Now, the newest baba in the news, Anirudda Bapu says chanting his name would prevent rape. While women's organisations are demanding an apology, it is not enough.

Even as India struggles with crimes against women, we have been flooded with numerous bizarre suggestions from 'babas' and politicians on how to battle this threat. And there seems to be no end to this nonsense.

When the whole country was raging over the gruesome 16 December Delhi gangrape, self-proclaimed spiritual guru Asaram Bapu — who himself is in jail on charges of rape — had told the world that the girl should have called her rapists 'bhaiya' (brother) to save herself.

Asaram had said, "Only 5-6 people are not the culprits. The victim daughter is as guilty as her rapists... She should have called the culprits brothers and begged before them to stop... This could have saved her dignity and life. Can one hand clap? I don't think so."

And now yet another video of a baba, Aniruddha Bapu who seems to have emerged from the woodwork. He is seen in the video telling people that women should chant mantras in his honour to prevent rape.

The Times of India reports, "A 10-minute video uploaded online on January 4, 2013, in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya case was aired on TV channels on Wednesday. In it Bapu urges women and boys to recite the 'Aniruddha Chalisa' in his honour 108 times for 11 days and repeat the Gurukshetra mantra five times a day. Bapu says these chants can "keep 100 men at bay and make rapists impotent"."

Yes, now women can heave a sigh of relief, policemen patrolling the streets can just go on a holiday, and social workers battling to better women's safety in India can find something else to do. Because, Aniruddha Chalisa is here.

And if you are apprehensive that you can't mug up the whole chalisa, or if you can't read, no fear — you can just chant the bapu's name and that's it. No more danger of getting raped, says the baba.

This new baba on the block, with a rape-repelling name, is based out of Khar in Mumbai.

And as one is filled with outrage over his remarks, women's organisations are already demanding an unconditional apology from him. The Times of India quoted former chairperson of the state women's commission Susieben Shah as saying that he "should tender an unconditional apology to the six crore women of the state, and indeed all women, for propagating falsehood".

Falsehood it is, and probably Anirudda Bapu will tender a half-hearted apology under pressure from the public, or may be he will say his comments have been misconstrued. But that won't change the mindset of the people who say these bizarre things or those who follow these people.

In a country where people blame everything from chowmein, mobile phones, jeans to kissing for rape, and where even leaders like Sonia Gandhi are not immune from sexist and racist comments, the fact that these 'godmen' thrive is not very surprising.

Unfortunately, this baba is not alone in his fest of stupidity.

Remember Mulayam Singh Yadav saying, "Ladkiyan pehle dosti karti hain. Ladke-ladki mein matbhed ho jata hai. Matbhed hone key baad usey rape ka naam dey deti hain. Ladko sey galti ho jati hai. Kya rape case mein phasi di jayegi? (First girls develop friendship with boys. They when differences occur, they level rape charges. Boys commit mistakes. Will they be hanged for rape).'?

And it is not just male leaders. Politicians in Mumbai had insisted that when men see mannequins in lingerie, the urge to rape is natural."Lingerie mannequins promote rapes. Skimpily clad mannequins can pollute young minds. After the Delhi rape case, I felt something had to be done," said Ritu Tawade, the BJP corporator who had put forth the proposal.

It does not end there. The police too reflect the bigoted mindset. Satyapal Singh, the former Mumbai police commissioner, after the Shakti Mills gangrape had said, "We have to strike a balance. On the one hand you want to have a promiscuous culture and on the other hand you want a safe and secure environment for the people...Should couples be allowed to kiss in public?… Should they be allowed to indulge in all obscene things?"

These comments reflect the mindset most men and women still have in our country. While educated women, like those in the Shakti Mills gangrape and the Uber rape case, are able to pursue their case, women in villages or the urban poor are not even aware of their rights. The crimes against women are not just rape but acid attacks, domestic violence, dowry deaths and femal foeticide.

In such a scenario, comments from our ever so enlightened babas and politicians is a step backwards. Apologies are a short-term solution. In fact, such comments should invite penalties. Maybe then people will restrain themselves from making such irresponsible, misleading statements.