Asaram

Asharam
Religion Hinduism
Founder of Shree Yog Vedanta Sewa Samiti
Philosophy Advaita Vedanta
Personal
Nationality Indian
Born (1941-04-17) 17 April 1941[1]
Berani, British India
Spouse Lakshmi Devi
Children Narayan Prem Sai (Son)
Bharti Devi (Daughter)
Parents Mehangiba (Mother)
Thaumal Sirumalani (Father)
Guru Lilashah ji Maharaj
Website www.ashram.org

Asumal Sirumalani, known as Asharam Bapu or just Bapuji by his followers, is a religious leader in India.[2] He preaches the existence of One Supreme Conscious in every human being following the traditions of Advaita Vedanta. He was born on 17 April 1941. He left the home at the age of 23 and set out on his journey in the search of God. In the early 1970s, Asharam's followers built an ashram for him in Gujarat. By 2013, he had 400 major and minor ashrams in India and abroad, with numerous followers. In 2008, the death of two boys at his Motera ashram led to public protests, amid allegations that black magic was being practiced at the ashram which were later found false.[3] In 2013, Asharam Bapu was arrested when a 16-year-old girl accused him of sexually assaulting her in Jodhpur.

Early life and family

Asharam Bapu was born on 17 April 1941, in the Berani village of the Nawabshah District in British India (Present-day Berani Town is located in Jam Nawaz Ali Tehsil of District Sanghar Sindh Pakistan), to Menhgiba and Thaumal Sirumalani.[4] His birthname was Asumal Thaumal Harpalani[5][6] or Asumal Sirumalani.[7]

Following the partition of India in 1947, he and his family moved to Ahmedabad, then part of the former Bombay State in India, now Gujarat, leaving behind their immovable assets in Sindh. The family moved to Ahmedabad, where Asharam Bapu's father founded a coal and wood business. Asharam Bapu ran this business for a short time after his father's death.[8]

After his father's death, Asharam Bapu dropped out of Jai Hind High School, where he had studied till class III. According to Sant Asharam Bapuji ki Jeevan Jhanki, a biography published by his ashram, he ran away to an ashram in Bharuch at the age of 15, eight days before his scheduled wedding. His family persuaded him to return, and he married Laxmi Devi. At the age of 23, he again left home and wandered in pilgrimage places in Uttarakhand and Uttar pradesh. He met the spiritual guru Lilashah in Nainital, wanting to be his disciple; but the guru sent him back home. Lilashah named him Asharam Bapu on 7 October 1964.[9][10] Asharam Bapu and Laxmi Devi have two children. Their son Narayan Sai is also a religious leader.[11]

Activities

Ashrams

According to Sant Asharam Bapuji ki Jeevan Jhanki, Asharam Bapu returned to Ahmedabad on 8 July 1971. On 29 January 1972, he built a hut at Motera, then a village on the banks of the Sabarmati.[9] Although his official biography doesn't mention it, Asharam Bapu also lived in Motera's Sadashiv Ashram for two years, before setting up his own hut adjacent to it.[12] He converted his hutment into an ashram in 1973, starting with 5–10 followers. In 1981 and 1992, the Indian National Congress-led state government allotted the ashram 14,515 m2 land. In 1997 and 1999, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government allotted it 25,000 m2 for expansion.[9] Asharam Bapu had few followers in the beginning, but the numbers increased as local politicians became his devotees.[13] By 2013, Asharam Bapu had 400 major and minor ashrams in India and abroad, with numerous followers.[13]

A number of Asaram's ashrams have faced legal challenges. In 2000, Asharam Bapu's ashram was allocated about 10 acres (4 ha) of land in Bhairavi village of Navsari district by the Gujarat government. The ashram encroached on an additional 6 acres (2 ha), leading to protests in the local villages. On a complaint filed by locals, and after repeated notices were ignored, the district authorities with police assistance bulldozed the encroachments and took possession of the land.[14] In 2001, the Yog Vedanta Samiti of Asharam Bapu was reportedly given permission to use the premises of the Mangalya temple in Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh for 11 days for a satsang. The samiti failed to vacate the premises after the satsang, and continue to occupy a total of 40 ha (100 acres) of land, valued at over R7 billion.[15] The land belongs to the now defunct Jayant Vitamins Limited.[15] Asharam Bapu denied any involvement, saying the reports were baseless and untenable.[16] In 2002, Asharam Bapu's followers convinced a Rajokri-based devotee Bhagwani Devi to donate some of her property to Asharam Bapu's trust. She agreed, but Asharam Bapu's men forged the power of attorney and transferred all her land the trust.[12] The Nashik Municipal Corporation destroyed a part of his ashram in Bhilwara for a 10-year encroaching on government-owned land.[17]

