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Surat civil hospital dismisses security guard over puja rituals for Asaram
The incident took place on September 22 in the hospital’s stem cell building, where bhajans and chants were held in front of a photograph of self-styled godman and rape convict Asaram
Ahmedabad: Surat’s New Civil Hospital has dismissed a security guard after some people performed a puja ritual for self-styled godman Asaram, who is currently serving life imprisonment in two cases of rape, on the hospital premises, a senior hospital official said on Tuesday.
Resident medical officer Dr. Ketan Naik said, “No permission was given by the medical superintendent or by me for the aarti of Asaram at Surat Civil Hospital. We strongly condemn this incident.”
The incident took place on Monday. A video, which later went viral, showed a framed photograph of Asaram placed at the building’s entrance, decorated with flowers. In the video, several people were seen performing the aarti with lighted lamps and singing bhajans, while others stood around in participation. Some hospital staff were visible in the footage, joining the gathering as the ritual was performed.
The incident drew strong criticism from activists and citizens, who said that a government hospital cannot become the venue for worship of a convicted rapist. They said such an act insulted survivors of sexual violence and showed lack of seriousness in upholding accountability.
Dr Naik said, “Some outsiders, under the pretext of distributing fruits, placed a photograph of Asaram and began performing the aarti without informing anyone. As they stood around the photograph and carried out the ritual, some staff members joined thinking it was a Navratri prayer for the first day of the festival. Only later did they realise it was in front of Asaram’s photograph. The security guard on duty at the spot has been dismissed immediately.”
He said that as soon as he came to know that an aarti for Asaram was being held, he ordered it to be stopped immediately and the photo and the set up removed from the hospital premises. “I was away for work when the incident took place. The chief medical officer Bharat Patel went in person and stopped all activities,” he said.
Dr Naik said that with the help of police they are trying to identify the people behind the incident and would take necessary action.
Hospital authorities have now issued instructions that any programme, including fruit distribution, will require written permission in advance. They have also clarified that no religious events of any kind will be allowed on the premises.
Asaram was convicted by a Jodhpur court in 2018 for raping a minor and by a Gandhinagar court in 2023 for raping a woman from Surat. Earlier this month, the Gujarat high court refused to extend his temporary bail, stating that the Rajasthan high court had already ordered him to surrender. On August 27, Asaram returned to Jodhpur Central Jail.
