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Akhara of sadhus declares Ram Rahim, Asaram, Rampal & 11 others as ‘fake babas’

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Ram Rahim

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) – an apex body of Hindu sages – declares list of 14 cult leaders who have “brought disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis”

Amid growing outrage over controversial self-styled godmen and cult leaders – the likes of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Rampal and Asaram Bapu who are all currently lodged in various jails – an apex body of Hindu sages has been forced to come out with a list of 14 “fake babas”. Former RSS member and 2007 Mecca Masjid blasts case accused Swami Aseemanand also finds his name in this ‘elite list’ of charlatans.

These self-anointed gurus and bapus who, riding on their mass popularity, financial strength and political connections, have become leaders of various cults have been called out by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) as “charlatans who have brought disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis”.

The ABAP is an apex body of Hindu sages and saints – albeit some of its members are just as controversial as those godmen who they wish to outcast. Members of the ABAP met in Allahabad, on Sunday, to discuss the challenges posed to their brethren because of the controversial and often criminal activities and links of self-anointed godmen like Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh or Asaram Bapu – the former was recently convicted of raping two of his female followers while the latter, along with his son Narayan Sai – another guru – are facing trial in a slew of rape cases filed by their female followers, including some minors.

Asaram Bapu

The Parishad’s president Swami Narendra Giri said: “We appeal to the common people to beware of such charlatans who belong to no tradition and by their questionable acts, bring disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis… As per the Hindu way of life, only followers of the age-old tradition of Sanyasi, Nath, Vaishnav, Shaiv, Udasin, Nirmal and Guru Nanak sects are saints.” Apart from these, no self-proclaimed godman or godwoman should be considered a saint as they are neither part of any akhara, nor ordained.”

Nearly all 14 self-styled godmen listed out by the Parishad have either been convicted in criminal cases or are standing trial for various offences, some as serious as rape and murder.

Here are the ‘fake babas’ as listed out by ABAP:

* Rapist godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

* Asumal Sirumalani alias Asaram Bapu and his son Narayan Sai – both currently lodged in jail and facing trial on charges of rape and criminal intimidation

* Sukhwinder Kaur alias Radhe Maa – the only woman on the list, Radhe Maa has often been in news for all the wrong reasons – from her gaudy, un-saint-like costumes to criminal complaints filed against her for intimidation, forcing a woman’s in-laws to seek dowry, to sexual harassment

* Nirmaljeet Singh aka Nirmal Baba – the ‘television’ baba with a ‘Third Eye’ that sees into a person’s life and helps him suggest absurd remedies like changing the type of chutney one eats with a samosa to find financial success, Nirmal Baba too has been a controversial and polarising figure

* Sant Rampal – He claims to be an incarnation of celebrated and revered 15th-century poet Kabir. In November 2014, five bodies were discovered by the police after they raided Rampal’s ashram in Haryana’s Hisar district. Hundreds of his followers had turned the ashram into a fortress of sorts and police had to use water cannons and lathi-charge his armed supporters to finally force the godman to ‘surrender’. He is currently in jail.

Swami Aseemanand

* Swami Aseemanand – a former RSS member who was an accused in the 2007 Ajmer Sharif and Mecca Masjid blast cases, Aseemanand is a known right-wing, Muslim bashing ‘swami’. He was recently acquitted in the Ajmer blast case due to “benefit of doubt”

Others on the list: Icchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot (accused of running a sex racket); Swami Omji (faces range of criminal cases under Arms Act, TADA, etc), Sachchidanand Giri (a proclaimed offender also known as Builder Baba due to various real-estate linked frauds), Acharya Kushmuni Swarup, Brahaspati Giri, Malkhan Singh and Om Namah Shivay Baba.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Centre issues notice to Wikipedia on complaints of bias, inaccuracies

The government also questioned why Wikipedia should not be classified as a publisher, rather than an intermediary.

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Centre issues notice to Wikipedia on complaints of bias, inaccuracies

The Centre on Tuesday has issued a notice to Wikipedia over multiple complaints about bias and inaccuracies on the platform. The government in its letter to Wikipedia highlighted that a small group of editors appears to have significant control over the contents, particularly influencing its neutrality. 

Reports said that the government also questioned why Wikipedia should not be classified as a publisher, rather than an intermediary. However, neither Wikipedia nor the government has issued an official statement on the matter so far. 

Wikipedia, popularly known as free online encyclopedia, allows volunteers to create and edit pages on a wide variety of topics, including people, issues and various fields of knowledge. This recent development follows two months after the Delhi High Court slammed Wikipedia and also warned it of a potential ban in India during a case filed by news agency ANI, which alleged that its Wikipedia page contained inaccuracies and defamatory content. 

In the last hearing, Justice Subramonium Prasad further observed that Wikipedia might not be entitled to defend the defamatory edits since it claims to be only an intermediary. The Delhi HIgh Court also questioned if Wikipedia is an intermediary, why is it bothered? It added that if somebody else has edited and that addition is without basis, then it comes down.

