I am 87 as of September 2022 and am healthy and untroubled by beliefs I once held and investigated until they collapsed, so that wider and deeper understanding took their place. It is liberating to defend the facts and truth that have been made known to me. [I was for many years the national leader of Sai Baba's organization in Norway] I have a duty to aid those who Sai Baba deceived as I once promoted him. Many have contacted me for advice. Click on image above to see the full story. (I may be reached at robertpriddy108@gmail.com.)
After a short introduction, Chris Dokter’s new post explores the wide array of critics of the late guru. In a sweeping and compelling recapitulation of the sexual abuse cases Sathya Sai Baba was and remains accused of, he then zooms in on the exposé work of Dr. Timothy Conway. As a subtle aside, after four decades, he steps forward as yet another directly abused youngster at the hands of the man he rightly calls an archdeceiver and sexual molester.
Do read his new post on his blog Mind your Mind: Breaking down the Wall of Silence: Me too
In an unlikely twist of events, PM Narendra Modi, like a number of former PM’s and presidents of India a staunch supporter of the late Satyha Sai Baba, seems to at least surreptitiously endorse the Sathya Sai Baba copycat Madhusudan, as if he were a rightful and worthy heir to the legacy of the late ‘avatar’. (Well, perhaps, he is, as he seems as mendacious and self-deluded, as convinced of his own predictions, selling his trickery to the highest bidders while donning a renunciate philanthropist life style).
Madhusudan Sai, formerly known as Suskhma Baba, in a characteristic Sathya Sai Baba pose
Modi and the late Sathya Sai Baba
Modi with Sathya Sai BabaModi paying his respects at Sathya Sai Baba’s funeral, April 2011
PM Modi
Narendra Modi, a hindutva hardliner, is prone to do anything promoting the superiority of the Hindu foundations and traditions of the ancient subcontinent that is India. He did so when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, he does it still, often to the detriment of minority groups, like muslims and members of the LGBTQ+-community. After all, being a religious man of Hindu faith, he is much akin to the conservative ideals the catholic church maintains. Modi is a walking and talking billboard for the veneration of avatars, sadgurus and saddhus whenever and wherever they pop up. Whether Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Sai Baba of Shirdi, or any other saintly figure, past or present, Modi was and is quick to grant his endorsement. He endorsed Sathya Sai Baba from early on, and did so with a host of other false gurus too (See: Narendra Modi’s love of false Hindu gurus).
There was jubilation in Puttaparthi after the creation of a new district was announced, however moral questions, lack of infrastructure, suffering officers who don’t even have chairs to sit on, and other teething problems abound. What is the use of the Central Trust and property developers rejoicing at the renewed political interest in the area, when the common man is suffering so much?
1. “Use of Sri Sathya Sai Trust Buildings for New District Opposed” March 27, 2022 This article describes complaints by advocate J. Prathapa Reddy, who points out that donations of devotees built the buildings owned by the ashram’s Central Trust, and how can they be used for government offices? He states: ““As an ardent devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, I am pained to see that the Mirpuri College of Music, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning’s Vice-Chancellor and Director’s bungalows, COVID hospital, old police station building, Sri Gayatri House, and Sri Sathya Sai Deena Janoddharana Scheme buildings have been allocated for the government offices,” he said.”
One wonders if the Trust is collecting rent for these now-government offices in devotee-built buildings, or if they are just providing it for future political favors??
2. Teething problems likely for govt. offices at Puttaparthi March 29, 2022 In this article, Puttaparthi locals bring up perfectly sensible concerns regarding government offices settling into the small town. “The streets around Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s ashram are narrow, and with the influx of people, the town will begin to witness congestion as well as a rise in noise and air pollution, feel locals….Residents are worried that the town, home to Prashanti Nilayam and famed for its atmosphere of serenity and spirituality, will lose its charm once the new district administration begins functioning, due to the thousands of people who would converge on the new headquarters daily to get their work done.”
