Contrasts in how law enforcement and media handled Bapuji case and those of others

Law enforcement forces in a democracy are expected to be impartial and unbiased in their job and for most part they, exceptions arise when strong political forces are at play, calling shots from behind the curtain. Many times in the past we have disparities in the carriage of law and some of these have been very high profile ones that force us to sit up and take cognizance.

Case in point here is Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu the holy Hindu Saint who has done so much for the poor and downtrodden of our nation and yet the media chose to crucify him without looking for reasons or logic, which is not only pathetic and silly but also belittling of our cultural heritage because this is a direct attack on an important religious figure of the nation. In what appears to be a controversy of with an anti-nationalist innuendo, BapuJi was implicated in a false rape cases. The law enforcement swings into action and swoops him up spectacularly. Thereafter, he is confined in jails and subjected to humiliation and hardships that are meted to hardened criminals.

This was just the beginning, soon after media doubled its effort to malign and bring disrepute to the name of AsaramJi Bapu and later even his son. It was clear that anti-BapuJi forces were at play here and media was happily playing second fiddle in spreading false news about Bapu and everyone else connected to him. The aggression which media and law enforcement displayed was extraordinary in many aspects. To begin with media took for granted that Pujya Shree AsaramJi Bapu was guilty and there was nothing to prevent the downfall of an innocent man who is considered a saint by millions of his followers all over the globe. In the days that followed more such false news was spread unstopped. Only recently has the NBSA heeded to these outrageous incidents and pulled the leash on TRP hungry news channels for spreading wrong information. In a very recent case, three news channels, India TV, News Nation and News 24 were taken to task by a family that was falsely portrayed as willing participants of sex rackets and scandals that are totally unfounded and false.

In stark contrast, several criminal cases of similar nature are pending in court that require attention but for reasons best known to law enforcement forces, these cases do not get as much importance as the bogus case against Bapu is getting. One very recent example of this is the Gurgaon Sadhak family case. On 16th December, a family lodged an FIR against three news channels viz: News 24, India News and News Nation for showing morphed video on national TV, implicating them of being involved in salacious scams involving the Bapu. 13(C) POCSO, IPC 469, 471, 120B and 671 IT acts were invoked but no action has been taken against the CEOs of the news channel yet. The question we ask today - why such disparity in carriage of legal action. There is no doubt in our mind that some deep conspiracy is at play against Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu.

Justice for Param Pujya Sant Asaram ji Bapu

We have seen in the last few months we have seen the media and police don the role of a vigilante and singe BapuJi in false rape cases that were brought about on him on the instigation of detractors of the Bapu. It must be noted that at that time thousands rose in protest of crimes that were forced on him. The incident was taken up by the media and twisted out of context to gain personal leverage and get TRPs. The allegations that were brought against him were blown out of proportion and the biased media did more harm to the issue than facilitate carriage of justice.

What is even more painful is the fact that recently a few news channels have pulled an innocent sadhak family into the quagmire of sexual crimes and threw mud at women in the family by hinting that they were actively involved in sex crimes on behest of BapuJi. News Nation, India TV and News 24 are guilty of besmirching a Sadhak's family with utter disregard for their right to privacy and violating the right of a child. This was carried on over for a period of 3 days from 14th December to 16th December, 2013. Outraged by this the family approached police and lodged a complaint invoking 13(C) POCSO against News 24. Unfortunately that failed to yield any result. Following that up the family decided to lodge an FIR at Palam Vihar Police Station on 16 December, 2013. Keeping in mind the gravity of the situation, the family brought the other two TV channels to book with a formal FIR.

The media victimized family made an emotional appeal to the public who rose against perpetrators in the Damini case to rise again and demand justice for his minor niece who was falsely dragged into an unnecessary tussle created by the media with complete disregard for her rights. The time is also right for the people of this nation to rise in unison against schemers and anti-nationalist sentiments against Hindu saints.

Complain fails to move police, Family victimized by media now files fir expecting Justice

In one after another, the turn of events that in the last few weeks has come as a welcome breather for Asaram Ji Bapu supporters and sadhaks. The first of them all was the falling from grace of liar Bholanand and Tripathi followed by the clearing of Narayan SaiJi's name as the absconder and lastly unveiling of the duplicity of evidence planned to be presented against Bapu. But all is not well yet and there are still matters that need clearing up and more attention from law enforcement and media. Recently, three national news channels New 24, India News and News Nation showed doctored content insinuating crimes that Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu had not perpetrated and in the process maligning the name and honour of a family in addition to violating rights of a child!

