryana with 15,432 donors in 12 hours
    • 10 October 2004 in Bapu Ji village, Sri Ganganagar, with 17,921 donors
    • 8 August 2010 in a dedicated camp in Haryana, with 43,732 donors participated.[10]
  • Anti-drug initiatives, including a free drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Sirsa.[11] The institution sees chemical dependency as a behavior disorder and encourages the addicts to bring about a positive change in their personality.[12]
  • Anti-prostitution initiatives; in November 2009 Singh called on his followers to counter prostitution, and to help sex-workers escape a "life of perpetual slavery".[13] Over 1450 followers were reported to have responded to the call and offered to marry sex-workers to "help them escape their dreary existence".[14][15][16][17][18] Singh referred to these former prostitutes as shubh devi ("holy angel").
  • Tree planting,[19] for which they set a Guiness World Record with 43 lakh of trees planted worldwide on Singh's birthday on 15 August 2010.[citation needed]
  • Disaster relief; DSS was instrumental[clarification needed] in making one of the largest contributions to Gujarat Earthquake relief in the year 2001.[20] The first village to be reconstructed in Gujarat was village Pratapgarh in Rapar Taluka in Bhuj.[21] Likewise, Orissa, after being hit by a supercyclone was the recipient of Singh's largesse when 34 wagonloads of an entire goods train were dispatched for the victims.[citation needed]
  • Sports programs: in 2004 the Parampita Shah Satnam Ji Educational and Welfare Society, which is affiliated with Dera Sacha Sauda, built the Shah Satnam ji Cricket Stadium in Sirsa, Haryana. Using a workforce of 10,000, the stadium was said to have been built in 45 days and have a capacity of 30,000.[22] It is spread over 100 acres, which would make the second largest in Asia.[23]
  • Organ and whole-body donation; DSS encourages donation of bodies and eyes after death.[24] It has emerged as one of the leading whole body donor agencies as per newspaper reports.[25]
  • They have trained tribals in various vocational skills.[26]

Controversies

In the 2000s, the organisation received attention due to several controversies involving its leader, Ram Rahim Singh:

  • In 1991, Dera manager Faqir Chand, who was considered a confidante of Ram Rahim Singh, suddenly disappeared. In 2007, in a Tehelka published a report, in which Gurmeet Singh's former driver and aide Khatta Singh alleged that the murder was ordered by Gurmeet Singh.[27] This led to the filing of a murder case against the Dera by the CBI in February 2010, which was subsequently dismissed on 2 December 2010.[28]
  • In 2002, an anonymous letter, supposedly from a Sadhvi living in the Dera, was sent to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well as the judges of The Punjab and Haryana High Court. In this letter, the sadhvi alleged being raped by Gurmit Singh Ram Rahim. In 2007, the CBI filed charges against Gurmit Singh Ram Rahim under the sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.[29] As per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, the daily hearing of the case started in the CBI special court in Panchkula from 28 September 2011.[30]
  • On October 10, 2002, Ram Chandar Chhatarpati, the editor of Sirsa-based Poora Sach, was shot and grievously wounded by two men who were later arrested. Chhatarpati had done a series of stories on the Dera, and had also published allegations of rape and sexual exploitation against the Baba. Later, dera Manager Krishan Lal was also arrested in the case. Sirsa police investigations showed that the crime was committed with Lal’s licensed revolver, and that the walkie-talkie used in the crime was licensed in the name of the Dera.[31]. Gurmeet Singh is one of the main accused in the case. Also, during court proceedings the CBI dropped Gobi Ram, who is a follower of the Dera, as a witness as he had backtracted on his statement before CBI Special Judge A.S. narangg.[32]
  • In 2007, Singh and the DSS were the target of widespread protests, following an incident in which Ram Rahim Singh appeared in an advertisement dressed in a way which Sikhs said was similar to the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh.[33] One person was killed in the violence and over 100 injured.[34] This incident resulted in a series of three apologies from DSS and Singh,[35] as well as a 2007 arrest warrant against Singh and subsequent criminal case which was dismissed in 2009.[36]

