Om Radhe, President of Om Mandli.
The Om Mandli/Bhaibund Community confrontation took place in 1938 and 1939 in both Hyderabad and Karachi.
Is This Justice? (1939) and Reply to Is This Justice (1940) present forthright, opinionated and dramatic records of the intense politicking, misunderstandings, bullying + harassment
of the Om Mandli, provocations, misinterpretations, community outrage + fear, riots, chaos and trance...as well as detailing the several court cases. The books present, of course, opposing points of view, and their documents are sometimes selective, but overall
they make fascinating reading...we present the essence of both sides for your interest below
OM RADHE IS CALLED TO THE CITY MAGISTRATE'S COURT.
On January 1 1939 Om Radhe was called to the Hyderabad City Magistrate’s Court and cross examined by a Mr Balchand. She introduced herself in this way : "I am the president of Om Mandli.The basis of Om Mandli teaching is that everyone is God and Om Mandli itself is God". (This Om Mandli belief in the omnipresence of God is confirmed
in original Om Mandli documents in the British Library).
Om Radhe's appearance followed the questioning of four young ex-Om Mandli women, who shared their 'experiences'. Their stories were disturbing
in terms of the behaviour of Bhai Lekhraj, but there was a strong feeling among some pro Om Mandli citizens that the girls had been ‘tutored’ to speak as they did, and certainly no Om Mandli supporters
were present to offer opposing views, and be questioned. However, what seemed to lend some credence to the girls' story was Om Radhe herself telling the court that Bhai Lekraj embraced and kissed female Om Mandli members, adding
that neither he nor any one in the Mandli was capable of sin. Is This Justice doesn’t mention this court case, as Reply to Is This Justice doesn’t mention
court cases unfavourable to the Bhaibund Anti Om Mandli Committee.
However, Adi Dev puts an entirely different interpretation
on Om Radhe and the event. The book tells us that Om Radhe attended an unspecified court room, on an unspecified date, presided over by an unnamed judge. In the course of a reportedly lengthy exchange
with the judge, Adi Dev (p.126-130) tells us that Om Radhe was asked to swear to tell the truth on the Gita. I cannot, she replied, because the Gita says God is omnipresent. This response, indeed the whole chapter,stretches credibility, as Bhai
Lekhraj was still teaching from the Gita at the time, and, as we now know, a core Om Mandli belief then and for some years after was, Aham Brahm Asmi, I am God, each one of us is God.
Summing
up, Reply to ITJ says: ‘She (Om Radhe) admitted that Bhai Lekraj kisses and embraces herself and other girls, although this, she said, was done in the spirit of Gyan Father.
Even according to that defence of such actions of Bhai Lekhraj, his conduct would not be tolerated for a moment not only in the Hindu society, but in any civilised community of the world.No gyan father ever indulges in kisses and embraces extended to grown
up girls of 20 or more. And it was mainly this that raised the wrath of most of the people of Sind'.
The complaints of the Bhaibund community against Om Mandli/Avinashi
Gyan Yagya/Bhai Lekhraj were published in the 'Om Mandli Bhaibund Committee Report' of November 1938, referencing earlier events. Support for Om Mandli came in the form of affidavits, letters and newspaper articles,.
Of interest.. in the BKWSU book 'Bestower of Fortune' Dadi Prakashmani (then 16) recalls:
'Baba said he would be going to Karachi for a month, but he stayed there for 3 months. We children were crying day and night: Where did my Giridhar Gopa ( Shri Krishna )
go? we acted as if crazy, calling out...we were desperately distressed!'