In 2009, the Bihar State Religious Trust forced sant Asharam Bapuji's ashram to vacate a piece of land in Patna, following a court case. According to the trust, Asharam Bapu and his followers had usurped the land for a temple.[9] On 8 January 2010, the Gujarat government took over 67,059 m2 of land from Asharam Bapuji's Ahmedabad ashram, stating that the ashram had encroached on it. The government also took over 70 acres of agricultural land bought by Asharam Bapuji's family in Sabarkantha, arguging that the family had forged papers to show themselves as farmers.[9] In Rajasthan, Asharam Bapu's disciples Bhanwar Lal Soni and Satya Narayan Dhoot who helped set up Asharam Bapu's Jodhpur ashram, alleged that their lands had been encroached by the ashram, and filed court cases.[9] In May 2013, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation razed an illegally built Asharam Bapu ashram.[12]

Teachings

Asharam Bapu has organized spiritual discourses all over India, including in cities like Ahmedabad and Patna. His devotees are shown taking diksha (initiation by a guru) from him in these satsang programs. Around 20,000 students visited his satsang in Ahmedabad in December 2001.[18][19] He preaches the existence of One Supreme Conscious and citing Bhakti yoga, Gnana yoga and Karma yoga as influences. In August 2012, when he was reportedly to deliver a lecture in a local college, his helicopter crashed while landing at Godhra. Asharam Bapu, the pilot, and the other passengers survived.[20][21]

In January 2013, while addressing a gathering of his followers, Asharam Bapu reportedly said that the victim of the 2012 Delhi gang rape was as guilty as her rapists. He is reported to have said: "The victim is as guilty as her rapists… She should have called the culprits brothers and begged before them to stop… This could have saved her dignity and life. Can one hand clap? I don't think so."[22] He is also reported to have said that he was against harsher punishments for the accused in the Delhi rape victim case, as the law could be misused. To support his point, he is said to have stated that, "Dowry law in India is the biggest example of law being misused."[23][24] This alleged blamed was widely criticized, including by politicians belonging to the two major political parties – Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress.[25] Asharam Bapu later denied giving any statement blaming the victim, and stated that his statement had been distorted and misrepresented.[26] He announced a reward of ₹ 50,000 for anyone who could prove that he blamed the victim.[27]

Parents' Worship Day

In 2011, Asharam Bapu's Yoga Vedanta Seva Samiti (YVSS), organized a Matri Pitri Poojan Divas ("mother-father worship day") on 14 February, declaring Valentine's Day as a Western cultural invasion. Over 700 parents and children participated in the programme at Rourkela, Orissa.[28]

In 2012, Asharam Bapu requested people all over India to celebrate "Parents' Worship Day", as an alternative to Valentine's Day.[29] His ashram published a booklet which described importance of worshipping one's own parents.[30] Asharam Bapu's proposal was supported by many prominent Indian politicians including President Pranab Mukherjee.[31] In 2015, the Government of the Chhattisgarh state institutionalized the practice, and directed all schools to observe Matru-Pitru Diwas ("mother-father day") every year on 14 February.[32]

In 2014, the hashtags #HappyParentsWorshipDay and #ParentsWorshipDayOn14Feb trended on Twitter – as a part of an organised campaign to avoid Valentine's Day, and replace it instead with a celebration of the love between parents and children.BBC picked up the event with the title #BBCtrending: Valentine's to blame for teen pregnancy?[33]

The campaign of Parents Worship Day celebration has received notable endorsements and coverage internationally; that includes the US Senator Sam Thompson,[34] Nashville Mayor Megan Barry,[35] The President of India- Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, Bollywood stars- Govinda, Shreyas Talpade, Mugdha Godse to name a few.[36]

Gurukul deaths case

By 2008, 40 of Asharam Bapu's ashrams had gurukuls (residential schools). The deaths of four boys at two of these Ashrams in 2008 led to allegations of black magic being practiced there.[9] On 3 July 2008, two boys went missing from Asharam Bapu's residential school (gurukul) in Motera.[13] On 5 July 2013 – the boys' mutilated bodies were found on the banks of the Sabarmati river near the Ashram. The parents alleged that the police harassed them and refused to register a complaint against Asharam Bapu or the ashram administration.[13] The incident led to public agitations, with allegations that the boys had been sacrificed by Asharam Bapu and his followers for black magic.[37]

