Asaram

Asaram
Born Asumal Sirumalani
(1941-04-17) 17 April 1941
Berani, British India
Residence Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Nationality Indian
Religion Hinduism
Spouse(s) Lakshmi Devi
Children Narayan Prem Sai (Son)
Bharti Devi (Daughter)
Parent(s) Mehangiba (Mother)
Thaumal Sirumalani (Father)
Website www.ashram.org

Asumal Sirumalani (born 17 April 1941) known as Asaram and Asaram Bapu ("Father") by his followers, is a Hindu religious leader from India. In the early 1970s, Asaram built his first ashram on 4 ha (10 acres) of land in Gujarat. By 2013, he had 400 major and minor ashrams in India and abroad, with numerous followers. In the 2000s, several cases of land encroachment were lodged against his ashrams in multiple states. 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. In 2013, Asaram was arrested when a 16-year-old girl accused him of sexually assaulting her in Jodhpur. He is currently in jail.

Early life

Asaram was born on 17 April 1941,[1] in the Berani village of the Nawabshah District in British India (present-day Pakistan), to Menhgiba and Thaumal Sirumalani.[2] His birthname was Asumal Thaumal Harpalani[3][4] or Asumal Sirumalani.[5]

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. Asaram's father worked in different cities of Gujarat, before moving to Ajmer in 1963. In Ajmer, Asaram drove a tanga (carriage), carrying pilgrims from the railway station to Dargah Sharif.[6] Subsequently, the family moved to Ahmedabad, where Asaram's father founded a coal and wood business. Asaram ran this business for a short time after his father's death.[7] At one time (1958–1959), he sold tea in front of the Magistrate's office.[5]

After his father's death, Asaram dropped out of Jai Hind High School, where he had studied till class III. According to Sant Asaramji 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. Thirteen days later after the return, he left home for another Ashram, but was sent back again. He then visited Lilashah once again, who accepted him as a disciple in Vrindavan. Lilashah named him Asaram on 7 October 1964.[8][9]

Asaram and Laxmi Devi have two children: Narayan Sai and Bharti Devi.

Ashrams

According to Sant Asaramji ki Jeevan Jhanki, Asaram 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.[8] Although his official biography doesn't mention it, Asaram also lived in Motera's Sadashiv Ashram for two years, before setting up his own hut adjacent to it.[10] 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.[8] Asaram had few followers in the beginning, but the numbers increased as local politicians became his devotees.[11]

By 2013, Asaram had 400 major and minor ashrams in India and abroad, with numerous followers.[11]

In 2000, Asaram'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 (6 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.[12]

On 8 January 2010, the Gujarat government took over 67,059 m2 of land from Asaram's Ahmedabad ashram, stating that the ashram had encroached on it. The government also took over 70 acres of agricultural land bought by Asaram's family in Sabarkantha, arguging that the family had forged papers to show themselves as farmers.[8]

Outside Gujarat

In 2009, the Bihar State Religious Trust forced Asaram's ashram to vacate a piece of land in Patna, following a court case. According to the trust, Asaram and his followers had usurped the land for a temple.[8]

In 2001, the Yog Vedanta Samiti of Asaram 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.[13] The land belongs to the now defunct Jayant Vitamins Limited.[13] Asaram denied any involvement, saying the reports were baseless and untenable.[14]

In 2002, Asaram's followers convinced a Rajokri-based devotee Bhagwani Devi to donate some of her property to Asaram's trust. She agreed, but Asaram's men forged the power of attorney and transferred all her land the trust.[10]

The Nashik Municipal Corporation destroyed a part of his ashram in Bhilwara for a 10-year encroaching on government-owned land.[15]

In Rajasthan, Asaram's disciples Bhanwar Lal Soni and Satya Narayan Dhoot who helped set up Asaram's Jodhpur ashram, alleged that their lands had been encroached by the ashram, and filed court cases.[8]

In May 2013, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation razed an illegally built Asaram ashram.[10]

Teachings

Spiritual discourses

Asaram 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.[16][17] 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. Asaram, the pilot, and the other passengers survived.[18][19]

In January 2013, while addressing a gathering of his followers, Asaram 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."[20] 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."[21][22] This alleged blamed was widely criticized, including by politicians belonging to the two major political parties – Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress.[23] Asaram later denied giving any statement blaming the victim, and stated that his statement had been distorted and misrepresented.[24] He announced a reward of ₹ 50,000 for anyone who could prove that he blamed the victim.[25]

Parents' Worship Day

In 2011, Asaram'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.[26]

In 2012, Asaram requested people all over India to celebrate "Parents' Worship Day", as an alternative to Valentine's Day.[27] His ashram published a booklet which described importance of worshipping one's own parents.[28] Asaram's proposal was supported by many prominent Indian politicians including President Pranab Mukherjee.[29] 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.[30]

Gurukul deaths case

By 2008, 40 of Asaram'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.[8]

