Fake babas to be listed

Alarmed at the large-scale violence in Haryana following the conviction of self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case, a prominent Hindu seers’ body has decided to ‘identify the corrupt and fake’ babas in the country so that action can be taken.

 All India Akhara Parishad (AIAP), an apex body of the Hindu seers and ascetics in the country, will prepare a list of such babas and hand it over to the state governments for taking action against them.

‘’We will prepare a list of all corrupt and fake babas, who live lavishly and exploit the people. We will send the list to the chief ministers of the states concerned to enable them to act against them,’’ AIAP president Mahant Narendra Giri said on Sunday.

He said that babas like Ram Rahim only ‘tarnish’ the image of the ‘sant samaj’. “These babas have amassed huge wealth and live lavishly,’’ he said.

Giri demanded stern action against Ram Rahim. ‘’He (Ram Rahim) does not deserve to come out of the jail,’’ he remarked. He said that a meeting of the ‘Akharas’ (different sects) would be held next month in which the seers would discuss ways for getting rid of such babas. 

 “We will make sure that such babas are not able to take part in the Kumbh Mela also,’’ he said.