The Congress' Haryana unit has red-flagged rumours rape convict and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is supposed to be serving a 20-year jail sentence, will be granted parole - for the 10th time in the past two years - days before an Assembly election in the state.
The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has written to the Chief Election Commissioner over "breaking news (that) parole will be granted", and to urge the top poll body that his release from jail at this time would constitute a violation of the Model Code of Conduct in place during elections.
Rahim's release has also been red-flagged by the son of a journalist who was murdered - for which he and three others were convicted. The son said freeing Rahim now "violates democratic values and fair elections", since he could "influence voting by sending messages to benefit a particular party.
Letter by Haryana Congress to Election Commission on Ram Rahim parole rumours.
He is known to have a mass following in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, as well as Haryana, which is ruled by the BJP and votes Saturday in an election seen as being a close fight with the Congress.
On Monday it was reported Rahim had sought parole for 20 days, citing the death anniversary of his father, Maghar Singh, on October 5 - the same day as voting for the Haryana election. In his request he said he would stay in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat - less than 150 km from Haryana - if released.
However, since the Model Code is in place in Haryana - and he is in a jail Rohtak district - the request was forwarded to the state election office, which sought reasons for his release.
Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal later said his office told the Haryana government - run by the Bharatiya Janata Party - that Rahim's release "may be considered... subject to correctness of facts".
He also said the final decision will be taken by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and not his office, which has set three conditions for a potential release. These are: he cannot enter Haryana; he cannot engage in political activities; and cannot participate in election-related activities, even via social media.
The Congress and civil society activists have pointed out that parole for Rahim, who was convicted of raping two followers and jailed in 2017, tends to come just before an election.
READ | Ram Rahim And His Temp Releases From Jail Just Before Polls
If released, this will be the second time Ram Rahim gets parole before this Haryana election; in August he was granted a 21-day furlough to participate in a programme hosted by his sect.
He also received a 40-day parole in October 2020, before the previous Haryana election.
READ | Rape Convict Dera Chief Ram Rahim To Leave Jail Again For 21 Days
Earlier releases include a 50-day parole in January, weeks before the Lok Sabha election.
He was also released thrice in 2023 - for 21 days in November (before the Rajasthan election), and 30 days in July and 40 days in June (before panchayat elections in Haryana).
There were also three releases in 2022, including for 40 days in October before a Haryana Assembly bypoll. He was also released for 21 days in February, days before the Punjab election.
He also received a 40-day parole in October 2020, before the previous Haryana election.
READ | On BJP's Haryana Polls List - Officer Who Gave Ram Rahim 6 Paroles
Incidentally, the BJP has given former prison official Sunil Sangwan - who has granted Rahim parole six times - a ticket for this Haryana election; he will contest the Dadri seat.
The BJP is looking to score a hat-trick of Assembly election wins in the Hindi heartland state but the result isn't a given, because of the opposition's strong showing in the Lok Sabha election.
The Congress won five of Haryana's 10 Lok Sabha seats, benefitting from a tie-up with the Aam Aadmi Party as part of the INDIA bloc mandate. The AAP and Congress tried to work out a deal for the state election too, after Rahul Gandhi called for cooperation, but that, it appears, was not possible.
Voting for the Haryana election is on Saturday. Results will be declared on October 8.
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