On 3 July 2008, two boys went missing from Asaram's residential school (gurukul) in Motera.[11] 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 Asaram or the ashram administration.[11] The incident led to public agitations, with allegations that the boys had been sacrificed by Asaram and his followers for black magic.[31]

Two dead bodies were also found in Asaram'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.[32] The police initially suspected that he had slipped on the floor, and died from injuries. On 31 July, another student 5-year old was found dead in the toilet.[33] 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. According to the police, he lured the victims to the toilet with the chocolates and killed them.[34] The parents of the boys' gave a clean chit to Asaram.[35]

The Narendra Modi-led Gujarat state government set up the Justice D.K. Trivedi Commission to probe the deaths in the Motera ashram.[36] In 2009, Asaram's followers organized a rally, protesting against their alleged harassment by the Gujarat police. The protest turned violent, and over 200 supporters of Asaram were arrested after they attacked and injured 20 policemen.[37] In 2012, when Asaram 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".[38]

Raju Chandak, a former aide of Asaram, 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. As an example, he stated that Sai had recited mantras over the body of child covered with black cloth at Kalyan Ashram in Jhabua district.[40][41] Shekhar Kashmirilal Giridhar, another former follower of Asaram, claimed that he had never seen black magic being performed at the ashram.[42] 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, but did not rule out the possibility.[31]

Arrest

In August 2013, a 16-year-old girl accused Asaram of sexually assaulting her at his ashram in Jodhpur on the pretext of exorcising her from evil spirits.[43][44] The girl's parents filed a complaint with the police in Delhi, and a medical examination confirmed that she had been assaulted.[45]

When Asaram did not appear for interrogation by 31 August,[46] 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.[47] Asaram remained inside his other ashram in Indore and avoided arrest while his devotees clashed with journalists and policemen outside.[46] Eventually, the Jodhpur police arrested him on 1 September 2013 from his ashram.[43][48]

Asaram dismissed the girl's allegations, and claimed that the accusations were a conspiracy orchestrated by Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi of the then-ruling Congress Party.[49][50] He had also claimed that he was impotent and not capable of sexual assault, however this was proven to be a lie as tests showed him to be capable of the act.[51] He has since been in jail and denied bail multiple times.[52]

In December 2013, Asaram'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 Asaram's ashram during the mid-2000s.[53] The elder sister accused Asaram 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 Asaram's wife and daughter helped the two men exploit the girls.[54]

Threats and attacks

In September 2013, the father of the 16-year-old girl who accused Asaram of sexually assaulting her alleged that he had received death threats from Asaram's followers. He submitted audio clippings of these threats to the court.[55] In October 2013, a Surat deputy police commissioner also alleged that Asaram's supporters had threatened her, and asked her to stop the probe against Asaram.[56] On 14 September 2014, a follower of Asaram made an anonymous call to ATC Udaipur, and threatened to disrupt flight operations if Asaram was not released within two weeks. He was arrested from Uttar Pradesh.[57][58]

From 2014–15, there have been numerous attacks against various witnesses in the Asaram case.[10][59][60][61][62][63] Amrut Prajapati, a personal aide of Asaram, who claimed to have been attacked multiple times before, was attacked and killed on 23 May 2014.[8][11][64][65][66] Another associate Akhil Gupta was shot and killed on 11 January 2015.[67][68]

