Re: Bad Boy Gurus: Gangrene on India's Body Politic

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Sunday Times unravels the insidious power 'godman' Virender Dev Dixit wielded over his followers — to the extent they gifted away their money, land and even daughters in his 'seva'.

"I don't know where my daughter has been kept, in what condition, I have not been allowed to meet her. I have come to know there is some ganda kaam (dirty things) happening in the ashram."

"When we met our daughter, she said she was happy and wanted to stay in the ashram. But she looked weak and scared. I think she is being pressurised to give such statements. I beg you to bring my daughter back.''

Such letters from distraught and helpless parents are piling up on lawyer Shalabh Gupta's desk. In the month since the raids on self-proclaimed godman Virender Dev Dixit's Delhi and Rajasthan ashrams, scores have written to Delhi Police and Gupta, who represents the Foundation for Social Empowerment, the NGO which first filed the FIR against the godman. TOI's conversations with Gupta and many 'bhakts' revealed the inner workings of the unholy empire Dixit built in the last four decades.

RECRUITING BHAKTS

Most of the 75-year-old baba's victims were followers of Brahma Kumaris, a sect that Dixit had links to in his early days but later fell out with. Dixit had set up an elaborate network of "matas'' and "bhais'' who held satsangs or Gita path in lower middle class neighbourhoods in UP and Rajasthan. These agents would gradually introduce the followers to the idea that the soul of Brahma Kumari founder Lekhraj Kripalani had transferred to Dixit. The disciples would then go to a seven-day meditation camp where they would listen to Dixit's sermons. Many of them came back convinced he was the real McCoy.

"We used to think he was God,'' says K Garg, an assistant sub-inspector of police and former follower.

The disciples had to follow a set of rules — refrain from sex with spouse, eat simple food and keep away from social functions and people, says Gorakhpur-based Vinita who was also a follower. Over time, says Garg, they were so indoctrinated that they would happily part with money, property and their daughters.

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he MODUS OPERANDI

Dixit's MO was quite simple but still people fell for it. Followers were told that he was God, and that the world would come to an end in 2020. If they wanted to survive, they should make "sacrifices" in the form of donations. Banda's Savita, who alleges she was raped by Dixit while being a sevadar (servant) at his ashram, sold off 10 bighas and donated Rs 10 lakh. Not only that, she even surrendered her daughter to Dixit's ashram in 2007. Savita escaped with her daughter in 2015 on the pretext of bringing in more followers.

"Hum dhoondh rahe the bhagwaan, aur woh nikla shaitan (We went searching for God, we found the devil),'' says the disillusioned Savita.

SHUT PARENTS OUT

In the guise of giving them a spiritual education, Dixit lured girls, some as young as 14. The first thing he did was shift them out of their home state so that the family contact was limited. The Delhi ashram which was raided had several small cage-like rooms, CCTV cameras and areas that were restricted even to inmates.