These grave charges have been brought against the said media channels by a simple sadhak at whose residence his holiness AsaramJi Bapu arrived after a Satsang session for Pag Phera. It must be noted that these three news channels altered a video clip that was recorded in 2 July 2013 and presented it in poor light throughout the day of 12 Dec, 2013.

These channels defiled BapuJi and the entire family of the Sadhak by hinting that they were willing participants in salacious activities. The channels went on to implicate that the women in the family organized sex rackets for BapuJi. This led to untold pain and misery and anguish for the family. Following this the media-victimized family decided to knock at the police's door for justice, but unfortunately the plea was cold shouldered. This cold treatment forced the family to lodge a formal FIR against News Nation, News 24 and India TV for the improper presentation of news and violating rights of a 10 year old girl. The FIR invokes IPC 469, 471, 120B, 671 IT ACT and last but definitely not the least 13(C) POCSO.

It now remains to be seen whether the police will bring in the people accused in the FIR and if it does how long it takes.

Media victimizes innocent girl - Sadhak family lodges complaint against NEWS 24 Channel

As if the harm the skewed media has done till now is not enough, News 24, a popular news channel has gone one step ahead of the rest and defamed an innocent family in its mindless hunger to gain more TRPs, blind to the fact that their action has caused untold anguish and pain to innocent citizens! Sadhaks of AsaramJi Bapu also complained of such biased content being presented in other news channels as well. Notably, India TV and News Nation made repeated telecasts of doctored information through its channels recently.  

Recently India TV, a popular news channel has also been rapped by the National Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) for using derisive language against AsaramJi Bapu, and now this has followed. It should be noted that this recent misrepresentation is a graver offense than using defamatory language against a holy saint because in this case the victim is a teenage child who was portrayed by the media as victim, whereas the truth was far from it!

In the news presentation BapuJi was shown moving his hand over the back of the said girl in what the media described as offensive, but the truth is that BapuJi was blessing her and his actions were comparable to a grandfather patting his grandchild. To gain maximum leverage for their personal sake, the news channel had one of its female journalist analyze the video clip wherein she goes on to accuse BapuJi but seems completely oblivious to the fact that she herself was involved in violating child rights. In their blind pursuit for more TRPs, the said media channel not only pulled an innocent child into the middle of an unnecessary debate but also maligned other women of the household by hinting that women like them organized sexual escapades for Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu. This is despicable and unexpected from media in a country where it is considered the 4th pillar of democracy.

Unlike most people who would have been scared of raising their voice, this media victim family has come forward with their complaint and invoked 13 (C)POCSO against News 24 for violating the rights of a child. This is high time that we open our eyes to thousands of such unbiased news dished out by the media against AsaramJi Bapu and lodge strong complains against such misrepresentations.

India TV does it again twists video out of context - Presents biased perspective on video recorded by Asaramji aide

In the last few weeks we have been seeing too many incidents of the media getting too excited on the case against Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu. Investigative media becomes ridiculous when it surpasses the bounds of logic and does things to get more attention by pushing completely biased information.  

Very recently, it has come to light that India TV jazzed up an unassuming video of BapuJi interacting with his disciples and a young student who was purportedly victimized by Bapu. It is rather amusing how media channels twist things out of context and make them appear like soap operas just to grab eyeballs. In the doctored video AsaramJi Bapu is shown gently touching and pampering the young girl, just as any grandparent with exactly the same feelings that would normally be seen in average Indian families. There was absolutely no grounds for anyone to blow this simple video out of proportion, but a certain section of the media cannot help but show such incidents for more than what they actually are. What we have seen on India TV is just that.

Quite interestingly this incident occurred in the household of a devotee of Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu in presence of the girl’s parents and close relatives. It has further been said that the said video clip was recorded especially on request of the devotee at whose residence BapuJi was present that day. When the MMS went live the family was shocked because women in their family were falsely accused of running sex rackets and prostitution which was untrue. This telecast resulted in embarrassment for the family primarily because neighbours of the unfortunate family began questioning the nature of their relation with Sant Shree AsaramJi Bapu. Not to mention this caused immense emotional pain and scarring following which the family finally lodged a complaint against the news channel.

This shows that there is no limit as to how despicable the media can get, assailing devotees of AsaramJi Bapu for TRPs.

