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Name Rakeshprasadji (Acharya) Born July 23, 1966 ( 1966-07-23 ) Titles/honours 9th acharya, Laxminarayan Dev Gadi | ||
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Rakeshprasadji (Devnagari: राकेशप्रसाद्जी; born 23 July 1966) is the disputed acting acharya of the LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi of Swaminarayan Sampraday. The other half of the Swaminarayan Sampraday NarNarayan Dev Gadi too do not regard him as the head of LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi An order by the Gujarat High Court removed his predecessor, Ajendraprasad, and appointed Rakeshprasad as acting acharya, in his place on the secret requirement of the satsang mahasabha headed by monks namely a Nautam Swami. This was a temporary order until the concluding court case. As according to Desh Vibhag Lekh (constitution of Swaminarayan), only the acharya in position can appoint his successor. Therefore, there has been an uproar regarding this matter of a bona fide spiritual acharya. Ajendraprasad disputed this and filed a review petition in the Gujarat High Court. The Times of India reported in 2014 that Ajendraprasad was a fugitive, accused of circulating images of his rivals' sadhus engaged in sexual acts. Ajendraprasad main ideology was that monks of the fellowship should abide in their prescribed rules and regulations. Especially after some monks had turned towards murdering fellow monks. That the acharya at the time was firm and strong furied many monks to dispose of him.
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However, it is also argued, along with certain evidence certain that Nautam Swami of Vadtal, had framed Ajendraprasadji via bribing the alleged persons involved and other evidence of corrupt acts were also seized by the CBI, however he was released due to unknown reasons. Ajendraprasadji was cleared of all these allegations in November 2016. Elections in the past also contributed for Ajendraprasad to come back into his former position, yet it is said that conspiracy and corruption also made sure such results were hidden and made sure that this did not occur. Ajendraprasad and his following have clarified that such elections should also not exists in this holy fellowship and that they should be done away with altogether.
Therefore, many of the sect followers regard Ajendraprasadji as acharya. Ajendraprasad is present in Vadtals Raghuveer Vadi; however, the courts are still unclear as to the genuine acharya. The followers of Ajendraprasad declare that according to the tenets of Swaminarayan an acharya cannot be disposed of. They are on the seat of Swaminarayan and the opposition via court, too has not yet come across any evidence from the works and scriptures of Swaminarayan to back up the claim that acharyas can be disposed of. If anything the scriptures do however declare that all are to abide in their acharyas and that they shall not quarrel with the acharyas nor take them to court. Today, the court case of Acharya of Vadtal Gadi is still pending.
Rakeshprasad
Swaminarayan Vadtal Gadi
The Vadtal gadi (diocese) was established by Swaminarayan and He appointed Raghuvirji Maharaj the first Acharya of Laxminarayandev gadi. Lord Swaminarayan ordered his devotees whether monks or householders to obey their Acharya.
Vadtal gadi is also known as Lakshminarayandev gadi and dakshin desh gadi. Rakeshprasadji was elected by satsang mahasabha as an acharya of Laxminarayan dev gadi. Swaminarayan never stated that the temples can dispose or elect the head of diocese at their will, but rather previous acharya were to select oncoming acharya.
Followers say Rakeshprasadji has interests in Sanskrit and Prakrit literature on religion, and that he has established temples and consecrated idols in them. They also say he has given Diksha to more than 450, as per the wish of Swaminarayan who mentioned this in the Desh Vibhag Lekh.