The Hindu apologises for controversial Ram Rahim advertisement
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New Delhi: The Hindu has issued an unconditional apology for publishing a front-page advertisement portraying convicted rapist and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a favourable light.
The full-page advertisement, titled “What is Dera Sacha Sauda? (Facts vs Fiction)”, appeared in the newspaper’s Delhi, Mohali and North India editions, including the New Delhi edition.
The advertisement presented several claims about the organisation, including that it had helped free 7.5 crore people from addiction, planted 35.40 crore trees, donated 33.85 lakh units of blood and earned 22 Guinness World Records. The claims were attributed neither to independent sources nor supported by corroborating evidence.
The advertisement also alleged that a conspiracy had been carried out against Ram Rahim by “drug mafias and forces opposed to the Dera”.
In its apology, The Hindu said it “deeply regrets” publishing the advertisement, describing it as offensive.
Ram Rahim, 59, is serving a 20-year prison sentence imposed by a Central Bureau of Investigation court for raping two female disciples. He is also facing charges related to murder, cheating, criminal conspiracy and intimidation under the BNS.
He was acquitted in one of the cases, while another case remains pending.
The Dera chief is currently out of prison on a 21-day furlough. His repeated paroles and furloughs have attracted criticism, with questions being raised over the decisions allowing him temporary release.
The advertisement triggered strong reactions among journalists and media professionals, particularly because it appeared to present Ram Rahim as a social reformer while ignoring his criminal convictions.
The controversy also highlighted an apparent contrast with The Hindu’s earlier coverage. In June, the newspaper published an infographic-based report stating that Ram Rahim had spent around 13.5 per cent of his prison sentence outside jail since his conviction in 2017.
Alumni of the Asian College of Journalism criticised former The Hindu editor-in-chief N. Ram and The Hindu Group Director Malini Parthasarathy over the decision to provide prominent advertising space to an organisation led by a convicted rapist.