Disciples of ‘Babas in jail’ also to set up camps
PRAYAGRAJ: Disciples of seers, who are currently lodged in jail, would set up camps at Magh Mela 2022 that is starting from January 14/15 on Makar Sankranti.
The disciples of these seers would manage their camps while performing kalpwas and other religious practices on the banks of Sangam.
“It is true that some seers are in jail, but their camps are visited by Kalpavasis, who stay here every year and so other people of those organisations have applied for land.
The allotment of land has been done keeping in mind the interest of the Kalpwasis”, said Mela Adhikari, Shesh Mani Pandey.
Yoga guru and founder of Ganga Sena, Anand Giri who is currently an under trail and is lodged in Naini Central jail. Giri was arrested in connection with the death of his guru and the then chief of Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad Mahant Narendra Giri. Anand Giri is accused of instigating his Guru Mahant Narendra Giri to commit suicide.
Every year his camp was set close to Sangam nose (the point of confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical saraswati) on Akshaywat Marg of Magh Mela area. This camp used to be in the news due to the arrival of guests and influential people from all over the world. However, this year because of massive erosion of the banks of Ganga, the Mela authority was not able to give land to his organisation on Akshaywat Marg. This Magh Mela, Ganga Sena would be allotted land in Sector 5 of the tent city.
Likewise, Ramsubhag Das of Saket Dham, popularly called Binaika Baba is also in jail in Madhya Pradesh. Saket Dham camp is set up on Triveni road in Jhunsi side of Ganga in the tent city annually.
The camp of this seer hogged the limelight for his liking of different electronic gadgets. His camp always had all the hi-tech arrangements as ‘Binaika Baba’ was always available on walkietalkie and he was among the first to install CCTV cameras in his camp in the Mela area.
Baba Ramsubhag Das, originally a resident of Hanna Binita located on Lalta Road in Chitrakoot, is lodged in a jail in Madhya Pradesh for the last three months. He has been accused of rape.
“The camp would be set up at its usual site this year too. We have been given land on the same Triveni Marg of the Magh Mela area,” shared Swami Amritdas, who will look after the camp this year in absence of Das.
Earlier during Kumbh Mela 2019, the then Akharda Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri had requested the mela administration not to give land to tainted institutions or seers. On this, Kumbh mela adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand had banned all the institutions including a prominent organization running yoga camp at Jhunsi.
However, the Jhunsi-based institution was later given land in the fair on the orders of the court.