It further stated that Wikipedia is not here to protect the editors but is a mere wall. The court opined that it will only see whether the opinion given in the encyclopaedia does not depict the correct picture, as not true representation of the article. However, Wikipedia clarified that it was not defending the statements or edits made on Wikipedia’s page about ANI. It further sought to assist the court in the matter, particularly with regard to the architecture of the platform. 

Notably, Wikipedia has faced growing criticism for alleged bias and inaccuracies, especially amid the ongoing US presidential elections. Elon Musk, owner of X, has publicly accused Wikipedia of supporting far-left ideologies. He also urged the public to stop donating to Wikipedia, claiming it is controlled by far-left activists.

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JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink

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JMM-RJD-Congress are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators: PM Modi at Jharkhand rally

Ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly election, PM Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the incumbent Hemant Soren government, accusing it to put appeasement at the top of its agenda.

While addressing a rally in Jharkhand’s Garhwa, the Prime Minister said the coalition government of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Congress and RJD are supporters of Bangladesh infiltrators. He said that the JMM-RJD-Congress government has taken appeasement to its peak, and that these parties are destroying the state’s social harmony. He alleged that the parties are supporters of infiltrators, and to get votes of Bangladesh infiltrators, they are getting them settled across Jharkhand.

The Prime Minister stated that when schools disallow Saraswati Vandana, one can imagine how big the danger is. When there is stone-pelting during festivals, Maa Durga is stopped and curfew is imposed, one knows how dangerous it is, he continued. The Prime Minister also added that when the issue of infiltration goes to court and the administration denies, it becomes clear that the government machinery has been infiltrated. PM Modi was referring to allegations that a Muslim teacher stopped prayers to Goddess Saraswati at a school in Jharkhand’s Giridih.

Narendra Modi further claimed that if the bad policies of JMM, Congress and RJD continue, the adivasi society in Jharkhand will shrink, and advised people to use their vote to uproot this infiltrator coalition. He maintained that Jharkhand’s swift development is possible only if it has a government that expedites the implementation of central schemes.

Referring to the JMM’s decision to replace Champai Soren as Chief Minister after Hemant Soren was granted bail in a money laundering case, PM Modi said that the party has left no stones unturned in humiliating an adivasi son. He asked how the party will take care of the people of the state when nothing matters to them more than family. He added that he does not have a family, and the people are his family. He also mentioned that Champai Soren, once a trusted lieutenant of Hemant Soren, is now with the BJP.

Slamming the ruling coalition of corruption, he said that corruption hollows out the country like termites, and destroys the poor, Dalits, people from backward classes and tribals. He claimed that Jharkhand has seen for five years the corruption of the JMM-Congress-RJD government.

He also referred to the massive cash haul from the home of Congress’s former Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu last year. Mentioning that mountains of cash are recovered from the home of Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP, he questioned if this money didn’t belong to Jharkhand.

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Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

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Ruckus in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over resolution against Article 370 abrogation

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed chaos after People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para moved a resolution opposing the abrogation of Article 370 and called for restoring the union territory’s special status.

Waheed Para, the PDP MLA from the Pulwama Assembly seat, submitted the resolution to newly elected Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather and requested for a discussion on the matter during the five-day session, despite not being a part of the agenda.

It was submitted that although the agenda of the House has been finalised, they believe that the authority as the Speaker allows the inclusion of the resolution, as it reflects the sentiment of the people at large. After the resolution was submitted, all 28 Jammu and Kashmir BJP MLAs stood up to oppose the move, leading to noisy scenes inside the Assembly.

As the members protested, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma demanded Para’s suspension for bringing the resolution in violation of Assembly rules. The agitation continued even after the Speaker repeatedly requested the protesting members to take their seats. He asserted the resolution has not come to him yet and when it does, he would examine it.

While the BJP members refused to call off their protest, National Conference MLAs slammed them for interrupting the proceedings of the House. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing the session, said that the resolution has no importance and it is only for the cameras.

The Chief Minister added that how the House will reflect and discuss this matter will not be decided by any one member. If there was a purpose behind the resolution, then they would have discussed this with the government before, he continued.

Nonetheless, CM Abdullah also admitted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir do not approve of the decision taken on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also said that his government will make all efforts for the restoration of full statehood. He mentioned that restoration of full statehood would be a reciprocation of the faith reposed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in democratic institutions.

Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed that she was proud of Waheed Para for submitting the resolution.

Notably, Article 370 was a provision in the Constitution that granted special autonomy to the region of Jammu and Kashmir. It also allowed the state to have its own constitution, flag, and autonomy over internal matters except defense, communications, and foreign affairs.

However, the Centre on August 5, 2019 revoked Article 370, effectively removing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganising it into two Union Territories namely, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

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