Asaram shares space with Vivekananda, Kabir in a textbook.
Jodhpur : Self-proclaimed godman Asaram Bapu shares space with country’s noted personalities, Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramhans and Mother Teresa in a class III textbook for students in Rajasthan. Shockingly, Asaram who has been cooling his heels in a prison here has been portrayed in the book as a saint of India. Next to him featured is Yoga Guru Ramdev.
The textbook on moral education and general knowledge is taught in many schools of the district. The controversial chapter also contains pictures of Guru Nanak, Kabir, Meerabai and Shankaracharya and the children have been asked to identify them including Asaram, who is in the jail after being arrested in a rape case.
When officials of the state education department were asked about the book, they expressed ignorance about the matter. However, they said notices would be issued to the schools where the textbook is part of the curriculum. Asaram was arrested after a 16-year-old girl lodged a police complaint, alleging he sexually assaulted her at his ashram in Jodhpur. Since his arrest and judicial custody, several times he approached various courts to secure bail only to be turned down.
