D. Raja demands action against Asaram Bapu, asks Congress, BJP not to indulge in 'dirty politics'

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja on Wednesday lashed out at the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over their stand on the sexual assault case levelled against self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, and said that it is not healthy politics or in the interest of democracy and the nation.

Terming the entire episode as disturbing, Raja demanded immediate action against the spiritual leader.

"Why are the law enforcing authorities, the police not taking any action against the so called 'baba'. Even for that matter, the major parties are keeping quiet. The BJP is supporting him, the Congress is not speaking anything against him. Why are these two parties behaving like that? It is very strange to see the behaviour of these two major parties," said Raja.

"We claim ours is a democracy, the country which believes in rule of law. All are equal before the law, but the so-called 'baba' is above the law," he added.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Home Minister Ashok Gehlot today met Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and apprised about the Asaram Bapu case.

Gehlot after the meeting told media that nobody is above the law.

"Let me reiterate that police should not come under any pressure while conducting its investigation and it will not happen. Strict action will be taken based on the outcome of the probe," he said.

The Union Home Ministry had earlier asked the governments of Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh to send reports on complaints of sexual offence allegedly committed by Asaram Bapu.

The Union Home Ministry had in its advisory asked the three state governments to send reports about the complaints registered against the self-styled godman, status of the cases and findings of the probe.

Asaram Bapu had earlier on Tuesday defended himself in the alleged sexual abuse case, and claimed that it is a political conspiracy.

"It's all a political conspiracy. I have faced many such dirty accusations in the past as well. There is no question of me taking anticipatory bail," he said.

A Jodhpur Police team yesterday delivered summons to Asaram in this case involving a minor.

The officials, who went to Asaram Bapu's ashram to deliver the summons to him, asked him to appear before the Jodhpur police for questioning by August 30 in the case.

Asaram Bapu's aide Neelam Dubey has also defended him in this case of alleged sexual assault.

Asaram Bapu has been booked under Sections 376, 342, 506 and 509 of the IPC, Section 8 of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Sections 23 and 26 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Besides the summons served on Asaram Bapu, notices have also been issued to the manager of Chhindwara gurukul in Madhya Pradesh, hostel warden and the main caretaker of Asaram, who was present at Manai ashram in Jodhpur with him on August 15, when the alleged sexual assault took place there.

The 16-year-old girl, who has accused the spiritual leader of sexually assaulting her at his ashram in Jodhpur, hails from Uttar Pradesh.