‘BJP involved in running ashram’

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday alleged that BJP leaders and Delhi police were involved in the running of an ashram here where minor girls and women were reported to have been kept in illegal confinement in the name of religious preaching.

The party demanded the immediate arrest of Virender Dev Dikshit, who has been accused of exploiting women at his ashram Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya located in North Delhi’s Rohini.

“Even after receiving several complaints against the ashram, the police force, which comes under the control of the Centre, didn’t take any action. The police and BJP leaders were definitely involved in this,” party leader Sanjay Singh said.

He said that strict action should be taken against Dikshit and others involved in the crime and that nobody should be spared.

AAP legislator Alka Lamba said, “We have heard that 200 such similar ashrams are running across the country. It is shameful that minor girls are being exploited. The citizens wish to know who all are associated with this business.”

The Delhi high court, on Wednesday, said that it had “no confidence in the police” as it did not take any action on about 10 FIRs lodged against the ashram and its members. It also ordered a CBI investigation on the ashram.

The court directed the CBI to seize all records relating to the FIRs lodged and the entries in the “daily diary” maintained by police in connection with the alleged rape and suicides of women there.

AAP MLA Richa Pandey, the president of the party’s women’s wing, Mahila Shakti, said: “It is shameful that the police was unable to control this criminal activity. The same thing happened in Narela as well when the DCW came to rescue innocent women but the police did not.”