Every year on February 14, while much of the world marks Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love and companionship, a parallel campaign quietly but firmly resurfaces across parts of India. Posters, banners, social media posts, and WhatsApp forwards urge people to observe Matri Pitri Poojan Diwas or Parents’ Worship Day instead.

Initiated in 2007 by self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, the day is projected as a moral and cultural alternative to Valentine’s Day. On the surface, it appears to promote respect for parents and Indian values. But beneath this carefully constructed narrative lies an uncomfortable reality. The man whose name is attached to this so-called moral observance is a convicted rapist sentenced to life imprisonment. He is currently out on interim bail on medical grounds.

The annual promotion of Parents’ Worship Day is not an isolated cultural exercise. It forms part of a larger strategy to repackage Asaram Bapu as a cultural reformer rather than a criminal. By repeatedly foregrounding his ‘contributions’ to Indian tradition, his followers attempt to push his convictions into the background. Celebrating February 14 thus becomes less about honouring parents and more about managing a damaged public image.

A similar exercise unfolds every December 25 with the observance of Tulsi Pujan Diwas, introduced in 2014 by Asaram Bapu. Devotees worship the tulsi – a plant considered sacred by Hindus – and prepare offerings, with the day being presented as a cultural alternative to Christmas. Once again, the focus shifts from sexual violence, exploitation, and judicial findings to culture, identity, and nationalism. Festivals become tools not only of religious expression but also of reputation........

© The News Minute