My frustration is that Rahul is too forward-looking: Jairam

New Delhi: Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh hit out at BJP prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi saying the 2014 elections are a do-or-dir battle for Modi but not for Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. Ramesh said the BJP is like a jackal, can sniff, move quickly whereas the Congress is a 125 years old institution. ALSO SEE 2014 will be an uphill task for us, says Jairam Ramesh The Congress leader said if Modi loses 2014 Lok Sabha polls, his story is over but it's not the same for Rahul. "The fact is that Rahul is bringing about a generational change. If Modi loses 2014 polls, his story is over, his balloon is burst. If Rahul does not do well in 2014, he is still going to be around.

"

In a rare critiscism Ramesh said he is frustrated with Rahul being too forward looking. He said, "My frustration is that he is too forward-looking. He is talking of structure, systems. He's talking of building up Congress in the long term whereas we are now faced with fighting an election in the short term."

Asaram chargesheeted with rape in sexual assault case

Asaram was arrested by the Jodhpur police from his ashram in Indore on August 31 night after the parents of the girl, an inmate of Chhindwara Gurukul in Madhya Pradesh, filed a complaint of rape against him.

The Jodhpur police on Wednesday charged self-styled godman Asaram Bapu with wrongful confinement and rape of a 16-year-old girl, more than two months after he was arrested in the sexual assault case.

The 1,011-page charge sheet, comprising 121 documents and statements of 58 witnesses, was filed in the District and Sessions Court in the presence of Asaram and four co-accused -- Shilpi, Shiva, Prakash and Sharad Chandra.

District and Sessions judge Manoj Kumar Vyas extended their judicial custody till November 16 when the arguments on the charges will begin.

Asaram was arrested by the Jodhpur police from his ashram in Indore on August 31 night after the parents of the girl, an inmate of Chhindwara Gurukul in Madhya Pradesh, filed a complaint of rape against him.

The four co-accused were taken into custody over the next few weeks.

The charges against Asaram and other accused include sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376(2)(f) (rape of minor girl), 376 D (rape), 354 A (outraging a woman's modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 109 (abetment to an offence) of the IPC, said prosecution counsel Pradhuyman Singh.

They have also been charged under various sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.

The charges carry a minimum jail term of 10 years and a maximum of up to life imprisonment, according to the counsel of the minor girl, Manish Vyas.

Police moved an application in the court seeking its permission to add any further evidence related to the case during course of the trial.

Emerging out of the court, the self-proclaimed godman told reporters that he had been framed and the entire charge sheet was fabricated.

According to investigators, Asaram sexually assaulted the girl in his Manai Ashram, about 30 kms from Jodhpur.

Shilpi, the warden at the Chhindwara Gurukul in Madhya Pradesh where the girl was a student, allegedly convinced the girl's parents to send her to Asaram to "ward off evil souls", which she had termed the reason behind the girl's illness.

Shiva was the mediator between Shilpi and Asaram and was allegedly present in the Manai Ashram with him on the night when the girl was assaulted, an investigator had said.

In-charge of hostel of Chhindwara Gurukul Sharad Chandra and cook Prakash, who too have been charged in the case, surrendered before the court on September 20.