In July 2008, acting upon the petitions by seven disciples of the Asharam Bapu ashram to quash the FIR against them, the High Court ordered Gujarat CID (crime) to probe the mysterious deaths of two boys who were studying in Asharam Bapu’s Gurukul. However, according to the report submitted by investigating officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police P M Parmar, to Justice A S Dave who was hearing the case on Wednesday, no evidence of practice of black magic in ashram was found. The report said, "Places (in the ashram) were thoroughly searched and photographed as well as videography was done during the visit, but no material suggesting practice of black magic has been found".The report also stated that during the lie-detector test, the disciples were found to be telling lies regarding black magic. Also, according to the report, they delayed the process of informing the police about the missing kids.[38]

Raju Chandak, a former aide of Asharam Bapu, told the DK Trivedi Commission that black magic and suspicious financial dools took place at the ashram.[39] Mahender Chawla, secretary of Narayan Sai during 2001–2005, told the Commission that he had seen Sai performed black magic in presence of dead bodies.Shekhar Kashmirilal Giridhar, another former follower of Asharam Bapu, said that he had never seen black magic being performed at the ashram.[40] In 2013, the lawyer of the deceased boys' parents admitted that there was no evidence of black magic having been practised on the two boys.[37]

Two dead bodies were also found in Asharam Bapu's Chhindwara ashram, leading to protests by the local residents. On 29 July 2008, a nursery student was found dead in the ashram's toilet.[41] The police initially suspected that he had slipped on the floor, and died from injuries. On 31 July, another 5-year-old student was found dead in the toilet.[42] A forensic examination revealed that the bite mark matched the teeth of a senior student. On 4 August, the senior student was arrested for the murders.[43] According to the police, he lured the victims to the toilet with the chocolates and killed them with the hope that school would be closed down.[44] The parents of the boys' gave a clean chit to Asharam Bapu.[45]

The Narendra Modi-led Gujarat state government set up the Justice D.K. Trivedi Commission to probe the deaths in the Motera ashram.[46] In 2009, Asharam Bapu's followers organized a rally, protesting against their alleged harassment by the Gujarat police. The protest turned violent, and over 200 supporters of Asharam Bapu were arrested after they attacked and injured 20 policemen.[47] In 2012, when Asharam Bapu was summoned by the Trivedi Commission, he issued a threat to the Narendra Modi government, saying that any further "suppression" of him and his followers would result in Modi being "thrown out".[3]

Sexual assault accusations

Allegations

In August 2013, a 16-year-old girl accused Asharam Bapu of sexually assaulting her at his ashram in Jodhpur on the pretext of exorcising her from evil spirits.[48][49] The girl's parents filed a complaint with the police in Delhi, and there is no confirmation of rape or assaulation in medical examination report.[50][51]

When Asharam Bapu did not appear for interrogation by 31 August, Delhi police booked him under Indian Penal Code sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), and sections of the Juvenile Justice Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.[52] Asharam Bapu remained inside his other ashram in Indore and avoided arrest while his devotees clashed with journalists and policemen outside.[53] Eventually, the Jodhpur police arrested him on 1 September 2013 from his ashram.[48][54]

Asharam Bapu dismissed the girl's allegations, and said that the accusations were a conspiracy orchestrated by Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi of the then-ruling Congress Party.[55][56] He had also said that he was impotent and not capable of sexual assault; according to India Today Asharam Bapu passed a potency test administered by a local medical college.[57] He has since been in jail and denied bail multiple times.[58] In October 2016 the India Times reported that the medical reports found no proof of rape or assault.[59]

In December 2013, Asharam Bapu's son Narayan Sai was also arrested on charges of rape, after two sisters from Surat alleged that he and his father had raped them in Asharam Bapu's ashram during the mid-2000s.[60] The elder sister accused Asharam Bapu of repeated sexual assaults during 1997–2006 at the Motera ashram. The younger sister accused Narayan Sai of sexually assaulting her during 2002–2005 at the Surat ashram. One of the sisters also alleged that Asharam Bapu's wife and daughter helped the two men exploit the girls.[61]

Threats and attacks

In September 2013, the father of the 16-year-old girl who accused Asharam Bapu of sexually assaulting her alleged that he had received death threats from Asharam Bapu's followers. He submitted audio clippings of these threats to the court.[62] In October 2013, a Surat deputy police commissioner also alleged that Asharam Bapu's supporters had threatened her, and asked her to stop the probe against Asharam Bapu.Later he was arrested & revealed that neither he was Asharam Bapu's or Narayan Sai's supporter .He made a prank call after seeing the mobile number flashing in the news.[63][64] On 14 September 2014, a follower of Asharam Bapu made an anonymous call to air traffic control Udaipur, and threatened to disrupt flight operations if Asharam Bapu was not released within two weeks. He was arrested from Uttar Pradesh.[65][66]