Views of His Holiness Swami Nithyanand Maharaj Mahamandaleshwar of Maha Nirvana Akhada on allegations against Asaramji Bapu

The Mahamandaleshwar of Mahanirvani Peet, Guru Swami Nithyanand Maharaj is one who knows about the accusations and allegations brought against AsaramJi Bapu in the recent past and he has studied the case in great depth and possibly there is no one better to comment on recent developments against AsaramJi Bapu. In 2010, Swami Nithyanand Maharaj was implicated in similar sex crimes and was charged under several IPC sections, one of which was 376 (rape) and 377 (unnatural sex). He was kept in judicial custody for 52 days, at the end of that he was acquitted by the court and his driver was charged for conspiracy. In February, 2013 FIRs against him were quashed by Karnataka High Court. He has been through the challenges of living through false allegations and standing up for his rights and then appealing for justice against the plotters who brought disrepute to his name.

On allegations brought against Bapu, Swami has a lot to say and he bases his observations on detailed study of the entire case. In course of his findings he has consulted with medical experts who opined that a minor's skin is very delicate and any physical assault would have left permanent marks on her skin for at least a few days, but these medical experts did not find any mention of such findings on the girl. After 11 long years the accuser comes ahead with her allegations when she should have done so at the earliest. Suddenly after so many years, it suddenly dawns on her that the time is right to seek justice! Isn't this ridiculous? Even the police knows that this case is not going to hold in court.

“I’m not saying that AsharamJi Bapu is above a law...All I am trying to say is, let's have patience till the court takes a review. Even if you believe that something may have happened, keep quite till the courts decide". 

Sad deviation of media from the path of truth

Humans have been critical and noxious since time immemorial; there is little novelty in that. Even today with the enlightenment of education, nothing much seems to have changed, which is very unfortunate.

What is even more painful is the harsh truth that His Holiness AsaramJi Bapu who has spent the greater part of his life unto the service of mankind was not spared? The saint has always been advising his disciples about being truthful and remaining closely associated with a life that is filled with nothing but the truth. The kind Bapu never for a moment rested from his job of spreading the gospel of love, truth, honouring women, helping the poor and educating children. Following his teachings millions have chosen the right path and brought about positive changes in their societies, states and thus to the entire world.

Media, which is considered the fourth pillar of the Indian democracy, has lost sight of its aims. Instead, it has decided to embark on the path of falsehood and cheap publicity for monetary gains. Driven blind by ulterior motives, media has not even stopped from flinging mud on the kind Bapu. It is an abominable attempt at sabotaging Bapu's reputation and selfless service. This unfortunate deviation of the media from truth and sacrificing BapuJi on the altar of rumours heralds a sad day for Indian journalism. Perhaps this is the outcome of commercialization of media that has money at its true north instead of truth.

Nothing can be more detrimental to a nation's future than a corrupt media that does not stop at anything when it comes to making money. By actively spreading rumours and criticizing all and sundry for everything that comes across their path and by maligning reputation of spiritual leaders of the nation, the media has not only become less authentic and authoritative, it also increasingly inviting wrath of the almighty lord unto who His Holiness AsaramJi Bapu has dedicated his life and work.

Will the media ever get over its smear campaign

Journalism which is considered the fourth pillar of democracy is quickly becoming the cause of misery and trouble for the people of the country. In the west when media began doubting at the credibility and truth in the message of spiritual mentors, people began losing faith on them and gradually but definitely they went further and further from the truth and path of enlightenment. What has happened thereafter has since then become evident to all of us. History stands witness to the truth that each time men has asked questions or pointed fingers at a saint, it has lost its path and become corrupt. The lesson we need to draw from this is that frowning on saints and their selfless service based on the words of commercial media is the pall bearer of catastrophes. The strength of a united nation is well known to us, which is why we cannot afford to forget that the country we live has grown stronger and stayed united because of countless efforts and sacrifices made by holy saints like His Holiness AsaramJi Bapu.

Therefore, perhaps it would not be an exaggeration to say that this nation will always remain indebted to the great sacrifices made over ages to tie us all together with the string of love and devotion. The moment we forget that and begin questioning lessons taught by our gurus and raise eyebrow on their credibility because of a handful of money minded journalists choose to criticize them; we will have made their great sacrifices futile and entirely worthless.

It pains us to say that current developments in our nation have propelled us all down the wrong path and most of us are not even aware of it. Not too long ago conspirators of His Holiness Sant AsaramJi Bapu began an attack on his character and the media jumped at the chance of making money with this insane character assassination. Since then, media has been constantly dealing blows under the belt at every opportunity and conspirators of Sant AsaramJi Bapu gave ample moments to capitalize. Quite recently Bapu's son has come under attack as well. The question we ask - will there ever be an end to this smear campaign?

