Spiritual leader Aniruddhacharya has been receiving severe backlash online for a perceived misogynist statement. Several women have also been protesting against him on streets. Now, actor Disha Patani’s sister, and former major in the Indian Army Khushboo Patani, has slammed the spiritual leader, famously known as ‘Pookie Baba’ onliee for his “sexist” remarks.
In a video, she criticised the spiritual leader for judging women in live-in relationships. Khushboo said, “He says girls who are above the age of 25 and stay in live-in relationships, woh 4 jagah mooh maar ke aati hai. If only he was around me, I would have made him understand the meaning of the words he has used against women. They are anti-national. You should never support b****** of the highest orders.” She accused his followers of being spineless.
She added, “He just questioned the girls staying in live-in relationships, why did he not speak about the boys who are in live-in relationships? Why is live-in such a taboo? What is wrong in it? If two people decide to be with each other before heading for a marriage, how does that make them wrong?”
पूर्व मेजर और दिशा पटानी की बहन खुशबू पटानी ने जमकर पेLA पाखंडी अनिरुद्धचार्य को
इस पाखंडी का संपूर्ण समाज से बहिष्कार होना चाहिए यह महिला विरोधी नीचे पुरुष है मानसिक रोगी pic.twitter.com/QBb8Rw8yFP
— Anshika Singh Yadav (@Anshika_in) July 29, 2025
Her opinion left the internet divided. Many of them criticised her for her language. Meanwhile, others spoke in her support. Still others pointed out that Swami Premanand Maharaj too had made similar remarks against women and live-in relationships. A user dropped his video in the comments, where Premanand Maharaj can be heard saying, “Aajkal ke bachche aur bachchiyo ke charitra pavitra nahi hai. Ek ladke se break up, dusre se vyavhar. Jab 4 pursho se milne ki aadat pad jayegi toh ek pati ko sweekaar karne ki himmat nahi rahegi. Yeh live-in relation kya hai? Gandagi ka khazana. (Youth today are not as pure. They get involved in multiple relationships. And once they are used to talking four different people, how will they ever settle with their husband or wife? Live-in is the worst thing that has happened to our nation).”
Upon trolling, Khushboo Patani also shared a clarification online. Taking to her Instagram Stories, Khushboo wrote, “It has come to my notice that a false narrative is being circulated online, mixing my name with revered spiritual figure Premanand Maharaj Ji, and spreading baseless claims that I have said something about him. Let me make this very clear – My words were strictly in response to a misogynistic comment made by Anirudh Acharya, and were directed only at him.”
Khushboo Patani’s Instagram Story.
She added, “It deeply pains me to see people misusing and twisting my words, dragging my name and my family name into something we have nothing to do with. This kind of targeted misinformation is not only unethical but dangerous. Respecting saints and spiritual traditions is something I hold deeply in my heart. But calling out misogyny, wherever it comes from, is also my dharma–and I will not remain silent in the face of injustice.”
She concluded her note with the words: “To those spreading lies — truth always stands tall. I request everyone to refrain from spreading manipulated videos and incorrect information. If this continues, I will be forced to take legal action against defamatory content.”
Khushboo Patani’s Instagram Story.
In another Instagram Story, she requested people to spread this post to stop the fake news ASAP on all the social media platforms: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
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She then shared screenshots of several handles, claiming they were spreading fake video and information.
Pookie baba’s controversial statement
In one of his satsangs, Anirudhacharya can be heard saying, “Now girls are marrying at the age of 25. By then, many, not all, have been in relationships with multiple men. By the time a woman is 25, she is fully grown. It is only natural that by then, her youth has slipped away).”
His remarks are slammed by several women’s rights activists and public figures. The Mathura Bar Association met the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Mathura, demanding legal action against the guru.
After the controversy. Aniruddhacharya shared a video on his Instagram account, and said, “I have been informed by some of you that a few sisters are upset because they listened to an incomplete video. In that video, it was said that nowadays, a 25-year-old girl… Look, point being made was that some girls are such that they have been in live-in relationships and are involved with multiple men. And when such a girl becomes the daughter-in-law of a household, will she be able to maintain that relationship? That’s why, whether it’s a boy or a girl, both should be of good character first. This statement was meant for some girls, not all.”
Aniruddhacharya Maharaj, born as Anirudh Tiwari, is the founder of Gauri Gopal Ashram in Vrindavan. He is also a spiritual orator, who is known for his humour. He also appeared on the reality show Bigg Boss, which added to his popularity.
