MORENA: Three Jain Sadhavis, aged 24 and 26 years, who have walked out of the Sangh (organization) of Acharya Sanmati Sager, (one of the 23 ‘Acharyas who rank just below the Tirthankars) have accused their guru of rape and misbehavior with Sadhavis in his care and have sought shelter in the Jain Mandir of Morena.

The inner peace acquired after great penance has been shattered. Today, they are three terrified mortals suddenly aware of their physical form beneath their white robes of celibacy. Cowering like hunted animals they have picked up courage and made public their great secret and dark deeds of the Sangh. They are now waiting for justice from the Jain community While SamyaBhushan and Shraddha Bhushan have acquired the highest status in the Jain Sadhavis that of Matas Sunita (21) is still a Bramacharni, On April 3, Samya Bhushan, alias Samdhya Jain of ‘Amrauti, Maharashtra, who renounced the world in May 1992, has in front of a congregation of 500 persons, including some leaders of the Jain community and district officials, accused her guru of sexual harassment and rape.

Samya Bhushan (23) has had two ‘abortions and Dr. Rajni Jain, a lady doctor in Gwalitor, is willing to testify to at least one abortion, Shraddha Bhushan (26) and the eldest of the Sadhavis, was the one who comforted Samya Bhushan and helped her wash her blood stained clothes when she came out dazed after being raped. Shraddha Bhushan has been witness to other such incidents of sacrilege.

Sunita, of Morar Gwalior, was paid Rs 3000 by Sanmati Sagar and asked to go to Bhind and arrange for Samya Bhushan’s “treatment.” Sunita told this correspondent that her guru had made advances towards her but she had escaped. The Jain’s of Morena were so shocked and overwhelmed by Samya Bhushan’s public testimony of her travails (which she later put down in writing and signed) and her plea for justice that they spontaneously decided on April 7 to boycott Sanmati Sagar and condemned his behavior. Four other resolutions were passed

 1) To remove his pictures

2) To transfer the money being collected by Sanmati Sagar for a jain Vishvidyalaya to the Jain gurdwara in Morena

3) Issue an appeal to the public not to give him ‘dan’ (alms) because it has been abused

4) Clothes should be pat on the naked muni and he should not be allowed to continue as an Acharya.

Like defrocking symbolizes excommunication of a priest in Christianity, putting clothes on a Digember Jain signifies his fall from grace. The Morena resolution was spontaneously supported by the Jain Dharam Rakshani Sahba, Morar, and the Muni Sangh Sewa Samiti, Gwelier. Acharya Sanmati Sagar, who is in his late forties, has denied touching the women, He claims that people have conspired against him. Currently in Etawa, the Jain Muni, has been avoiding the Sonagiri (where he has a dharmshala), Morena, Gwalior belt ever since the scandal broke.

In the history of Jains this is the first case of sexual exploitation by a Jain Muni, says Dharam Goyal, secretary of the Gwalior Samiti.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 23, 1995