The mass of people in the sub-continent is infatuated with Babas, Pirs, and Tantrilks (Godmen). Two of the more famous ones who had millions of followers like Asa Ram Bapu and Ram Rahim Singh is in jail for various crimes against women, including rape. Now another incident from Vrindavan in Mathura district of Utter Pradesh in North India is reported. NDTV has reported that a Godman (a colloquial term used in India for a type of charismatic guru) named Dwarkanath of an Ashram close to Vrindavan twice had forced liaison with a Woman on the pretext of curing her chronic stomach ailment.
The incident
The woman along with her four-year-old son and husband visited the ashram and met the Baba. She complained that she was having a stomach problem. The Bab promised to cure her with his superpower and requested that she spend the night at the ashram. The woman and her husband were allotted an apartment in the ashram.
The Baba came to the room at night and brought a diva (earthen lamp). He told the husband to go down and light the flame of the diva and stay with the diva till the flame was extinguished. The husband duly obliged and went away with the earthen lamp. In the absence of the husband, the baba forced the woman to cohabit with him promising her that in if she did it with him her entire troubles would be cured.
The Baba forced himself on the woman twice and asked her to acquiescence otherwise he would kill her near and dear ones by his power. This frightened the lady and allowed the Baba to have his way.
Action and jail
The husband on learning of the incident and reported the matter to the police. In the light of new rulings by the UP chief minister Swami Adityanand, the police carried out an investigation and arrested the Baba. His case was tried in a fast-track court. At the trial, the woman denied that the baba had sex with her and claimed it was "someone else". Her evidence was disregarded as false and the fast track court has convicted the Baba and sentenced him to 25 Years in jail.
Incidents galore
The incident has hurt the sentiments of thousands of followers of the baba as the ashram has been sealed off by the police. Many feel that as the Baba Dwarkanath was a man of God, he could not have done such a heinous act. This shows the blind faith that runs in the subcontinent among the people. In Lahore, a Muslim Pir impregnated over 300 women on a "Noor bed" on the plea that he had the power to make barren women conceive and other women have a son. The Pir was arrested but no charges could be proved as nobody came forward to accuse the Pir (holy man).