Asaram Bapu (File|PTI) 
India

Irked by reporter's question, Asaram calls himself 'donkey'

The reporter wanted to know which category the self-styled godman belonged to after the Akhara Parishad said he was neither a "saint" nor a "preacher".

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JODHPUR: Irked by a reporter's question on the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad describing him as a "fake" sadhu, self-styled godman Asaram today said he belonged to the category of "donkeys".

Asaram, who is facing a court trial here for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was asked to react to the parishad's decision when he was brought to the court premises.

The reporter wanted to know that since the parishad, the apex body of Hindu saints in the country, had made it clear that Asaram was neither a "saint" nor a "preacher", which category did he belong to.

"The category of donkeys," the self-styled godman said while climbing the stairs of the trial court, where he is being produced on a daily basis in connection with the case.

Asaram had not been talking to the media during his court appearances of late in the wake of a petition filed in the high court, objecting to the presence of his devotees on the court premises.

The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad has recently come up with a list of "fake babas", cautioning the countrymen against them. The names of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai feature in it

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