The big story that hit the headlines this week was the conviction of self-styled godman Asaram in a case involving the sexual assault of a minor at his ashram in 2013. Asaram Bapu was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Jodhpur court. While reports of sexual assaults continue to pour in from across the country, the ones that have provoked massive outrage were incidents of rapes that occurred in a place of worship. The question that begs to be answered is what gives a "god-person" the right to violate someone and get away with it? As a few "god-persons" freely exercises their authority and influence over unsuspecting devotees, is this behaviour encouraged by the political patronage they receive? Does that make a "god-person" above the law? Should not all men and "god-men" be equal in the eyes of the law? What gives them impunity from the law of the land?