From 2014–15, there have been numerous attacks against various witnesses in the Asharam Bapu case.[12][67][68][69][70][71] Amrut Prajapati, a personal aide of Asharam Bapu, who said he had been attacked multiple times before, was attacked and killed on 23 May 2014.[9][13][72][73][74] Another associate Akhil Gupta was shot and killed on 11 January 2015.[75][76]

References

  1. ↑ "Coal-seller Harpalani turned Asaram ‘bapu’ faces new allegations". Daily Bhaskar. 22 August 2013. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "#EvenTheyKnowBapujiIsFramed: Asaram followers take on Twitter to defend 'Bapu'". 2015-12-18. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  3. 1 2 "Asaram Bapu warns Narendra Modi against 'suppression'". intoday.in.
  4. ↑ "Asaram worked at a tea stall before he became a 'godman'". IBNLive. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "Controversial godman: Can Asaram come clean on the rape allegations?". Hindustan Times. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "The Politics of Sex". India Today. 30 August 2013.
  7. ↑ Preeti Panwar. "Asaram Bapu's life journey from a tea seller to the spiritual guru". Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "How much are Asaram's assets worth?". Yahoo News India. 2 September 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Exclusive: The rise and fall of the guru". indianexpress.com.
  10. ↑ "जब मोदी से बोले आसाराम, ‘देखें तुम्‍हारी गद्दी कब तक और कैसे रहती है’" [Asaram Modi told him, 'See how long and how is your throne']. Aaj Tak (in Hindi). Retrieved 26 March 2017. zero width joiner character in |title= at position 36 (help)
  11. ↑ "Asaram, Son Asked To Appear Before Commission By June 6". IndiaTV. 8 May 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2005.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "The saint and his taint". Tehelka.com.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Dark Side of Asaram Bapu". OPEN Magazine.
  14. ↑ "Asaram ashram encroachment demolished in Gujarat". Thaindian News. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  15. 1 2 "Asaram Bapu's prosecution sought for Rs 700cr land grab". Times Of India. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  16. ↑ "Asaram denies involvement in Rs 700 cr land grab case in MP". Money Control. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  17. ↑ Kumar, Krishna (13 September 2013). "Land grab allegations come to haunt Asaram Bapu again, illegal encroachment by ashram razed". India Today. Retrieved 15 September 2013., Also republished in the daily mail:
  18. ↑ "Students throng at Asaram Bapu's discourse". The Times Of India. 2 December 2001. Retrieved 2 December 2001.
  19. ↑ "Many to take 'diksha' today". The Times Of India. 8 May 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2005. Many to take 'diksha' today
  20. ↑ "Spiritual leader Asaram Bapu survives chopper crash". The Times of India. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  21. ↑ Kapoor, Nirnay (29 August 2012). "Mirculous escape for Asaram Bapu, helicopter crashlands in Godhra". India TV News. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  22. ↑ "Asaram Bapu holds girl responsible for Delhi gangrape, says 'spare' the rapists, slams media". The Indian Express. New Delhi. ANI. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  23. ↑ "Delhi gangrape victim as guilty as rapists: Asaram Bapu". FirstPost. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  24. ↑ "Asaram Bapu adds to shame, says victim at fault too". Hindustan Times. 7 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  25. ↑ "Asaram says rape victim should have 'begged', draws flak". Deccan Herald.
  26. ↑ "Delhi gang rape: Asaram Bapu denies 'controversial' comment". India News. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  27. ↑ "Asaram on gangrape victim: Godman announces Rs.50,000 reward for proving he blamed victim". India Today. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  28. ↑ "Indianisation of Valentine’s Day". New Indian Express. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  29. ↑ "Worship parents on Valentine's Day, says Asaram Bapu". India Today. 29 January 2012. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  30. ↑ Day, Parents Worship (29 January 2012). "Worship parents on Valentine's Day, says Asaram Bapu". India Today. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  31. ↑ Prerna Koul Mishra (22 August 2013). "Commoner vs Asaram: Her word against the 'Gospel'!". India Today. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  32. ↑ "It’s official: Chhattisgarh renames V-Day as ‘Matru-Pitru Diwas’". The Times of India.
