"Ram Rahim Parole Breaking News...": Congress' Red Flag Before Haryana Poll
NDTV
The Congress' Haryana unit has red-flagged rumours rape convict and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim, 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 Election Commission over "breaking news (that) parole will be granted" and to warn 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 Rahim and three others were convicted - in 2019. The son was quoted by news agency PTI as saying freeing Rahim now "violates democratic values, fair elections, and the right to fair voting", since he could "influence voting by sending messages to benefit a particular party.