References

  1. ^ Largest Blood Donation. Guinness Book of Wordl Records
  2. ^ "Dera again makes it to Guinness Book of World Records Collects 43,732 units of blood in a day". The Tribune. Nov 15, 2010. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101116/harplus.htm#4. Retrieved 26 May 2011. 
  3. ^ Valson Thampu (May 2000). Pilgrims to the light: encounters in a shared destiny. Har-Anand Publications. pp. 111–. ISBN 9788124106433. http://books.google.com/books?id=7mBWdebKYG4C&pg=PA111. Retrieved 26 April 2011. 
  4. ^ Rajalakshmi, T. K. (December 21, 2002 - January 03, 2003). "Godman under a cloud". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1926/stories/20030103003404000.htm. Retrieved 7 March 2011. 
  5. ^ derasachasauda.org
  6. ^ "Disaster Relief Organization". Shah Satnam Ji Green S Welfare Force Society. http://shahsatnamjigreenswelfareforcesociety.org/. Retrieved 2011-01-29. 
  7. ^ "Eye Camp Organised". Tribuneindia.com. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091217/region.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  8. ^ "Home for destitute girls". The Tribune. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090331/harplus.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-16. 
  9. ^ "Dera followers offer to wed sex workers - Times Of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2009-11-14. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dera-followers-offer-to-wed-sex-workers/articleshow/5229062.cms. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  10. ^ "Largest blood donation". Guinnessworldrecords.com. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Largestblood-donation/53108.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  11. ^ Ahuja, Abhishek. "A Day at Dera Sacha Sauda". http://abhishekahuja.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/05/a-day-at-dera-sacha-sauda-sirsa-haryana.htm. 
  12. ^ "Principles". Dera Sacha Sauda. http://derasachasauda.org/en/principles. Retrieved 2011-01-29. 
  13. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKJRer6UFNA Appeal
  14. ^ Sethi, Swati (14 November 2009). "Dera followers offer to wed sex workers". The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dera-followers-offer-to-wed-sex-workers/articleshow/5229062.cms. Retrieved 16 December 2009. 
  15. ^ "Indian sect members vow to marry sex workers - Manchester News". Manchesterwired.co.uk. http://www.manchesterwired.co.uk/news.php/4941-Indian-sect-members-vow-to-marry-sex-workers. Retrieved 2011-01-29. 
  16. ^ "Dera Sacha Sauda members to marry sex workers | hotklix". Timesofindia.hotklix.com. http://timesofindia.hotklix.com/Hotklix/link/News/India/Dera-Sacha-Sauda-members-to-marry-sex-workers. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  17. ^ IANS (2009-12-21). "Dera members offer to marry sex workers - The Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dera-members-offer-to-marry-sex-workers/articleshow/5360228.cms. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  18. ^ "A welfare organization". Shah Satnam Ji Green S Welfare Force Wing. http://www.shahsatnamjigreenswelfareforcewing.org/anti-foeticide.html. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  19. ^ "Dera followers launch tree plantation drive". The Tribune. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090816/bathinda.htm#6. Retrieved 2010-01-16. 
  20. ^ "Haryana to adopt quake-hit villages". Tribuneindia.com. 1 February 2001. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010202/haryana.htm#4. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  21. ^ "A welfare organization". Shah Satnam Ji Green S Welfare Force Wing. http://shahsatnamjigreenswelfareforcewing.org/relief-work-in-gujrat.html. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  22. ^ "A medal for this stadium". The Hindu. 2004-09-06. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/06/stories/2004090600550201.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-17. 
  23. ^ "Cricket stadium". The Tribune. 2004-09-07. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040907/sports.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-17. 
  24. ^ "Dera follower’s body donated to medical college". The Tribune. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090206/harplus1.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-16. 
  25. ^ "Dera to donate bodies to medical colleges in S India". Indianexpress.com. 2010-02-01. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dera-to-donate-bodies-to-medical-colleges-in-s-india/573845/. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  26. ^ "A welfare organization". Shah Satnam Ji Green S Welfare Force Wing. http://www.shahsatnamjigreenswelfareforcewing.org/tribal-reintegration.html. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
  27. ^ Tehelka:: Free. Fair. Fearless
  28. ^ Dera Sacha Sauda chief gets clean chit in murder case - Indian Express
  29. ^ Charges against Dera chief framed. The Times of India, 6 September 2008.
  30. ^ Daily hearing of rape cases against Dera chief from today. The Times of India, 28 September 2011.
  31. ^ Tehelka - The People's Paper
  32. ^ Witness turns hostile in Chhatrapati murder case - Indian Express
  33. ^ Raman, Sunil (2007-05-17). "India tensions over Sikh protests". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6667219.stm. Retrieved 2007-05-17. 
  34. ^ "Punjab limping back to normalcy, isolated protests". The Hindu. 2007-05-19. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200705191801.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-25. 
  35. ^ "Fresh apology, this time to Sikhs". tribuneindia.com. June 20, 2007. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070621/main5.htm#2. Retrieved 1 August 2010. 
  36. ^ "Criminal case against Dera Sacha Sauda head dismissed". The Times of India. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-01-24/india/28052679_1_criminal-case-revision-petition-dera-head. Retrieved 2009-01-24. 

External links

Organization's website


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