Shocking details in the article reveal that one block of the “Sai Mirpuri College of Music” (built in 2000), has been vacated to house the District and Joint Collectors, and although the SSS Institute of Higher Learning (deemed University) will continue to hold classes in two blocks, the middle block will house further key offices – including tiny rooms set aside for the Rural Water Supply and other departments! Furthermore, Government employees in Anantapur have been advised to bring their own tables and computers from their present offices when they are transferred to Puttaparthi!
3. “Joint Collector of Sri Sathya Sai district changed in four days” April 8, 2022 Another article is about how the “Joint Collector” of the new district only lasted four (4) days before he was changed! We can only guess at the political strings and drama attached to such juggling of seats!
4. “Lack of Facilities at the Sathya Sai Collectorate” April 22, 2022 This videodescribes how, over three weeks after the formation of the new district, the new Sri Sathya Sai District offices in Andhra Pradesh are mostly just empty rooms – they have no chairs even for the officers to sit in. Government officials are seen sitting on mats on the floor and writing documents with pen and paper. At a function to complain, there were no suitable facilities even to make complaints. One upset gentleman is seen begging authorities to provide furniture and other office supplies that are needed. Another individual is seen describing how most of the so-called government offices of this new district have locked doors, and even when the rooms were open, there was no one in authority who could help with any official duties. He stressed that so many ordinary people are suffering because no work is being done.
After many months of political lobbying and likely bribe-giving, the State of Andhra Pradesh announced 13 proposed new districts in the State of Andhra Pradesh, basically doubling the current 11 districts – most of them formed in 1956 with the creation of the State.
Shockingly, the small town of Puttaparthi managed, by hook or crook, to snag a new district title (carved out of the current Anantapur District) in the name of its deceased pedophile cheating UNgodly man, “Sri Sathya Sai.” Despite endless controversies and the population at large considering the Baba as a bad joke, the power play resulting in this new district in his hometown is a matter of terrible shame for India at large.
The proposed headquarters is in Puttaparthi town itself, though it has less than 17,000 residents in the entire area, and other hurdles such as severe water shortage, lack of space for government buildings, and limited facilities for non-vegetarian food, schools and entertainment.
Now there are cries of protests from the losing areas, which in fact are much more appropriate to be hosting the new district headquarters.
Penukonda, for example, was the second capital of the Vijayanagara kingdom, honours the ancestry of the region and already has 600 acres of government land to host new building infrastructure, besides being relatively close to the Bangalore airport with many transportation options available.
Meanwhile, Hindupur, the biggest town in the proposed new district with a population of over 200,000, is organising massive protest rallys demanding they be the district headquarters. Hindupur is the headquarters of the Lok Sabha constituency already, with ample easily accessable facilities already in place, which would make this town a much more appropriate choice.
The scandalous creation of this district in the name of such a unscrupulous man is embarrassing proof of how politics work: the rich and powerful will always be able to wrangle their way into more power and more riches.
The race is on, who will win the title of “DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS”, with accompanying material benefits, power, name and fame? If one is to believe sathya sai baba’s endless predictions of the glory of Puttaparthi verily as the center of the world, thanks to his birth there as Avatar (god himself), then it must certainly be Puttaparthi that will win the title! But alas, it looks like Penukonda – with its thriving economy, might win instead. Stay tuned!
Penukonda, Puttaparthi in race for new district headquarters
Ravi P Benjamin Hans News Service 2 Dec 2021 12:26 AM IST
Anantapur: The process of bifurcation of Anantapur district into two districts is now activated with the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy setting the tone for the formation of 13 more districts. Penukonda and Puttaparthi leaders are contending for making their respective towns as the headquarters of the new district, which is under the active consideration of the State Chief Secretary.
Penukonda MLA and Roads and Buildings Minister M Sankara Narayana is silently working behind the scenes to neutralise the importance of Hindupur Assembly constituency and project Penukonda as the right choice for making it as the second district headquarters, in the context of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy constituting a committee to look into the bifurcation of districts, headed by the state chief secretary. Under the new government policy, every Parliamentary constituency will be bifurcated into a district. The district has two Parliamentary constituencies, one Hindupur and the other Anantapur.
