Petition in court against godman

A complaint was filed in a local court in Lucknow on Tuesday, seeking registration of an FIR against godman Asaram Bapu for allegedly using words intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

The complaint was filed by Madan Lal Shukla, a social worker, in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajesh Upadhyay. The court fixed January 22 for the next date of hearing and directed Lucknow police to file a report.

On Sunday evening, Asaram Bapu, while addressing followers in in Rajasthan, suggested that the Delhi gangrape victim was also to blame for the crime and she should have called her assailants brothers and fallen at their feet.

Shukla alleged Asaram used derogatory language while making the suggestions and, therefore, a case should be lodged against him. "We stated in the complaint that a case under Section 509 of the IPC (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) should be filed against Asaram Bapu," his counsel said.

Asaram had also reportedly said that only drunken rapists are not to be blamed. "Taali dono haath se bajti hai (it takes two for such things to happen). She should have called them (rapists) brothers and fallen at their feet and might have escaped... If she chanted Saraswati mantra and had taken diksha, she would not have boarded the bus.''

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