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Asaram Bapu born Asumal Sirumalani on April 17, 1941, is a Hindu spiritual leader from India. He preaches the existence of One Supreme Conscious and claims Bhakti yoga, Gnana yoga and Karma yoga as influences.

Personal life

Bapu was born on April 17, 1941, in the Berani village of the Nawabshah District in undivided India (present day Pakistan), to Menhgiba and Thaumal Sirumalani. At the young age he lost his father, he raised pursuing meditation and spirituality as he was taught basic lessons of spirituality and meditation by his mother. He finally left his family and traveled the country, until he went to Vrindavan, to the ashram of saint Lilashah. Bapu has one son, Narayan Sai who is also known as Narayan Prem Sai. Bapu's spiritual discourses have been scheduled in different Indian cities like Ahmedabad, Patna etc. and devotees also took diksha from him in these satsang programs. Around 20,000 students visited his satsang in Ahmedabad in December 2001. In August 2012, when Bapu was on his way to deliver a lecture in a local college, his helicopter crashed while landing at Godhra. Bapu, the pilot, and the other passengers survived unharmed.

Controversies

Land encroachment in Navsari district

In the year 2000, the Asaram Ashram was allocated about 10 acres of land in Bhairavi village of Navsari district by the Gujarat government. The ashram encroached on an additional 6 acres, 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.

Land encroachment in Madhya Pradesh

The Yog Vedanta Samiti of Asaram Bapu was reportedly given permission to use the premises of the Mangalya temple in Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh for 11 days for a satsang in 2001. The samiti failed to vacate the premises after the satsang, and continue to occupy a total of 100 acres of land, valued at over 700 crores. The land belongs to the now defunct Jayant Vitamins Limited.

Asaram Bapu denies any involvement, saying the report are baseless and untenable.

Attempted murder

A former member of the Asaram ashram, Raju Chandak, claimed in an affidavit with the police that tantric rituals were being performed in the ashram, and that he had seen Asaram Bapu in objectionable positions with women. In December 2009, Raju Chandak was attacked with guns by two unknown persons in the Ramnagar locality of Sabarmati. The Gujarat police filed an attempt to murder case against Asaram Bapu and two others.

Deaths of students

A commission was set up in 2008 to probe the mysterious death of two children, whose bodies were found on the Sabarmati riverbed on July 5, 2008 after they went missing on July 3. Dipesh Vaghela, aged 10 years, and Abhishek Vaghela, aged 11, were cousins studying at Ashram’s Gurukul (residential school) at Motera. Following public outcry, the case was handed over to the CID, which after a year of probing, filed a complaint of culpable homicide and booked seven sadhaks of the ashram. The CID, in its report, alleged that the accused had failed lie detection tests regarding tantra sadhna and black magic practises at the ashram, though the CID found no direct evidence of such activities during their searches.

Statements on 2012 Delhi gang rape victim

Asaram Bapu was severely criticized by the media after his remark that the December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape victim, was equally guilty along with those responsible for the sexual assault on her. He is reported to have said: “Only 5-6 people are not the culprits. The victim daughter 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.” 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.”

Asaram Bapu came under widespread criticism when it was reported that he said the Delhi gang rape and murder would not have happened if the victim had called the rapist-killers her brothers and fallen at their feet. He is quoted as saying: "The girl should have taken God's name and could have held the hand of one of the men and said, 'I consider you my brother' and to the other two, she should have said, 'Brothers, I am helpless. You are my brothers, my religious brothers'. Then the misconduct wouldn't have happened."

References

1. "About - Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu". Retrieved 2008-03-02. Biography of Sant Sri Asharam Ji Bapu on Ashram's Website
2. "Asaram Bapu Son Narayan Sai". 2005-05-08. Retrieved 2005-05-08.
3. "Students throng at Asaram Bapu's discourse". 2001-12-02. Retrieved 2001-12-02.
4. "Many to take 'diksha' today". 2005-05-08. Retrieved 2005-05-08. Many to take 'diksha' today
5. "Spiritual leader Asaram Bapu survives chopper crash". The Times of India. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
6. Kapoor, Nirnay (29 August 2012). "Mirculous escape for Asaram Bapu, helicopter crashlands in Godhra". India TV News. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
7. "Asaram ashram encroachment demolished in Gujarat - Thaindian News". Thaindian.com. 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
8. ^ "Asaram Bapu’s prosecution sought for Rs 700cr land grab - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
9. "Asaram denies involvement in Rs 700 cr land grab case in MP". Money Control. 2013-01-18. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
10. ^ "Attempt to murder case filed against Asaram Bapu". Mumbai Mirror. Ahmedabad. December 7, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
11. Headlines Today Bureau (4 January 2010). "SC refuses to quash case against Asaram Bapu". India Today. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
12. "Asaram ashram kids' death: Probe panel gets three months' extension". The Indian Express. Ahmedabad. PTI. December 29, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
13. "Asaram Bapu, son summoned over children's death". Zee News. New Delhi. March 21, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
14. "No evidence of black magic practice in Asaram ashram: CID". DNA. Ahmedabad. PTI. April 8, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
15. "CID finds no proof of black magic in Asaram ashram". The Indian Express. Ahmedabad. PTI. April 8, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
16. "The Real War on Women…in India". The Diplomat. Jan 9, 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
17. "Asaram Bapu holds girl responsible for Delhi gangrape, says 'spare' the rapists, slams media". The Indian Express. New Delhi. ANI. January 8, 2013.
18. "Delhi gangrape victim as guilty as rapists: Asaram Bapu". firstpost.com. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
19. "Asaram Bapu adds to shame, says victim at fault too". http://www.hindustantimes.com. Retrieved 2013-01-13. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)

External links

• Official website

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• Hindu gurus
• Indian religious leaders
• Spiritual teachers
• 1941 births
• Living people