And yes, I used to talk freely in the evening satsang seat about the need for absolute personal conscience, tell people to be absolutely individual, and to believe and act according to our personal nature.

If you did, you were at odds with Rawat who preached something quite different.  According to him, we could never trust ourselves ultimtately.  For instance, there was absolutely no way of knowing when and how our mind would try to trick us next.  We couldn't possibly outfox it.  The only answer was to trust Maharaji and pray that he would keep us safe.   

Interestingly, the teacher will probably say things to encourage both parties, or which can be construed as an understanding of both situations. There is thus always a sense of reasonable equality of followers.

Are you saying that that's what Rawat did?  That's not how I recall it. 

Thus, it was quite possible too for a reasonable piss- or dope-head with a greatly loving and meditational nature to be well-respected as a non-conventional yet highly respected person because of qualities of soul and humanity.

Respected by who?  Not by Rawat, that's for sure.  And that's what mattered, wasn't it?