Indore: Controversial self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, against whom a complaint of sexual assault was filed by a teenage girl, on Sunday claimed that he was innocent and regards the minor as his “daughter”.
“I feel very sad when this girl is termed as a rape victim. She is like my daughter, grand-daughter or niece. She is not a victim... far from that. The rape victim is the one who is violated but this girl is pure in my view,” Asaram said during a discourse at his Ashram located on Khandwa Road.
Asaram alleged that Hindu saints are purposefully being maligned as part of a larger conspiracy.
“Baseless allegations are levelled against me because I preach Indian culture during my discourses. In last four-and-a-half years, I was accused of practising black magic and tantrik practices but none of them stood legal scrutiny,” he said.
The self-styled godman was recently booked for allegedly sexually assaulting the 16-year-old girl in his Jodhpur ashram. He arrived in Indore on Saturday to spend time in “solitude”.
“Allegations are levelled against me especially in the months of July and August because this is the period when monsoon frogs come out in open,” the 72-year-old self-styled spiritual guru said.
When asked who was he pointing at with the metaphor of “monsoon frogs”, Asaram parried the question, saying “you get trained yourself, and you will get to know the answer”.
He replied in the negative when asked whether he would file a petition seeking anticipatory bail in the rape case.
Asaram evaded a query on whether he will produce himself before the police team investigating the case.
Asaram said that he will hold discourses across the country for jail inmates who are innocent and if needed he will help them getting legal aid.
Asked about the fact that he compared himself with Lord Ram, Sri Krishna and Guru Nanak, Asaram said he merely spoke about their life events. “People spread this misinformation against me,” he alleged.
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