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Namrata Biji Ahuja
Namrata Biji Ahuja

INTERVIEW

Rape case is a conspiracy against Guruji

Interview/Aditya Insan, Dera Sacha Sauda spokesperson

Dr Aditya Arora alias Aditya Insan, in his 40s, is an articulate man. Hours before thousands of Dera Sacha Sauda supporters clashed with security forces near the CBI court in Panchkula on August 25, Aditya was seen managing the swelling crowd on the ground. An ophthalmologist, he was with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for a decade, and now works as a senior consultant and director of the eye bank at Shah Satnam Ji Speciality Hospitals in Sirsa. He also owns an automobile company—MSG Motors Pvt Ltd.

When THE WEEK caught up with him minutes before Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was found guilty of rape, Aditya accused the government, intelligence agencies and media houses of conniving for months to nail baba. His face fell when the news of the verdict poured in. He moved aside quietly, but Dera crowds had erupted by then. Aditya has now been charged with sedition, for allegedly inciting violence. Edited excerpts:

The Dera chief has been accused of rape.

This is a conspiracy against Guruji. There are certain police officials, couple of media houses, media persons and politicians who are behind this.

Who is targeting him?

The Intelligence Bureau had intercepted conversations between a certain shrine in Punjab and their ISI handlers in Pakistan. A few years ago, there was an RDX attack on Guruji. There have been three attacks, 15 consignments of AK47s and RDX have been caught, and his followers are being attacked.

Then there was the dress episode [In 2007, he had dressed up as Guru Gobind Singh, which led to violent clashes between Sikhs and Dera followers]. Today, the situation is such that Guruji can't even go back to his house in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. So, the angst has been building up, but Guruji has been directing this into constructive forms. The total number of social initiatives we have undertaken has gone up from 50 to 103. So, Guruji has been very keen that there should be a constructive outlet for all this.

But, if the verdict is not in his favour, can we expect trouble?

Guruji has made multiple appeals to them [followers] and I hope his appeal will have an impact. But, the situation has become such that followers have started telling Guruji that as far as countering these negative forces is concerned, please let us do it on our own. This is for the first time they have defied Guruji. It is a very sad precedent even for us. I apologise to the people of the three cities [Sirsa, Panchkula and Chandigarh] for all the inconvenience.

Haryana and Punjab are in a state of shutdown at the moment. Other states are also affected. Your comments.

Just look at it. It is trivial compared to people facing bomb attacks, people being knifed, shot at and treated as second-class citizens. But, I still apologise with folded hands, that this should not have happened.

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