India

Hindu sadhus compile a boycott list of 14 “farzi babas”

An apex body of Hindu saints and ascetics in India, Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), demanded a crackdown on “cult leaders” by bringing in a legislation

Allahabad: Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), an organisation which comprises of 13 akharas (religious orders), released a list of 14 “farzi babas” involved in “duping and misleading the public” and tarnishing the name of the clerical order.

Rape convict and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim Singh, rape accused Asaram Bapu, Samjhauta Express blast accused Aseemanand, Radhe Maa and ten others have been listed as “fake” religious heads by the ABAP.

According to a report published in the Indian Express, Asaram Bapu, his son Naryan Sai, Radhe Maa, Sachidanand Giri, Gurmeet Singh Sachha Dera Sirsa, Ombaba (Vivekanand Jha), Nirmal Baba, Ichhadhari Bhimanand, Swami Aseemanand, Om Namah Shivay Baba and Rampal, Acharya Kushmuni, Malkan Giri and Brihaspati Giri featured in the list.

A religious leader at the Sunday’s meeting, held at the organisation’s Allahabad headquarters, said that the Parishad will submit the 14 names to the Centre and ask it to not only take strict action against them, but also draw up a law in this regard if possible, the report said.

The group’s president, Swami Narendra Giri, said, “We appeal to even the common people to beware of such charlatans who belong to no tradition and by their questionable acts, bring disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis.”

“These preachers come on TV and fool people. They are married men with families, yet they claim to be celibate ascetics. They commit crimes on women and children. All this gives us a bad name. The life of a sadhu is one of solitary pursuit of knowledge and service for years on end,” Giri said.

A detailed description on the blacklisted sadhus, compiled by Hindustan Times, can be found here.

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