Beware, India has 17 'fake babas': Akhada Parishad issues 2nd list

Allahabad: The apex body of sages is out with a second list of “fake babas” taking the overall number of fake sages and self-styled godmen to 17.

This new list, released by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, has three names – Virendra Dev Dixit (Delhi), Sachidanand Saraswati (Basti, UP) and Trikal Bhawant (Allahabad).

The apex body of Hindu sadhu had released a list of 14 'fake babas' in September. The list consisted of names as Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Radhey Ma, Nirmal Baba, Rampal, Asaram Bapu and his son Narayan Sai.

Last week, the police rescued 47 women and six minor girls from three centres run by Virendra Dev Dixit across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi Women Commission chief Swati Maliwal had said the Dwarka ashram had "prison-like surroundings" and the inmates there were kept locked. 

List of 17 'Fake Babas'

Virendra Dev Dixit
Sachidanand Saraswati
Trikal Bhawant
Asaram Bapu
Radhe Maa
Sachchidanand Giri 
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh
Swami Omji
Nirmal Baba
Ichchadhari Bhimanand
Swami Aseemanand
Narayan Sai
Rampal
Acharya Kushmuni
Brahaspati Giri
Om Namah Shivay Baba 
Malkhan Singh

The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad Parishad is a council of akharas, which are monastic orders drawing their spiritual lineage from 8th-century seer Adi Shankara, who is said to have established orders of martial monks with the aim of defending the Hindu Dharma.

Releasing the list, the association's president Swami Narendra Giri said, "We appeal to even the common people to beware of such charlatans who belong to no tradition and by their questionable acts, bring disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis."

The apex body took the move in the wake of controversies surrounding self-styled godmen.

"We have passed a resolution that the Uttar Pradesh government should set up a monitoring committee which would keep a close eye on the work being done for Kumbh Mela, 2019 and this committee should consist of a member from each akharas," Giri said.

(With PTI inputs)