Former Indian Army officer and Disha Patani’s sister, Khushboo Patani, has sharply criticised spiritual leader Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, aka Pookie Baba, after a clip of his sexist remarks on women in live-in relationships went viral. His statement – suggesting that women over 25 in live-ins have been “with multiple men” – sparked outrage, both online and on the streets.
In a video response, Khushboo questioned the hypocrisy, asking why only women were targeted and not men in similar relationships. “Why is live-in such a taboo? If two people choose to live together before marriage, how does that make them immoral?” she asked, calling his language anti-woman and “anti-national.”
While her stand earned support from many, some criticised her tone and language. Others tried to twist her video to claim she attacked other revered saints like Swami Premanand Maharaj. To clarify, she shared an Instagram Story stating, “I never spoke about Premanand Maharaj Ji. My comments were solely in response to Aniruddhacharya’s misogynistic remarks.”
She also called out misinformation campaigns falsely linking her statements to other gurus, warning of legal action if fake content continues to circulate. “Respecting saints is important, but calling out misogyny is my dharma,” she said.
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To curb the spread of false narratives, Khushboo urged followers to reshare her clarification across platforms.
Meanwhile, Aniruddhacharya posted a video trying to clarify his comment, saying he was referring to some women, not all. But critics argue the damage was already done. Women’s rights groups, including the Mathura Bar Association, have called for legal action against him.
Born Anirudh Tiwari, the controversial guru is the founder of Gauri Gopal Ashram in Vrindavan and known for his humorous preaching style and Bigg Boss appearance. But this time, it’s not laughter he’s attracting — it’s heat.