Shimla Yog Vedant Seva stages march, calls for release of 'spiritual leader' Asaram

Shimla, March 3

Shri Yog Vedant Seva Samiti, Shimla, today organised a march and demanded the immediate release of “spiritual leader” Asaram, who was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment after being convicted of rape. Hundreds of people carried out the peaceful march from Ambedkar Chowk to Talland via Victory Tunnel, calling for his release.

A delegation of the samiti met Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Governor Shiv Pratap Shulka, and submitted a memorandum of their demands.

Akhil Bharatiya Ashram spokesperson Rambhai said the 86-year-old Asaram was dealing with several life threatening diseases, including heart disease and trigeminal neuralgia. “His heart has 99 per cent blockage, due to which he is suffering from heart attacks and is being shifted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur,” he said, adding that during the past 12 years, Asaram had not been granted any parole or bail, which was a great injustice to him.

He said no strong evidence was found against Asaram. Still, he was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment which was not right, the ashram spokesperson added.