Asaram Bapu landed himself in a controversy over his remark that the December 16 Delhi gangrape victim was as guilty as those responsible for the barbaric sexual assault on her.
Addressing his followers recently, Asaram said that when the girl encountered six drunk men "she should have taken God's name and could have held the hand of one of the men and said I consider you as my brother and should have said to the other two 'Brother I am helpless, you are my brother, my religious brother.' She should have
taken God's name and held their hands and feet... then the misconduct wouldn't have happened."
He also went on to say, "Galti ek taraf se nahi hoti hai (mistake is not committed from one side)."
"Only 5-6 people are not the culprits. The victim daughter is as guilty as her rapists..Can one hand clap? I don't think so," said Asaram Bapu. The accused were drunk. If the girl had chanted hymns to Goddess Saraswati and to Guru Diksha then she wouldn't have entered the bus...," he added.
The self-proclaimed godman further said he is against harsher punishments for the accused, as the law could be misutilised. "We have often seen such laws are made to be misutilised... Dowry harassment law is the biggest example," he said.
Asaram Bapu ran into a hail of protests from his comments on anti-rape laws with activists demanding that religious and political leaders be held accountable for their statements.
Coming amid a statement of what they called "sexist" and "misogynic" remarks from the political class, Asaram's statement infuriated the activists.
Faced with an angry backlash, self-styled godman Asaram Bapu is completely unfazed by the reaction. Unapologetic about his remarks, Asaram refused to back down or retract his statement. Asaram said, "Great people remain unaffected by what the common man says." He went on to add further, "Elephants while taking a stroll do not bother about barking dogs."
The family of the 23 year old victim said over the absured comments, "Godman or saints can never say anything of this sort... It only exposes his mentality" .
The spiritual guru's remark comes at a time when the entire nation is mourning the death of the 23-year-old brave heart who died in a Singapore hospital 13 days later after the heinous crime.
Addressing his followers recently, Asaram said that when the girl encountered six drunk men "she should have taken God's name and could have held the hand of one of the men and said I consider you as my brother and should have said to the other two 'Brother I am helpless, you are my brother, my religious brother.' She should have
taken God's name and held their hands and feet... then the misconduct wouldn't have happened."
He also went on to say, "Galti ek taraf se nahi hoti hai (mistake is not committed from one side)."
"Only 5-6 people are not the culprits. The victim daughter is as guilty as her rapists..Can one hand clap? I don't think so," said Asaram Bapu. The accused were drunk. If the girl had chanted hymns to Goddess Saraswati and to Guru Diksha then she wouldn't have entered the bus...," he added.
The self-proclaimed godman further said he is against harsher punishments for the accused, as the law could be misutilised. "We have often seen such laws are made to be misutilised... Dowry harassment law is the biggest example," he said.
Asaram Bapu ran into a hail of protests from his comments on anti-rape laws with activists demanding that religious and political leaders be held accountable for their statements.
Coming amid a statement of what they called "sexist" and "misogynic" remarks from the political class, Asaram's statement infuriated the activists.
Faced with an angry backlash, self-styled godman Asaram Bapu is completely unfazed by the reaction. Unapologetic about his remarks, Asaram refused to back down or retract his statement. Asaram said, "Great people remain unaffected by what the common man says." He went on to add further, "Elephants while taking a stroll do not bother about barking dogs."
The family of the 23 year old victim said over the absured comments, "Godman or saints can never say anything of this sort... It only exposes his mentality" .
The spiritual guru's remark comes at a time when the entire nation is mourning the death of the 23-year-old brave heart who died in a Singapore hospital 13 days later after the heinous crime.
Reference: Indian Express; Hindustan Times; India Today