Sankara Narayana told The Hans India that he had put forth his argument in favour of Penukonda as the capital of the new district to the committee headed by the chief secretary. It is up to the government to decide, he added. The YSRCP leaders strategy is to neutralise the importance of town and prop up the Penukonda town as a prospective modern industrial town.
Even Puttaparthy MLA Sridhar wanted Puttaparthi town to emerge as the headquarters of the new district in the making. Sridhar told The Hans India that he had put forth his viewpoint before the committee impressing upon them the need to zero in on Puttaparthi as it is a global spiritual centre.
The minister it appears has already convinced the Chief Minister and that the state chief secretary might zeroedin on Penukonda as the headquarters to be carved district. Sankara Narayana is pulling all strings to achieve his three objectives, medical college, district headquarters and Parliamentary constituency should be under the domain of Penukonda. Historically Penukonda was the second capital of Sri Krishna Devaraya.
Now, with Penukonda emerging as an important industrial hub, all eyes are on Penukonda as it is going to be a planned and decent town of tomorrow. It is also being considered as a smart city by the Central government. South Korea’s Kia Motors has set the tone for industrialisation of the region with its presence and subsequently hundreds of ancillary industries making a beeline.
Puttaparthi has been in the news lately due to unprecedented flooding ravaging the area. Though huge pictures of Sai Baba still hang throughout the town, the false god who is now dead, has been no help to the suffering residents. That too, right at the time of his annual birthday celebrations on November 23rd!
In fact, this would have been his 96th birthday, the one where he was supposed to actually physically die, or ‘consciously shed his body’, like he boastfully predicted over decades. As we knew, he was not divine, didn’t really know his actual death day, and thus, caught unaware, he succumbed to multiple organ failure on April 24, 2011. There is sufficient proof to assume that he was brain dead long before that date, but the authorities probably picked that Easter day to pull the plugs on his life support. (Or, he perhaps died before that date and they waited to announce it – there is proof of the coffin being ordered weeks before.)
Now, devotees might counterargue that whereas their late guru had power over nature he seldom chose to exercise this superhuman quality. Floods were no rare event during his lifetime either. In fact, during an especially heavy season, as far back as 1973, he purportedly ‘tamed the flood’ just before the whole ashram was to be submerged. In fact, the waters allegedly withdrew immediately after Sai Baba mumbled some words, asking the river to calm down, according to folklore that is (See: (Sathya Sai Baba) Taming the Floods). Why he chose not to help this time around remains a mystery. I would say: because he could nor did back then. The waters just happened to recede. No miracle involved. And anyhow, a dead man isn’t able to reach beyond the grave now, is he? The only saving grace being that at least villagers in peril were taken into the premises of Prashanti Nilayam, back then and this time around.
The latest devotee who claims Sathya Sai Baba is speaking through her – a pretender of a pretender! – is another former student of his college – but this time, it’s a woman! This lady, Achintya (which means “beyond comprehension”) Amma, claims to be getting messages direct from her dead pedophile guru.
She graduated from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Anantapur and lives in Bangalore with her husband Mr. Siva Prasad, a graduate of the sai college in Puttaparthi, as detailed in a Facebook post on ‘Sai Bliss’.
A somewhat blurry and jumpy video posted online shows Achintya Amma garlanded by devotees and given ‘pada puja,’ worship of her feet, which she seems very delighted indeed, to receive.
Achintya Amma joins a crowded field of already over a dozen ‘Prema Sais’ (supposedly the third and final sai incarnation-to-come) and many more imitators of sai baba, which has proven to be a very lucrative get-rich-quick scheme for the industrious people who, like the original sathya sai baba, were corrupt enough not to have a conscience.
As I predicted at the end of my latest blogpost, Ugly Turf War between Central Trust and International Organisation, the sworn peace between Sathya Sai Baba’s Central Trust, managed by the deceased guru’s nephew Rathnakar, and the Sathya Sai International branch (SSSIO), headed by Narendranath Reddy, was of short duration. It was in fact no peace at all, more a shortlived truce, as can be gleaned from below correspondence.
