Who On Earth Is Godman Sant Rampal?
Indian Times/November 18, 2014
By Rishabh Banerji
Chances are that most of the country have no idea whatsoever about a man named Sant Rampal. Don't worry, I feel you. Till Google and the news cleared things up a bit. o wonder the world started Googling him when the news broke out that his supporters have come to fire at cops, who went to arrest him from his ashram in Hisar, Haryana.
This is what came up when we Googled him.
Birth of Rampal Dass: 8th September, 1951- Sonipat, Haryana
If you happen to end up reading about him on his website (seriously, go check it out), it says:
"Maharaj Ji after obtaining a diploma in Engineering was appointed as a J.E. in the irrigation department of Haryana Government."
However, a report states that at the age of 48, in May 2000, he was reportedly removed from the department for 'carelessness'. By then, however, his life had already begun to change direction towards spirituality and, more importantly, divinity. In fact, he was sworn as the disciple of one Swami Ramdevanand.
1999- Rampal establishes the Satlok Ashram in Rohtak district’s Karontha village
The ashram gained popularity and Rampal Dass began to court the title of ‘Sant’. He subsequently set up several ashrams across the state, including the one at Barwala, presenting himself as an incarnation of the 15th century mystic poet, Kabir. You read that correctly, Kabir! His band of followers, of course, hit new heights.
But the smooth run ended soon after!
By 2000, he had run afoul of several Arya Samajis after he allegedly made derogatory remarks against the group’s founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati. In 2006, the differences between the two groups culminated in a clash that resulted in the death of one person. This is where Rampal’s tryst with the judiciary began.
Rampal was later arrested on charges of murder and attempt to murder and his ashram at Karontha was seized by the government. He was released on bail two years later, on April 30, 2008, after which he shifted base to Hisar. The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Rohtak administration to hand the ashram back to Rampal in November 2010. The ashram was handed over to Rampal by the Supreme Court on April 7, 2013. But clashes erupted between a group of Arya Samajis and Rampal’s followers on May 12, 2013, and two people were killed and around 100 injured as the police opened fire and lathi-charged both sets of followers. A year later in July, Rampal and his followers went on a rampage in a Hisar court where he was to appear for a murder conspiracy trial dating back to 2006.
What's happening now?
Since his release in 2010, Rampal, who faces contempt of court, murder and attempt to murder cases in various courts, has missed (or skipped) hearings 42 times! Hence the drama, as he now faces contempt charges. An arrest warrant was issued when he failed to heed court summons last week, which is where the current standoff began.
Interestingly, his website talks about 'false cases' against him. His Facebook page too has taken up cudgels against the judiciary. The page has been uploading cut-outs from papers which talk about cases of corruption against judges, trying to say that it is the court which is at fault to summon him in the first place! #Lulz
Currently, like right now, police have begun the crackdown at Rampal's ashram.
To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.
