Thinker

T he “Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad” has released a list of 14 ‘fake babas’ and demanded a crackdown on “rootless cult leaders” by bringing in a legislation. Prompted by recent controversies surrounding self-styled godmen, the apex body of Hindu sadhus -- the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad – has   released a list of 14 ‘fake babas’   and demanded a crackdown on “rootless cult leaders” by bringing in a legislation. Giving out the list, the parishad’s president Swami Narendra Giri said: “We appeal to even the common people to beware of such charlatans who belong to no tradition and by their questionable acts, bring disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis.” Here are the 14 fake babas on the parishad’s list: Asaram Bapu (Asumal Sirumalani) The 76-year-old white-bearded man was arrested in 2013 after a teenage devotee accused him of raping her at a religious event. Another female follower later also accused him of rape. He has been in jail since 2013 on   charges of ra...