Sakshi Maharaj

Sachchidanand Hari Sakshi is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and RSS. He has won the Indian general elections, 2014 from the Unnao. He also won Indian general election, 1996 and Indian general election, 1998 from Farrukhabad.[1]

Early life

Sakshi hails from the Lodh community.[2]

Positions

Publications

(i) Panchdarshi; (ii) Ashtavakra Geeta; (iii) Shiv Mahiman Strotra; (iv) Vichar Mala; (v) Vairagya Shatak; (vi) Saral Vivek; (vii) Sidhant Updesh, Mandukyopanishad; (viii) Vichar Chandrodaya; (ix) Geeta Saar; (x) Geeta Darshan; (xi) Niti Shatak (xii) Parmarth Bhajanawali (xiii) Siddha Prarthanastotra (xiv) Drishtanta Sagar (xv) Atthais Upanishad(all in Hindi and Sanskrit); and (xvi) Bhagwan Sandesh - a monthly Hindi publication

Criminal charges

In 2000, a college principal in Etah filed a police complaint accusing Maharaj and two of his nephews of gang-raping her. The woman and her male associate were allegedly assaulted by the godman when they were driving to Agra from Etah.

Maharaj had to spend a month in Tihar jail on rape charges, but was eventually let off.

Ten years ago, however, another rape complaint was filed against him in Farrukhabad, by a disciple of his ashram. “The woman is from Mainpuri and still maintains that Sakshi Maharaj had taken advantage of her and raped her in the ashram,” said Yogendra Singh Yadav, a Farrukhabad-based editor of Hindi publication Yuva Peedhi. “When the case had gone to court, however, the police filed a report saying there was no rape.” [3]

On April 16, 2013, UP Police Booked Sachidananad Hari Sakshi alias Sakshi Maharaj, his brother and two others for murder of a former college principal Sujata Verma. Verma (47), a former member of district panchayat and a one-time disciple of Sakshi, was shot dead at the gates of Udaitpur Sakshi Ashram in Etah on April 15, 2013[4]

“Sujata Verma used to claim that Sakshi Maharaj had adopted her as a daughter, and there was a property dispute between them,” said Mohammed Arif Khan, a journalist based in Etah. “Verma had taken hold of a part of his ashram, and about two months later, she was killed.”

Soon after the murder, Maharaj had been on the run. Verma’s son claimed that the godman had threatened his mother in the past. Maharaj later pleaded innocent in court, and was not convicted.

Yadav claims Maharaj also has a history of booth capturing during election time. “During the Lok Sabha election ten years ago, I remember him going around Farrukhabad with a caravan of vehicles and armed guards to capture booths,” he said. “At one point, his weapons were seized and handed over to the police, but he eventually won the seat.” [5]

He was accused in the 1992 Babri masjid demolition. Expelled from the Rajya Sabha for misusing his constituency funds, Sakshi Maharaj has also spent a month in Tihar Jail on rape charges.[6]

Social and cultural activities

Established more than hundred spiritual centres throughout the country; Set up Girls' Degree College, Girls Inter college and a high school

Controversies

He has been always centre of controversy since inception of Modi Government. He called Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mohandas Gandhi, as 'martyr' and 'true patriot'.[7] In recent chapter he urged Hindus to produce at least 4 kids to stop Muslims from overtaking Hindus in population in recent future.[8] He also advocated death sentence for those indulging in conversion and cow slaughter and said the government will pass a law in this regard.[9] Sakshi Maharaj has been in repeated controversies because of his statements. He had created a furore when he termed the religious madarsa a source of terrorism in India.[10]

Right after Nepal Earth Quake in 2015 Sakshi Maharaj said ‘Rahul Gandhi eats beef, and goes to the holy shrine without purifying himself. The earthquake was bound to happen’. So forget about tectonic plates shifting or any scientific reasoning, the real reason for the devastating earthquake happened in Nepal is Rahul Gandhi’s beef-eating habit and his visit to Kedernath.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Constituencywise-All Candidates". Eciresults.nic.in. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  2. ↑ http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-04-14/news/49098006_1_brahmin-rajnath-singh-narendra-modi
  3. ↑ http://scroll.in/article/724575/how-literary-agents-try-to-destroy-writers
  4. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Sakshi-Maharaj-3-others-booked-for-murder/articleshow/19588838.cms
  5. ↑ http://scroll.in/article/724575/how-literary-agents-try-to-destroy-writers
  6. ↑ http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/bjp-leader-facing-murder-charges-on-the-run-354982
  7. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sakshi-stokes-another-controversy-asks-hindus-to-have-4-kids/article6763837.ece
  8. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sakshi-stokes-another-controversy-asks-hindus-to-have-4-kids/article6763837.ece
  9. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sakshi-stokes-another-controversy-asks-hindus-to-have-4-kids/article6763837.ece
  10. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sakshi-stokes-another-controversy-asks-hindus-to-have-4-kids/article6763837.ece
  11. ↑ http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rahuls-impure-visit-to-kedarnath-caused-nepal-earthquake-says-sakshi-maharaj-2215456.html