On Friday, while the nation celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi, many parts of North India witnessed shocking acts of violence.
The mayhem followed when a special CBI court in Panchkula convicted the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, of raping two sadhvis (nuns) in 2002. B-town celebrities like Farhan Akhtar, Anupam Kher and Twinkle Khanna were quick to condemn the situation on social media while several others extolled the court for its decision.
Anupam Kher, actor
Violence is what #GurmeetRam RahimSingh seems to have taught his followers. This is nonsense & Govt. needs to use full force to STOP it NOW.
Rishi Kapoor, actor
Attach all Dera properties and sell them to compensate the national loss by arson and vandalism. Shame Gurmeet followers. No respect for you. Frauds. Blind faith in con people.Government must punish these fraudsters. Sukhwinder Kaur (Radhema) Gurmeet, Asaram, Nityananda.All Criminals!
Farhan Akhtar, actor
To all those on the rampage and all those allowing it to continue, please try and imagine what the victims must feel seeing the violence in support of their rapist... I assume that you, his followers, were taught the meaning and value of compassion... Please end the violence. Please allow the police to do their job. Please allow the law of the land to take its course.”
Twinkle Khanna, actress
Our fault Babas exist as we turn towards them like silly sunflowers looking for the sun, forgetting that a halo is just a trick of the light!”
Raveena Tandon. actress
The way the followers are reacting, rioting, itself proves what the cult was all about...saddened to see such shameful goons on the loose.
Esha Gupta, actress
Again... riots in the name of religion.. #RamRahimVerdict.. prayers with all those stuck in the riots stricken areas/states.
Virat Kohli and Ashish Nehra with Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a very old video.
What seems to be garnering a lot of attention online is Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s claim that he has coached several celebrity sportspersons. He also claims to have played numerous sports as well.
A very old video of Indian skipper Virat Kohli and fast bowler Ashish Nehra, where both can be seen taking Ram Rahim’s blessings, is going viral. In the video, Gurmeet can be seen teaching a few excercise tricks to the cricketers. Pictures of other celebrities like boxer Vijender Singh, Sunny Leone and Shilpa Shetty, too, have surfaced.