  33. ↑ #BBCtrending: Valentine's to blame for teen pregnancy?, 2014-02-14, retrieved 2017-03-08
  34. ↑ "Sam Thompson". Parents Worship Day. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  35. ↑ "Megan Barry on Parents Worship Day" (PDF).
  36. ↑ "Urmila Singh". Parents Worship Day. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  37. 1 2 "Deaths in Ashram: No evidence of black magic, says lawyer". indianexpress.com.
  38. ↑ "No evidence of black magic practice in Asaram ashram: CID | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 2010-04-08. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
  39. ↑ "Chandak’s home a police fortress". dna.
  40. ↑ "‘I know nothing about black magic’". dna.
  41. ↑ "Minor found dead in Asaram Bapu Ashram in MP". Hindustan Times.
  42. ↑ "Asaram Bapu’s ashram in Chhindwara sealed". Zee News.
  43. ↑ "Senior held for ashram murders". www.hindustantimes.com/. 2008-08-03. Archived from the original on 2014-02-17. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
  44. ↑ "'Class 9 student killed mates at Asaram school'". rediff.com.
  45. ↑ "Parents give clean chit to Asaram Bapu Ashram over son's death – August 1, 2008". outlookindia.com.
  46. ↑ "Parents of boys demand CBI probe". The Hindu.
  47. ↑ "Asaram supporters thrash cops, 203 booked for rioting". dna.
  48. 1 2 "Asaram Bapu brought to Jodhpur after late night arrest". NDTV. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  49. ↑ "After rape, Asaram Bapu threatened me to keep quiet, says girl". Financial Express. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  50. ↑ "Asaram Bapu rape case: Medical test confirms sexual assault of victim". India Today. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  51. ↑ "संत आसाराम बापू केस में कथित 'पीडिता' की मेडिकल जाँच रिपोर्ट में रेप का कोई नामोनिशान नहीं". Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  52. ↑ "FIR registered by victim against Asaram Bapu reveals a horrific tale of sexual assault". intoday.in.
  53. ↑ Singh, Mahim Pratap (31 August 2013). "Asaram supporters attack on journalists condemned". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  54. ↑ "Indian guru Asaram Bapu arrested over rape claims". 1 September 2013.
  55. ↑ "Bakwaas: Asaram Bapu's response to charges that he threatened teen girl". NDTV. 27 August 2013.
  56. ↑ "Sonia & Rahul running a campaign against me, says Asaram Bapu". Deccan Chronicle. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  57. ↑ "Asaram tells police he is impotent, potency test says he has active libido". intoday.in.
  58. ↑ "Asaram's son Narayan Sai gets temporary bail". rediff.com. 25 May 2015.
  59. ↑ "Medical Reports Says Asaram Is Clean, #BailForBapuji Starts Trending To Seek Justice For Him".
  60. ↑ "Asaram’s son Narayan Sai arrested, Gujarat Police get one-day remand". Zee News.
  61. ↑ "Police arrest Asaram Bapu's wife, daughter; release them". dna.
  62. ↑ Harsha Kumari Singh (16 September 2013). "Asaram's men threatening girl's family says lawyer, godman's custody extended". NDTV.com.
  63. ↑ "Surat DCP alleges threat to life from Asaram supporters". Zee News.
  64. ↑ "शोभा भूतड़ा को धमकी देने वाला पकड़ा". Patrika. 12 February 2014. Archived from the original on 17 February 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  65. ↑ "Terror caller sent to police remand". The Times of India.
  66. ↑ "Caller from UP demands release of Asaram; threatens to target AI flights". Hindustan Times.
  67. ↑ "Husband of woman who accused Narayan Sai of rape attacked". www.oneindia.com.
  68. ↑ "Witness in Asaram rape case attacked". The Indian Express. 12 March 2014.
  69. ↑ "Five held for attack on witnesses in rape cases against Asaram, Sai". The Indian Express. 19 March 2014.
  70. ↑ "Guard left, 6th Asaram case witness attacked". The Indian Express. 14 May 2015.
  71. ↑ "Another Asaram Bapu case witness shot at, seventh attack till now". The Indian Express. 11 July 2015.
  72. ↑ "Amrut Prajapati, witness against Asaram, succumbs to bullet wounds". The Times of India.
  73. ↑ "'Vanzara protected Asaram like a wall'". The Times of India.
  74. ↑ "‘Asaram is alive because of my husband, my husband is dead because of him’". The Indian Express. 24 June 2014.
  75. ↑ "Looking at all possible angles, not ruling out Asaram link to ‘well-planned’ murder: police". The Indian Express. 14 January 2015.
  76. ↑ "Outrage as SECOND key witness in Asaram Bapu's rape trial is shot dead". Mail Online.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.