14th July, 2008
Ahmedabad, DeshGujarat

Two to five thousand People, most of them from Ranip, Niryan nagar, Chandlodiya areas of Ahmedabad marched in a rally on city’s Ashram road today morning demanding justice for Asaram Bapu ashram Gurukul’s two children who were found dead in mysterious condition behind the Ashram in Sabarmati riverbed. Children were from Ranip area where their parents, unhappy with police investigation are sitting on a fast unto the death for justice. In Ranip and surrounding area where there is a great sympathy wave for dead children, 1 lakh brochures were distributed in last some days to make today’s rally successful.

Today’s Rally with various anti Asaram bapu and in a sense anti-government banners obstructed traffic at various places including Income Tax circle, Vadaj junction, Gandhi ashram and Subhash bridge circle. Asaram Bapu’s Guru poornima festival’s hoarding near Sabarmati over bridge was torched by the participants of rally.

At the end of the rally, in a small public meeting, one day strike was declared in Ahmedabad on 18th July. 18th July is Gurupoornima day when Asaram Bapu is going to preside grand guru poornima festival at his Ahmedabad ashrem where around 1 million followers are expected to come. At Asaram ashram in Motera area, Guru poornima festival will be celebrated from 18th to 20th July for three days. Police has planned security arrangements in and around the Ashram for Guru poornima celebrations.