God-men, who indulged in sexual assault, environ damage, health hazarads, superstation practices etc. with the patronage of saffron forces are exposed to public anger and criticism. they must be punished by keeping away political influence and undue bureaucratic and judicial formalities and affinites.
These days, many Godmen who have substantial strength of disciples and other followers are being booked for various offences and crimes, committed by them under the garb of the popularity and patronage from the ruling power. Godmen are another form of intermediaries who are clever enough and business minded to exploit the credulous devotees. The priestly class is one sect of spiritual intermediaries which market the commodity of ‘god’ with the technical acumen of marketing skills. The devotees have come at their doorsteps i.e. sanctum sanctorum or the priests go to the places of devotees with their reported ‘divine’ power through the rituals and ceremonies conducted by them.
The Godmen do the same marketing but by creating the environment of Buyer’s Marketing to suit the needs of the spiritual consumers viz. devotees. The formal relationship that exists between the priestly class and the devotees has been deformalized to the extent possible according to the capability and tactful acumen of Godmen. Due to this informalisation along with miracle tactics, practised by Godmen, devotees get attracted to them with spiritual addiction. The money powered and business magnets also form the part of such devotees. The relationship with Godmen facilitates their business transactions, besides being helpful for their monetary transactions among the business circles which cannot be carried out easily. The patronage of the ruling political power, governing executive and judicial persons extended to the Godmen encourages their illegal dealings. Such secret patronage provides some sort of immunity to file charge against the Godmen for their unlawful activities, initiate actions, prosecute them in the court of law and punish them. The political personalities at the helm of the governance of the State, openly pay homage and respect the Godmen and getting their blessing (?) by revealing their subjugation and subservience to the Godmen, unmindful of their public representation in their position. Inspite of all these protective privileges, patronising Godmen many in course of time exceed the limits in their illegal activities.
Some of the Godmen who are popular among the devotees commit crimes detrimental to the personal well-being of the individuals as well as against the public decency. Despite their subjection to law enforcing authorities, many Godmen are comfortable and continuing their institutional activities without interruption; few of them came out freely with the aid of loopholes prevailing in the present governing system. The public are also emotionally against Godmen for the moment. The success of such Godmen becomes possible mainly by capitalising the truth, ‘Public Memory is short’.
Jayendra Saraswathi (69th Head of Kamakodi Mutt, Kanchipuram) is the Godman who has been enjoying constant patronage from the ruling power. In 1986, Jayendra Saraswathi left Kanchi Mutt during the observance of Chaturmasya Vrata leaving the thandam (the accompanying lengthy stick with his poonol (‘sacred’ thread belt) tied and knotted the end of the stick, signifying his ‘saint’ life) aside, revealing his intention that he had renounced the ‘saint’ life due to his affair with a woman to lead a family life. The senior pontiff of the Mutt, Chandrasekara Saraswathi, at that time stated, “leaving of Jayendra Saraswathi from the Mutt is accepted. There is no need to trace and bring him back to the Mutt”. With that, the senior appointed the Junior Vijayendra Saraswathi in the position of Jayendra Saraswathi.
But the brahminical lobby traced his location, brought Jayendra Sarawathi back in Mutt and ensured for him to continue the activities of the Mutt with the same position.
When Jayendra Saraswathi was interviewed by press person , he was asked whether his leaving the Mutt and arrival back can be equated to the boycott of Vivekananda by the Hindu belief against the crossing the water territory for his visit to U.S.A. and coming back to the country, Jeyandra Saraswathi replied, “Don’t compare me with Vivekananda; I am above Vivekananda”.
Jeyandra Saraswathi the ‘saint’ has been in continuous affairs with the women who are family members of his close associates and the administrators of the Mutt, as per the statement given by Ravi Subramanian, a building contractor who has done many constructions for the Mutt.
The lady writer Ms Anuradha Ramanan made open statement about the misbehaviour of Jayendra Saraswathi, compelling her to appease his sexual desire. This news appeared in print and electronic media widely at that time.
Jayendra Saraswathi’s acquittal from the criminal case of the murder of Priest Sankararaman needs judicial review. The telephonic talk of Jayendra Saraswathi with the judge of the court, in his favour when the judicial proceedings were lasting and the shift in the stand of the many key witnesses from the prosecution side by becoming hostile raise a lot of suspicion in the acquittal of the head of the Mutt.
The suspicion gets strengthened due to the failure of Pondicherry Union Territory Government to make appeal over the verdict of acquittal for which the Supreme Court has directed to file appeal. With all these pitfalls in the proceedings, Jayendra Saraswathi is continuing the activities as the Head of Mutt uninterruptedly, besides visiting places under the garb of appeasing the ‘spiritual’ thirst of the addicted devotees.
Baba Ramdev is a popular Godman for his ‘Yoga’ practice and vocalising the political issues. ‘Tehelka’ magazine reported the financial irregularities and tax evasion by the Trust, run by Ramdev. The irregularities ranged from sales tax evasion, forceful land grabbing from farmers, use of subsidised electricity for commercial purpose etc.
Brinda Karat, senior leader of CPI (M) accused the Divya Pharmacy, owned by Ramdev’s Divya Mandir Trust of using human and animal bones in their medicines. The claim of Ramdev about his yoga practice curing cancer – breast, liver, prostate, uterus, pituitary gland, brain tumour and even lukaemia is not proved in medical and pharmaceutical sciences.
Sant Rampal is the Godman heading Satlok Ashram in 1999 and commenced his legal woes in 2006 by clashing with the supporters of Arya Samaj, leading to the death of one person. He faced the contempt of court in respect of cases of murder and attempt to murder in various courts by his skipping hearings more than 40 times.
When police took action against him, permission for police entry was refused into the guarded fortress of the ashram.
Asaram Bapu, the godman of the Ashram at Indore, Madhya Pradesh was arrested over the allegation of sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl. The complaint made by the aggrieved was denied by Asaram Bapu and his son by stating that the girl was ‘mentally unstable’. Having indulged in sexual assaults, Asaram Bapu became notorious by commenting on the December 16 Delhi Gang Rape (Nirbhaya case) incident that the victim was equally responsible for the crime.
At the latest, in Kerala Hari Ganesananda Theerthapath Swami, a Godman has been exposed in news media. A 23 year old law student has babbitised him who had been sexually abused by the Godman for the past 7 years, taking advantage of visiting their house to perform poojas and rituals to cure her bedridden father. After sexually misusing the mother of the girl, the Godman started to assault the girl from her age of 16. Unable to bear the sexual assault and torture of the Godman, the girl cut his genital organ.
The Godman had acted as the bonafide disciple of Lord Shiva. As per the mythology, Lord Shiva with sexual desire aroused alarmingly, had seduced the wives of Rishis in the absence of the Rishis. When Rishis came back after seeing the sexual assault made by Shiva, cursed him that his penis be cut off. The Godman of Kerala has proved himself to tread the ‘spiritual’ path paved by Lord Shiva.
Article 51 (A) of Indian Constitution expects every citizen of the country to carry out the fundamental duties which include developing the spirit of enquiry. People must exercise their reason and be extremely cautious with these bogus men.
