Page 29 - Tehelka-May18

SpecialReport

n India, 87 percent of people private parts of women and girls old to understand what sex was.
are staunchly religious and against their consents, he is surely She started crying and ran away to
spiritual, making way for a not a messiah which many of his lock herself in the toilet. She saved
booming market estimated supporters still vouch for or certify. herself that night and Dixit never
I to be worth over $40 billion More shocking is that girlsare called her after that but the custom
( 2.57 lakh crore). Almost every- as young as eight-years-old when of massaging a half-naked baba
thing in India is saleable, and even they are encouraged to stay in his continued.
destroyable, in the name of God. For ashrams. In May 2015, she was surren-
a drought-hit farmer or even a crip- dered by her mother who believed
pled child, spiritualism is that anti- CASE 1 that Geeta would be safe and at-
dote that everyone resorts to when You will turn Chandaal tain spiritual knowledge under the
nothing comes asa saviour. Being “You will turn chandaal (evil) in your guidance of baba Dixit. When her
godmen or babas in India is the eas- next birth if you disobey baba, so mother found out the truth, she
iest claim to fame job that requires do whatever he says and if you do took Geeta away at the pretext that
no qualifications or knowledge. not listen then bad people will rape Geeta had some money in her bank
Seeing this as a profitable trade, you as a consequence.” This is how account which she would like to do-
many notorious self-proclaimed 13-year-old Geeta (name changed) nate to the ashram and her signa-
godmen are using spirituality for was constantly threatened along ture was needed at the bank. At that
their vested interest — making tons request, Geeta was allowed to leave
of money by deluding people, ex- the ashram for a few days in Febru-
ploiting women and girls to please Beside 100 ary 2017. She never returned.
their lust, while thousands of blind-
folded devotees continue to blindly complaints of CASE 2
worship them in their daily lives. A summer vacation in Virender’s
One of the nefarious babas of the sexual abuse ashram
time is Virender Dev Dixit, whom and illegal Summer vacations never brought
hundreds of families are looking out joy to Shristi (name changed).While
for besides the Central Bureau of In- confinement of other kids would eagerly look up to
vestigation (CBI). Around 100 com- girls by Dixit, the long school break of the year to
plaints of sexual abuse and illegal go on a holiday, Shristi ‘s parents
confinement of girls and women by more than 20 rape would look forward to send their
Dixit have surfaced so far, and more cases have kids to ‘Adhyatmik Viswa Vidyalaya’
than 20 rape cases have been reg- or say ‘Spiritual University’, to learn
istered against him. There are also been registered ‘adhyatmik gyan’ which means spir-
several complaints of duping peo- against him itual teaching, from the self-pro-
ple of lakhs of rupees and property claimed godman Virender Dev Dixit
fraud cases. at his Rohini ashram in New Delhi.
Delhi High Court recently issued
During one such summer va-
Bringing shame to a blue corner notice against Dixit, with many others for opposing Dix- cation in June 2000, a visit to the
ashram turned into a nightmare
it’s sexual advances.
who is no less than Gurmeet Ram
Tehelka spoke with Geeta who
Rahim, Asaram Bapu, Rampal or
for 14- year-old Shristi who was
spiritualism: The story of Ichadari Bhimanand — all known narrated her ordeal when she was studying in Xth standard. One night
inside the Mount Abu ashram: “Jab
sexual predators who were once
at around 11 pm, Shanta mata sum-
moned her through another girl.
dhongi babas (fake godmen) and are
baba aata tha sab number laga ke
now languishing in jails.
andar jate, fir baba bolta‘yeh prasad
Mata or mother how ashram ladies
Tehelka was approached by some
yet another fake baba of the victims who managed to flee hai tumbhi lelo’aur fir sabke saath who are above the age of 18 are re-
galat kam karta (When baba used to
ferred to. Shristi was perplexed by
come to ashram, girls would be sent
from the clutches of Dixit and told
the sudden call at that odd hour but
about the malpractices that are tak-
Shanta mata was standing outside
sexually harass us saying ‘this is my
ing place in the name of spiritual to visit him in turns. Then he would rushed downstairs as instructed.
knowledge inside the iron grilled blessing, accept it’”.) Virender’s room. She told Shristi
One of the nefarious babas of the time is Virender Dev Dixit, whom hundreds of families are Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya ash- The first time when Geeta was that Baba wanted to see her alone
looking for, besides the Central Bureau of Investigation as he faces blue corner notice in rams. Accused of taking full body summoned to his kaksha (bedroom) in his kaksha and give his blessings
massages fromminors while wear-
and honour.
to fulfil his sexual desires, it was too
more than 100 cases involving sexual abuse and illegal confinement of girls, reports pari saikia ing only his brief to touching the complicating for her as an 11-year- Shristy entered his room which
tehelka / 31 may 2018 28 www.tehelka.com tehelka / 31 may 2018 29 www.tehelka.com
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