'My problem is that these people are calling themselves God. Godmen are becoming bigger than God.'
'I am a person who believes in God, but God is no real estate agency for which I need a broker.'
Former Bigg Boss contestant Rahul Mahajan explains why he made public the photographs of Radhe Maa in a mini skirt.
Rahul Mahajan, the late Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan's son and BJP MP Poonam Mahajan's brother, was the first to tweet Radhe Maa's photographs in a mini-skirt that instantly generated a storm on news television and elsewhere.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com spoke to Rahul Mahajan, below, left, to find out why he felt the need to tweet those photographs.
What was the reason you felt Radhe Maa needed to be exposed?
I wanted to show the world how some 'godmen' and 'godwomen' are fooling people in the name of religion. I felt the need to expose such people and that is the reason I tweeted Radhe Maa's photo. I will do so in the future too.
You mean to say there are other people fooling people in the name of religion?
Yes. Right now, the Asaram Bapu case is going on. It was a serious case of rape and people were not coming out and complaining. After this (his tweeting Radhe Maa's photographs) people are calling me and sending me mails about things that are going on in the name of religion.
People are scared to come out and say it in the open. Now they think they can raise their voice.
I have no problem in people being spiritual. Osho was a spiritual person. Deepak Chopra in America is a philosopher. But nobody says I am Durga Mata and you take my jhoota peda. Here they claim to be God and take money from the public.
When you saw her photograph in a mini skirt, what was your first reaction?
I have never met her in my life nor have I ever been to her place. A lot of people who go there had no guts to tweet this photo (in the public domain). So when I got the photo, I did not react, I just tweeted it.
I felt it was better to tweet rather than wait, come under psychological pressure and get scared. The photo was from a reliable source. There was no doubt about the photo.
My problem was that these people are calling themselves God. Godmen are becoming bigger than God. We are going against the philosophy of Hinduism or, for that matter, any religion. We are making people bigger than Gods.
So that was your main problem.
Yes, and the amount of money that goes in these things. Look at Asaram's property. If they are yogis, then they must live a life of tyag (renunciation).
Shirdi Sai Baba was a fakir. Here everyone is a rich man. I am not saying all of them are bad, let me make it very clear.
Did you not fear that you would draw ire for your tweets against Radhe Maa?
I come from a political family and people will not attack me because of that. When there was drought in Nagpur, Asaram was playing water Holi with his bhakts. When the police stopped this, his supporters attacked the police. So the fear is from their followers.
Did you expect your tweet on Radhe Maa to go viral?
This is not some Bollywood movie that I wanted to create a sensation. Whatever I wanted to do, I did it.
My e-mail is getting full and even my direct messages on Twitter are getting full. People did not have a voice.
There are reports that you filed a case against Radhe Maa in the Bombay high court through lawyer Falguni Brahmbhatt?
No, I have not filed a case. Falguni Brahmhatt is filing the case and I am providing her with legal assistance. I will also come out with a different PIL (Public Interest Litigation) on a larger issue.
I am not against Sukhvinder Kaur (Radhe Maa's real name) personally, but I am against the whole system of the selling of religion.
What is the case Ms Brahmbhatt is filing against Radhe Maa?
She is filing an obscenity case. The details, I don't know.
You are the last person anyone would expect to do something like this because of your image from television...
(Interrupts) You only know me from what I have been shown on television or what the media has perceived of me.
I am 40 years old. Always understand, to be funny or have a sense of humour is more difficult.
And to find comedy in tragedy, you need a higher IQ than a normal person to get your message across with a smile. It is not easy.
What support have you got from people after this?
On social media 90 per cent of the time people abuse, but this time I am getting 90 per cent support.
Are you doing the job of Aamir Khan's PK in real life?
I don't know that. A man gets tired of his job and politicians and then goes to the house of God. And if there is dalali going on, where will a man go?
Have you ever followed any 'godmen' or 'godwomen' in your life?
No. I am a firm believer in Shirdi Sai Baba who was a fakir. I go to (Lord) Balaji (in Tirupati).
I am a person who believes in God. but God is no real estate agency for which I need a broker.
How does one approach you if they want to expose a 'godman' or 'godwoman'?
On Twitter. I am also going to have another e-mail id for such cases. However, I have to be careful that some innocent man should not get into trouble.
Are you planning to come into politics?
I am neither a member of any political party nor am I contesting elections. I am only doing this work to clean up things, so call me a safai karamachari (cleaner).
What about the entertainment industry?
I have to do that to support my lifestyle.
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