Cottage where Asaram ‘raped’ girl now a deserted site
white two-storey cottage, where a 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by self-styled godman Asaram, lies in the middle of a farm, partially shrouded by trees.
The cottage was built by Vishnu Deora, one of Asaram’s over 20 million devotees across the world, on his estate in Manai village, some 30km from Jodhpur. It is one of the hottest regions in the country where temperatures soar over 40 degrees Celsius during the day.
The cottage only amplifies the glare of the parched landscape.
The road leading to Deora’s estate is deserted and marked by scant vegetation on both sides and the intermittent sight of cattle resting under the shade of trees. The cottage is about 500m from the gate of the estate, fenced by a wire mesh, and the owner is firm about denying entry.
Deora is also sure Asaram will be acquitted of the “concocted” charges of raping the girl five years ago. A special court will deliver its verdict on Wednesday against the 72-year-old in the rape case.
“Satya ki jeet hogi. Satya pareshaan ho sakta hai, parajit nahin. (The truth will prevail. Truth might face troubles, but it can’t lose),” says Deora, a commerce graduate from Jodhpur’s Jai Narain Vyas University.
The parents of the girl, a student at a school attached to Asaram’s ashram in Madhya Pradesh’s Chindwara, brought her to the self-proclaimed godman, who was living in the cottage at that time. They were told by the hostel warden that “evil spirits” had possessed the girl and Asaram could cure her.
Asaram allegedly took the girl to a separate room inside the cottage, raped her, and threatened to kill her parents if she spoke about it. She told her parents about the assault and they lodged a complaint on August 19.
Deora, who built the cottage in 2008, says all the charges against Asaram are made up.
“It’s a conspiracy by the enemies of Hindu culture, by the Christian missionaries. Police which carried out the investigation was complicit,” he alleges.
“The girl’s family never went beyond my house. The cottage is a good distance away from my place,” he says.
JAIPUR:The