Prayagraj erupted in controversy as Ashutosh Brahmachari, a prominent spiritual guru and disciple of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, held a fiery press meet accusing Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of heinous acts. The allegations, delivered with unyielding conviction, center on the mistreatment of young batuks transported from flood-hit regions to ashrams.
‘People who defile Ganga’s name with dirt accusations can’t touch her purity,’ Brahmachari thundered, framing his critique. He detailed a pattern of abuse, citing Supreme Court-mandated medical exams on two batuks that reportedly showed evidence of molestation.
Names tumbled out: the swami himself, his close aide Mukundanand Brahmachari, Arvind, and Prakash Upadhyay. Brahmachari warned against calling the swami ‘Shankaracharya,’ invoking court rulings that prohibit it to avoid contempt.
This comes amid a fresh POCSO court directive for an FIR against the swami and associates over minor exploitation charges, stemming from Brahmachari’s own petition. Police have been tasked with a thorough investigation.
Brahmachari alluded to a broader network, including ashram dwellers and political figures from SP and Congress who allegedly visited and perpetrated crimes. Recalling January 18, he said batuks fled that day and reached out to him. He further slammed the swami for road blockades that prevented devotees from reaching Sangam, breaching apex court bans on public disruptions.
Refusing to name certain followers yet, citing ongoing probes, Brahmachari positioned himself as a whistleblower. ‘I’m not part of that world; I expose it,’ he asserted.
The clash underscores tensions in India’s spiritual landscape, where allegations of impropriety threaten to tarnish legacies. With legal gears turning, the truth behind these claims remains under scrutiny, but the damage to reputations is already underway.