In a recent news article, it is reported that a property/piece of land of Bhikhamdas Ram Janki Thakurwadi in Kadamkuan, Patna, belonging to BSBRT, was in illegal and forceful occupation of the disciples of Godman Asaram Bapu. When the officials went to execute the court order to get the property freed from their illegal occupation, Asaram’s followers tried to scare them with godman’s curse. They also allegedly assaulted a constable of Kadamkuan Police Station and the Superintenedent of BSBRT. Asaram Bapu has also been reportedly threatening people in his televised religious discourses with divine displeasure for disobeying him.
Mr Kishore Kunal, a former IPS officer and presently the Administrator of Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT) has filed a case in a local court in Patna against Asaram Bapu, his disciples Swami Narendra Goswami and Jai Kumar Singh under Indian Penal Code Section 120(B)[criminal conspiracy], Section 500[defamation] and Section 508[inducing a person to believe that he will be doomed by divine man's curse, if he did not follow the divine man].
The local court in Patna has taken cognizance of the charges against Asaram Bapu and his disciples, and has issued summons for them to appear in the court and explain their stand on May 22, 2010.
What has captured my attention in this case is the Section 508 of IPC. I do not have much understanding of this legal provision, but whatever has appeared in the press, it follows that it is a criminal offence if a divine man curses you [gives you "Shraap"] to be doomed for not obeying his legal or illegal dictates.
It is also reported that Mr Kishore Kunal takes a very tough stand against ‘Godmen’ who exploit people in the name of religion. He says, “Exploitation of followers by so-called godmen, including sexual exploitation of women, after threatening them with divine displeasure is an open secret. People should come forward and use this legal provision to bring such exploiters to book.”
It is perhaps for the first time in the country that this legal provision has been invoked. Your faith in God or Divine man is OK and it is a matter of personal choice, but you must also have faith in the law of the land. If anyone works against the law in the name of God, he or she will be punished by the law without any consideration of the divine displeasure. It is my firm belief that if you are tutored to work against the law, it cannot be the “divine teaching”.
The provisions of Section 508 of IPC are not known to many. It is our duty to spread this information to masses to protect them from exploitations in the name of GOD.
Dr P R Prasad, Patna