HathrasSurajpal Singh is hard to understand. Neither the man nor his ideology. The film star and the activist would be close to meeting. That passion for the spotless white shirt and pants, that urgent call Dalit upliftment And acceptance. There’s a strange mix of 70s costumes, with an allure of looking like a don, which includes being surrounded by three tiers of bodyguards – dressed in pink, grey and black.
But this boy, born in the mid-1960s in Bahadur Nagri village of Kasganj district to Jatav parents, was transformed into the real Vishva Hari. Bhole babaHis followers had no trouble understanding what he stood for or preached, they listened attentively to every word he spoke, every sentence he uttered, expressing their own unique interpretation of religion and sacred scriptures.
The man who killed 121 people so far in the stampede in Hathras spent his childhood working in the fields, learning the rhythm of the countryside from his father, who was a small farmer. His mother, a woman of deep faith, introduced him to the world of spirituality and sowed the seeds of future change in him.
Bhole Baba instinctively understood the struggles and aspirations of his mostly SC/ST fans, and leveraged this to establish himself as their spiritual guide and saviour. His speeches revolved around social justice and empowerment. This connected deeply with his followers.
Popular as Bhole Baba in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan, TantricA turning point in his life came when he joined the UP Police as a constable. For over 18 years, he served in various districts of UP, including a stint in the intelligence unit. That period gave him profound insights into social functioning and human psychology – knowledge that later proved helpful in his incarnation as Bhole Baba.
Zafar Ali, husband of Bahadur Nagar village head Nazish Khanam, said, “Bhole Baba has no children and his wife is known as Matashree. His younger brother Ram Prasad died a few years ago. The other brother Rakesh still cultivates the fields.” Ali said that Bhole Baba had built an ashram on 30 bighas of land in Kasganj village, where people from different districts and states used to come to seek his blessings. However, five years ago Bhole Baba suddenly left the village. He suspected that a conspiracy was being hatched against him.
A businessman from Hathras, who has been donating to Bhole Baba’s satsang for a long time, said, “He is not too showy or anything. He is around 5 feet 7 inches tall. Yes, he follows high standards of hygiene and does not let people touch him. Educated up to Class 12, he speaks pure English, is an avid reader and has a fondness for cars and perfumes. Baba takes great care of his diet and exercises regularly. Through his contacts, Baba helped me in my business of asafoetida.”
When Bhole Baba took voluntary retirement from his post as a head constable in the Uttar Pradesh police in 2000, he immediately faced the other side of the law. That March in Agra, he and a few others were charged with a shocking charge: they were claimed to have powers that could resurrect a dead teenage girl. This created a furore at the crematorium. The police later closed the case for lack of evidence.
Gradually, his personality changed on many levels. He wore his hair long and wrapped himself in long robes, making him look more like the traditional spiritual leader he aspired to be. He chose a striking mix of old and modern, often combining a white suit and tie with pyjamas. Bhole Baba kept his wife by his side, a quiet but powerful presence that many said gave his followers a sense of familial warmth and rootedness.
As the number of his devotees increased, his eccentricities also increased. Bhole Baba developed such a culture, Private army His fanatically loyal followers were willing to protect themselves at great cost. The Narayani Sena, Garuda Warriors and Hari Vahakas protected him round the clock. The Garuda Warriors, also called “Black Commandos” by the locals, wore black clothes, the Hari Vahakas wore brown caps and the Narayani Sena men wore pink clothes.
This army not only provided protection to Bhola Baba but also helped him establish and maintain a powerful influence over his “community”, especially among the Dalits who were a significant part of his disciples.
Ram Sanai, 65, who was present at the unfortunate satsang on Tuesday, said a large part of Bhole Baba’s appeal came from his admonitions against excessive drinking and advice for women facing domestic violence. His broader message was that of humanity – for instance, a poster announcing the satsang spoke of “unity in diversity”, the elimination of discrimination and, of course, the need to believe in the power of Narayan Sarkar, another nomenclature he gave himself.
Rakesh Babu from Aligarh, who was in Hathras for Bhole Baba’s programme, said, “He gives us confidence. He talks about equality and empowerment. He advocates education. He also got my daughter enrolled in a private school. He condemns caste-based discrimination and preaches universal brotherhood. Baba helped us during the Covid-19 pandemic when we did not have food to eat.”
Something else also happened during that time, which Babu does not reveal. In May 2021, during the deadly second wave, Bhole Baba organised a meeting in Farrukhabad. Despite the district administration’s permission for only 50 people, more than 50,000 people attended it, resulting in an FIR being filed against the organisers.
Bhole Baba’s past is not without controversies. He has been accused of being involved in several crimes ranging from fraud to land grabbing and sexual assault. However, he has managed to escape the charges, thanks to what many believe is his “political influence”.
In Kanpur, ACP of Ghatampur, Ranjit Kumar, said that the police is investigating the allegations that his organisation ‘Sakar Vishwa Hari Charitable Trust’ has encroached upon seven bighas of land in Karsui village. He said, “We are investigating the matter to gather more information.”
Many say that the “seeds” of Bhole Baba’s political power were sown in 2007, when the Mayawati-led BSP assumed power in UP. He had close ties with several senior politicians cutting across party lines and was often seen sharing the stage with them during public events. His followers formed a significant vote bank, with ashrams in various parts of UP being proof of his power. It was in one of these ashrams, located on a 60-bigha plot in Bichwa Mainpuri, that he solemnised the wedding of an IAS officer two years ago.
His ashram in Kasganj has a hand pump that is believed to ooze nectar and purify the soul. But Bhole Baba’s once spotless white clothes now seem stained with blood. His posters and banners, once a ray of hope and guidance, are now painted with black ink.
