An Amalgamation of social organisations and autorickshaw driver's association have called for a bandh on Sunday to protest against the deaths of two children in the Asaram Ashram. The call for bandh comes even as the fathers of the two boys appealed to the people to abstain from bandhs and violence.

Having refused to meet Asaram Bapu, who came calling on Friday, the father, Praful Vagehal, sitting on silent protest for six days, held placards calling for maintaining peace on Saturday. "Jaher janta ne mari namr appeal. Shanti ane sayam jadvo. hinsa thi dur raho (It's my humble appeal to the public — maintain peace and refrain from violence)," said a placard.

"I want a free and fair investigation. I am against any sort of violence," wrote Praful when asked if he would join the rally on Sunday. He further wrote, "I have never asked for a rally or giving a bandh call. I am a believer of ahimsa."

The appeal notwithstanding, a group of 15 organisations under the banner of Jagega Gujarat Sangharsh Samitee (JGSS) intends to take out a protest rally in Ahmedabad on Sunday. "The rally will start from the Sabarmati Ashram. It is scheduled to end at Asaram Gurukul near Motera," said Naresh Shah, convener of JGSS.

The Gujarat Autorickshaw Driver's Action Committee (GADA), on the other hand, said they will not ferry any passengers to the Asaram Ashram on Sunday to register their protest.

The Asaram Gurukul, meanwhile, expressed regrets over the Friday's violence. Uday Sanghani, Ashram media coordinator, told Newsline, "We regret the incident which involved people from our ashram misbehaving with the media and the local people. We are trying to identify them and planning to initiate strict action against them," Sanghani said.

"However, I am really shocked to see that no one is worried about our people who too sustained injuries. Even we had to face so much harassment due to the bandh," he added.

In the wake of the violence, devotees have started returning homes. "People are saying that Bapu has used the hearts of two boys for black magic," said SR Satpathy, a devotee who had come to visit the Ashram from Orissa. "This is painful, a lot of devotees are now going back after yesterday's violence," he added.