Gujarat CM Narendra Modi Gujarat CM Narendra Modi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is not happy about how some BJP leaders have jumped in to defend self-proclaimed godman Asaram Bapu, accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. Modi, also head of the BJP campaign committee, spoke to party president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday evening and asked him to ensure that no spokesperson or leader is seen or heard defending Asaram.

WATCH: Asaram Bapu molested me too nine years ago, says Raipur woman



Modi laid down the ground rules, saying that all BJP members will stick to the stance that investigations are on, and that Asaram must be dealt as per the law. There is no need to cushion the response. Modi also warned against giving any response by which BJP ends up "owning" Asaram or hint at any proximity between the septuagenarian and the party.



This came in the wake of Rajya Sabha MP Prabhat Jha defending Asaram on August 27, calling the charges against him as a "well-planned Congress conspiracy." Before that another senior leader Uma Bharti had declared Asaram innocent. Tweeting in his support on August 22, Bharti said, "Asaram Bapu is innocent. He is being targeted for opposing Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. False cases are being filed against him in Congress states. We are with Asaram Bapu."

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Asaram Bapu has been charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. Asaram Bapu has been charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.

Bharti probably didn't know or simply chose to overlook the fact that three of the main cases against Asaram are registered in Gujarat, with Modi government choosing not show any favours to him, something that the controversial Bapu did not take too kindly.One of the cases pertains to the mysterious death of two minor boys at the residential school of Asaram's Motrea Ashram in Ahmedabad in April 2008. Gujarat CID had indicted seven office-bearers of the Ashram in the case in September 2012. There was another case of attempted murder filed against Asaram in Ahmadabad in December 2009 and land grabbing in 2010. Asaram was accused of illegally grabbing 67,099 square meter land belonging to the Gujarat government and it was reclaimed from him.

MUST SEE: The sinful factfile of Asaram Bapu



Modi does not want that the BJP should be seen as defending the controversial serial offender. BJP had come under attack from Congress and even erstwhile ally Janata Dal (U) for its open support for Asaram. When Sushma Swaraj was asking for death sentence in the Mumbai rape case in Lok Sabha, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav interrupted her and asked her to talk on the allegations against Asaram too. Swaraj remained silent. Irrepressible Congressman Digvijaya Singh could not resist the tweet early morning on August 28, "Double standards of BJP on crime against women. Death penalty to others but pardon for fake God Men!"

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