Asaram reducing his own credibility: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today lashed out at self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is facing charges of having sexually assaulted a minor girl, for alleging that he was being implicated in the case at the behest of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
"He himself is reducing his own credibility by making such cheap statements.
"Religious leaders influence a large number of people who follow the path shown by them, but Asaram himself is lowering his credibility," Gehlot told reporters here.
Asaram had yesterday said that the charges against him were politically motivated and suggested in a veiled reference that Sonia and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi were responsible for that.

Gehlot, meanwhile, also accused BJP of doing politics on the matter.
"When the Delhi gangrape incident took place in December last year, they (BJP leaders) were politicising the matter against Congress and now they are supporting Asaram," Gehlot said during a visit to SMS hospital here.

Gehlot said that the allegations against Asaram were being properly and fairly investigated.
Referring to the one month rigorous imprisonment sentence awarded to suspended police inspector Ratna Gupta by the state Assembly yesterday, Gehlot said that the matter could have progressed differently had she appeared before the privileges committee of the House.
"She defied orders one after another, so there was no option before the House (except to award her the sentence for breach of privilege)," he said.