AHMEDABAD: Many devotees of Asaram at
Sant Shree Asaram Ashram at Motera — the headquarters of his empire — broke down on Wednesday after hearing the news of his conviction. Guarded by nearly 200 policemen, hundreds of Asaram devotees had congregated at the ashram early on Wednesday to perform yagna and jaap, praying for his acquittal. Many had observed a fast. The ashram premises rang out with the chants of “Hari, Hari, Hari om”, and “mangal, mangal, Hari om”.
However, when the prayers went unanswered and a Jodhpur court convicted Asaram for life until death in jail, the devotees —called sadhaks — were crestfallen. “Bapu is innocent. He will get released soon. I have full faith,” said a woman who did not wish to be identified. “The rape cases are part of a political conspiracy against bapu. It is only a matter of time before he is acquitted by a higher court,” said a man who did not want to be named either.
Asaram devotees had become violent on Guru Purnima in 2008 when his involvement was alleged in the deaths of two of the ashram’s students: Dipesh and
Abhishek Vaghela. But this time, the devotees shied away from even expressing their feelings in public. In fact, most had been instructed not to speak to the media.
Ex-IPS officer D G Vanzara, an ardent Asaram follower, said that devotees were told to maintain peace. Vanzara had camped inside the ashram for the entire day. A release issued by the Asaram ashram said it was an “unfortunate day not only for the devotees of
Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu but for the whole Hindu community and the nation”. The release went on to say: “We respect the judiciary but are deeply aggrieved by the order and shall challenge the verdict in an upper forum viz the high court.”
Asaram bapu (File Photo)