Indian miracle guru confronted by skeptics

An Indian guru claims that he can heal all sorts of ailments, and he can read people’s minds. However, he is not unopposed:
Bageshwar Dham Sarkar: The Indian guru making headlines over 'miracle' cures

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Shyam Manav, who runs an anti-superstition movement through his organisation Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, offered to pay 3m rupees ($36,500; £30,000) if Mr Shastri correctly read the minds of 10 people chosen by him. The challenge was made when Mr Shastri was holding a camp in the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra - the state where Mr Manav is based. When Mr Shastri left the city without taking the challenge, some said he'd run away.

Various magicians and mentalists have also stood forward and claimed they could do the same as Mr Shastri, but without magic.

On the other hand, fraud pays:

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One of his schoolmates told BBC Hindi that a few years ago, Mr Shastri disappeared for a year. It was after his return that politicians and other influential people started visiting the temple to meet him. "Until five years ago, he used to travel on motorbikes," he said. Today, he travels in a convoy of a dozen cars and flies around, sometimes by private jets, in India and abroad.

He has gained the support of the ruling Hindu fanatics because he argues for making India a Hindu state.

via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/GxWYpaK