Ayodhya ascetic calls for 'social boycott' of fake 'Babas'

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 11 (ANI): Welcoming the list of "fake babas" by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Swami Hardayal Shastri, the astrologer in Shanidhaam temple of Ayodhya, on Monday called for a social boycott of those listed.

The monk informed that a 'Parishad' had been made for the convenience of the administration and it serves as a medium through which the government provides land and other amenities to the country's ascetics.

These councils are, however, exploited by people like Asaram Bapu and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, he further informed.

"They are not connected with these 'akharas', but through money, they exploit these akharas' to acquire lands and set up camps. This is wrong," Swami Hardayal told ANI.

Besides the legal action taken on such fake saints as Ram Rahim and Asaram Bapu, the monk also called for their social boycott.

"We have the rule of social punishment in Hinduism, but no one has control over society now, and no one is in the control of society either. Hence, after legal boycott they should also be socially boycotted," opined Swami Hardayal.

On Sunday, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, in its committee, issued a list of "fake babas" where the names of Asaram Bapu, Radhe Maa, recently convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Nirmal Baba were mentioned.

The list was curated after the whole Sadhu community came together to talk about the issue of fake saints bringing disrepute to the community. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI