Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh set to make a film on surgical strikes
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh set to make a film on surgical strikes. Pictured: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the chief of Dera Sacha SaudaIANS

Hayana's Sports Minister Anil Vij has gifted Rs. 50 lakh of taxpayer's money to the sports academy of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the "guru of bling," and Bollywood actor, who also heads the rich Dera Sacha Sauda sect in the state. The fund is meant to train sportspersons to qualify for Olympics and win medals.

Forty-nine-year-old Singh said that the money would be used to train "players in all Olympic sports" and not just for 'Tiranga Rumaal Chu' - a blend of kabaddi, kho kho and wrestling - created by him.

The game was performed, when Vij visited the organisation during the weekend. Singh has been charged with rape and murder, the investigation of which is still underway.

"The Opposition's work is to oppose, what can I say about it," Vij told reporters after facing flak from the Opposition as well as social media users for donating such a huge amount of money to the sect. He added that he owned the fund and, therefore, could spend it the way he wanted for the development of sports in the state.

"I hope in the next Olympics, players from this institute win medals for the country," the sports minister further added.

Another state minister, Manish Grover followed suit, and donated Rs. 11 lakh from his discretionary fund to Dera Sacha Sauda. The Chief Minister of Haryana has a discretionary grant of Rs 40 crore a year, while ministers like Vij and Grover have Rs 5 crore a year, the Financial Express reported.

Vij was surrounded by controversy two weeks ago when he spent one crore of the taxpayers' money to go to the Rio olympics along with a team of lawmakers and officials to "cheer for Haryana athletes."

The games played at Singh's sports academy are designed by the spiritual guru himself and have no place in national or international competitions. He arrives at traffic-signals and public gatherings on a Harley wearing shiny outfits and has also starred in a film called MSG, "Messenger of God" and its sequel.

Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel, the chief guest at the sect's event, said that all government help would be provided to the organisation to set up "villages for the games," NDTV reported.