Lord Shiva’s Family Similar to Sant Shree Asaramji Bapu’s Family

His holiness Sant Shree Asaramji Bapu is considered among the top spiritual leaders of the world today. The saint has attained Brahmic knowledge and his conscience is one with the transcendental supreme power. He, like other great saints in our Hindu tradition such as Maharishi Vedvyasa, teaches his disciples to lead happy ad respectable life while being a family man. Disciples of the Sant compare Lord Shiva’s family with Bapu’s family where his wife Laxmi Devi, his illustrious son Narayan Sai and his virtuous daughter Bharati Dvi reside.

The pious wife Laxmi Devi is an outstanding example for the modern Indian woman who considers her husband as her closest friend, teacher and God. Maa Laxmi Devi  is thankful for having the saintly Bapu as her life partner, Bapu was with her at the beginning and he will be with her till the very end of her  complete and happy life. She has imbibed the age old Indian tradition of seeing her husband as an entity equal to God.  Seeing the selfless love and service of respectable Bapuji, his wife Laxmi Devi believes herself to be the luckiest women on earth because she has become united with the incarnation of God in the shape of his holiness Asaramji Bapu. Maa Laxmi Devi’s role as the perfect life partner, daughter in law and mother is comparable to none in today’s time.  Her loyalty and compassion towards her husband and children along with her respect for BapuJi as her spiritual mentor has remained strong through all odds.

BapuJi’s illustrious son and daughter have never for a moment left their father’s  in these hard times and have been continuously supported him with love and devotion. Those that are trying to malign and bring disrepute to the glorious family of Lord Shiva’s image Sant Shree Asaramji Bapu will never succeed in doing so because of the strong bond of love and devotion within the family and millions of disciples all over the globe that comprise the complete family of Bapu Ji.

Mata Laxmi Devi sums up the sentiment of her global family with her words, “…He is such a patient and pious person. Millions come to him for knowledge and kindness. These hateful and malignant accusations will not stick. He is like the sun and the cloud of false allegations will not last longer”.

Skewed Media Trials On Spiritual Gurus In India

There seems no end to how trivial and farcical some people can get just for the sake of proving points that are utterly baseless or based on the media that in our nation has never been known to be impartial or honest. For reasons best known to media houses they pick their favourite targets and go a mindless rampage stamping on everything that comes their way making a lot of money at the expense of the public who cannot decide the truth when they are bombarded by barrage of lies and skewed sentences and entirely rubbish rumours. The truth is - THE COURT HAS NOT TAKEN ITS COURSE YET!

Take a moment and think when Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram was implicated in a criminal case that he had allegedly masterminded the murder of the manager of the mutt. The truth took long to come to light, but when it did everyone was glad that truth had finally won. Back then media trials were not so uncontrolled, nevertheless there were serious allegations and the media played its part in maligning two innocent religious leaders of our country. Then again, in very recent memory we have the case of Yoga Guru Ramdev who mistreated by police and later dragged into false accusations because of crime that were supposedly committed by his sibling. One cannot find a better case of misuse of media power.

Similar unfortunate incidents are unfolding before our very eyes and this time media's involvement is quiet aggressive and that has already made it quite difficult for the masses in general to get to the core of the matter and seek the truth. One cannot be expected to see the truth when so many versions and untrue interpretations are making the rounds everywhere.

Disinformation in Media and Truth

As if the disservice done by media to His Holiness Asaramji Bapu was not enough, we are now seeing un-moderated comments on some media websites. This is evident in many news websites. The questions are derogatory to say the least. It ridicules His Holiness Asaramji Bapu's headgear, clothes and his expressions of love and joy that he portrays in his dances. Someone who wished to ridicule Bapu's clothes and dance called it strange. If not for a true follower of the saint, the ridicule would have remained unanswered. Thankfully, someone who was aware of the truth replied and explained that Asaramji Bapu is a saint who travels extensively each day in the heat and there is nothing more comfortable than what he uses as attire. The Bapu is solely interested in bringing love and show the path of truth and there is no need for fine clothes or costly accessories to impress his detractors. His holiness Asaramji Bapu and his son Narayan Saiji render their services unto the lord.

Another misled detractor of Bapuji also picked faults with his dances. To which Bapu's disciple commented - "Dance is an expression for all the people that love and respect him...he actually dances and...smiles on peoples' face" This is the bare truth. Please do not let the media mould your views of the saintly Bapu who has spent his entire life in helping us and offering unconditional love to everybody. #StopMediaTrial and wait until the law has taken its course.