References

  1. ↑ "Coal-seller Harpalani turned Asaram ‘bapu’ faces new allegations". Daily Bhaskar. 22 August 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Asaram worked at a tea stall before he became a 'godman'". IBNLive. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "Controversial godman: Can Asaram come clean on the rape allegations?". Hindustan Times. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Politics of Sex". India Today. 30 August 2013.
  5. 1 2 Preeti Panwar. "Asaram Bapu's life journey from a tea seller to the spiritual guru". Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "When godman Asaram was tongawala Asumal of Ajmer". The Times of India.
  7. ↑ "How much are Asaram's assets worth?". Yahoo News India. 2 September 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Exclusive: The rise and fall of the guru". indianexpress.com.
  9. ↑ "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 2 September 2013. zero width joiner character in |title= at position 36 (help)
  10. 1 2 3 4 "The saint and his taint". Tehelka.com.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Dark Side of Asaram Bapu". OPEN Magazine.
  12. ↑ "Asaram ashram encroachment demolished in Gujarat". Thaindian News. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Asaram Bapu's prosecution sought for Rs 700cr land grab". Times Of India. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  14. ↑ "Asaram denies involvement in Rs 700 cr land grab case in MP". Money Control. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  15. ↑ 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:
  16. ↑ "Students throng at Asaram Bapu's discourse". The Times Of India. 2 December 2001. Retrieved 2 December 2001.
  17. ↑ "Many to take 'diksha' today". The Times Of India. 8 May 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2005. Many to take 'diksha' today
  18. ↑ "Spiritual leader Asaram Bapu survives chopper crash". The Times of India. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  19. ↑ Kapoor, Nirnay (29 August 2012). "Mirculous escape for Asaram Bapu, helicopter crashlands in Godhra". India TV News. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  20. ↑ "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.
  21. ↑ "Delhi gangrape victim as guilty as rapists: Asaram Bapu". FirstPost. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  22. ↑ "Asaram Bapu adds to shame, says victim at fault too". Hindustan Times. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  23. ↑ "Asaram says rape victim should have 'begged', draws flak". Deccan Herald.
  24. ↑ "Delhi gang rape: Asaram Bapu denies 'controversial' comment". India News. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  25. ↑ "Asaram on gangrape victim: Godman announces Rs.50,000 reward for proving he blamed victim". India Today. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  26. ↑ "Indianisation of Valentine’s Day". New Indian Express. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  27. ↑ "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.
  28. ↑ Day, Parents Worship (29 January 2012). "Worship parents on Valentine's Day, says Asaram Bapu". India Today. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  29. ↑ Prerna Koul Mishra (22 August 2013). "Commoner vs Asaram: Her word against the 'Gospel'!". India Today. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  30. ↑ "It’s official: Chhattisgarh renames V-Day as ‘Matru-Pitru Diwas’". The Times of India.
  31. 1 2 "Deaths in Ashram: No evidence of black magic, says lawyer". indianexpress.com.
  32. ↑ "Minor found dead in Asaram Bapu Ashram in MP". Hindustan Times.
  33. ↑ "Asaram Bapu’s ashram in Chhindwara sealed". Zee News.
  34. ↑ "'Class 9 student killed mates at Asaram school'". rediff.com.
  35. ↑ "Parents give clean chit to Asaram Bapu Ashram over son's death – Aug 01,2008". outlookindia.com.
  36. ↑ "Parents of boys demand CBI probe". The Hindu.
  37. ↑ "Asaram supporters thrash cops, 203 booked for rioting". dna.
  38. ↑ "Asaram Bapu warns Narendra Modi against 'suppression'". intoday.in.
  39. ↑ "Chandak’s home a police fortress". dna.
  40. ↑ "Asaram`s son practices black magic: Ex-PA". Zee News.
  41. ↑ "Asaram's son performed black magic at ashram". The Times of India.
  42. ↑ "‘I know nothing about black magic’". dna.
  43. 1 2 "Asaram Bapu brought to Jodhpur after late night arrest". NDTV. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  44. ↑ "After rape, Asaram Bapu threatened me to keep quiet, says girl". Financial Express. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  45. ↑ "Asaram Bapu rape case: Medical test confirms sexual assault of victim". India Today. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  46. 1 2 Singh, Mahim Pratap (31 August 2013). "Asaram supporters attack on journalists condemned". The Hindu (Chennai, India).
  47. ↑ "FIR registered by victim against Asaram Bapu reveals a horrific tale of sexual assault". intoday.in.
  48. ↑ "Indian guru Asaram Bapu arrested over rape claims". 1 September 2013.
  49. ↑ "Bakwaas: Asaram Bapu's response to charges that he threatened teen girl". NDTV. 27 August 2013.
  50. ↑ "Sonia & Rahul running a campaign against me, says Asaram Bapu". Deccan Chronicle. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  51. ↑ "Asaram tells police he is impotent, potency test says he has active libido". intoday.in.
  52. ↑ "Asaram's son Narayan Sai gets temporary bail". rediff.com. 25 May 2015.
  53. ↑ "Asaram’s son Narayan Sai arrested, Gujarat Police get one-day remand". Zee News.
  54. ↑ "Police arrest Asaram Bapu's wife, daughter; release them". dna.
  55. ↑ Harsha Kumari Singh (16 September 2013). "Asaram's men threatening girl's family says lawyer, godman's custody extended". NDTV.com.
  56. ↑ "Surat DCP alleges threat to life from Asaram supporters". Zee News.
  57. ↑ "Terror caller sent to police remand". The Times of India.
  58. ↑ "Caller from UP demands release of Asaram; threatens to target AI flights". Hindustan Times.
  59. ↑ "Husband of woman who accused Narayan Sai of rape attacked". www.oneindia.com.
  60. ↑ "Witness in Asaram rape case attacked". The Indian Express. 12 March 2014.
  61. ↑ "Five held for attack on witnesses in rape cases against Asaram, Sai". The Indian Express. 19 March 2014.
  62. ↑ "Guard left, 6th Asaram case witness attacked". The Indian Express. 14 May 2015.
  63. ↑ "Another Asaram Bapu case witness shot at, seventh attack till now". The Indian Express. 11 July 2015.
  64. ↑ "Amrut Prajapati, witness against Asaram, succumbs to bullet wounds". The Times of India.
  65. ↑ "'Vanzara protected Asaram like a wall'". The Times of India.
  66. ↑ "‘Asaram is alive because of my husband, my husband is dead because of him’". The Indian Express. 24 June 2014.
  67. ↑ "Looking at all possible angles, not ruling out Asaram link to ‘well-planned’ murder: police". The Indian Express. 14 January 2015.
  68. ↑ "Outrage as SECOND key witness in Asaram Bapu's rape trial is shot dead". Mail Online.

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