On Saturday, at least 14 people were killed in a stampede during Baba Jai Gurudev’s sabha in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. In June, a breakaway sect of his followers were involved in a riot in Mathura which killed 24 people.
Also Read: Varanasi: 19 Dead, 60 Injured in Stampede at Baba Gurudev’s Sabha
The Mathura Riots Connection
In June, the Swadheen Bharat Subhash Sena (SBSS) encroached upon Jawahar Bagh in Mathura leading to clashes between police and rioters, resulting in the death of 24 people.
Swadheen Bharat Subash Sena is a breakaway organisation formed by followers of Jai Gurudev, a baba who espouses the virtues of vegetarianism.
Baba Jai Gurudev or Tulsidas died in 2012. At the time of his death, he was claimed to be 116 years old. The baba had amassed huge wealth during his lifetime. He is reported to have been an influential figure, even floating a party called Doordarshi Party. After his death in 2012, Pankaj Yadav succeeded him. But not everyone was happy with the succession. According to a report in the Citizen.in, a rival group was insulted at being left out of the succession and held a protest meeting at Jawahar Bagh.
Led by Ram Vriksha Yadav, the same man who, according to the District Magistrate in Mathura, was the leader of Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi. The Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi was also considered to be involved in the riots which broke out in Mathura in June 2016.
The Jai Gurudev sect has several massive properties, including petrol and diesel filling station, in and around Mathura and most of his followers belong to the lower castes.
Also Read: Is SP’s Patronage Responsible for the Guns and Deaths in Mathura?
Meanwhile, last heard, Baba Jai Gurudev (Pankaj) was expanding his empire. According to Baba Jai Gurudev’s website, he was planning to build an ashram on the national highway in Mathura for which he was asking for donations.
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