No love lost between Rathnakar and Reddy as International Organisation retracts its statement of intent to join the Global Council
This statement can be found on the main site of the SSSIO since little over a week (end of June):
The Stumbling Block? An irate letter by Rathnakar sent to Reddy on June 26 certainly did not help
As can be read below, the joint declaration of intent to join the Global Council, dated June 1, (see below and also in my earlier blog post), was to be finalised by a mutual, signed agreement on two conditions:
No disruption in structure and function of the SSSIO
Mutual acceptance of a so-called TOR, a document pertaining to Terms of Reference
The Joint Statement in question, still present on the site of the Central Trust
According to the SSSIO, and the CT does not deny this, these terms were agreed upon in the cordial Zoom meeting on May 30, and put into writing following the joint statement. Then discussion, phone calls, mails with TORs et cetera were exchanged in order to reach a final agreement. Every semblance of concord ended when Rathnakar sent the following mail message to dr. Reddy on June 26, in reply to a mail by Reddy that I wasn’t able to retrieve. Note the tone and the frequent use of exclamation marks:
Rathnakars Letter
YOUR OWN ACTIONS SHAPE YOUR DESTINY” – BABA – 26 /06/2021 Dr. Narendranath Reddy, Saíram.
Received your mail rejecting the very main clauses of the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council. It is important to mention that you are aware of these clauses right from 16th November 2020, day on which the concept note was circulated to you and Mr. Nimish Pandya. You are also aware that this Unifying initiative, SSSGC, was announced on the most auspicious occasion of Bhagawan’s 95th birthday celebrations. Inspite of receiving uncivil and irrational letters from office bearers of SSSIO accusing SSSCT Trustees and several zoom calls you and your team conducted where vicious and venomous attacks were made, we from SSSCT confined only to giving clarifications to your accusations and tried to appeal to devotees in various centres across countries. We readily came forward for an online zoom meeting accepting your requests on 30th May 2021, putting aside all the innuendos that were made on SSSCT and personal attacks your team heaped on us.
Please understand that we are in the organisations bearing the divine name of “Sri Sathya Sai” where there is neither place for ego nor for self aggrandizement. This is a beautiful organisation created by the loving lord for the sake of devotees and to uplift the entire mankind. This is not our personal organisation where we can bring in our personal agendas and idiosyncrasies. There should not be any clamor for power and positions and endless greed to hold on to our chairs. The main purpose for which we come to the Lotus feet of Sai or join the Sai Organisation is to lose our identity into Him but not to create an identity for ourselves and revel in it.
Painstakingly we have clarified all your concerns and reiterated the position of SSSCT that SSSGC is a Unifying, Coordinating and Supervising body which will not interfere with the structure and functioning of SSSIO and SSSSO. How can we make it a mere superficial body as you are expecting? Please be assured that SSSCT did not initiate SSSGC either to disturb any organisation or to undermine any one of you. If you and your team have any prejudices, preconceived notions, mistrust and wrong opinions about individuals, then you need to deal with such perceptions yourselves, as they are concerned with individual personalities. They cannot be rubbed onto the institutions. Unfortunately you seem to place personal interests above the interests of these sacred and noble institutions started by the Avatar Himself!
In all our exchanges in several meetings, calls and emails, we could not find any logical reason in your unwillingness to accept SSSGC, except your often repeated excuse of ‘divine command’ as published by Dr. Michael Goldstein, in Sanathana Sarathi, 2006. Also, at times you made us feel that SSSIO was only trying to forestall SSSCT actions and was indulging in procrastination. Maybe you are being misguided by Ganguly , Sadanand and the likes!
Our intentions and actions determine the future, and not mere words. You bring up issues like jurisdictions, independence, etc. I wonder whether we understand and appreciate the good fortune of being in such a noble, Divine Sai mission? Swami always emphasised on “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and that is exactly the fundamental basis of SSSGC.
What jurisdiction can we give to Bhagawan? The whole universe is His jurisdiction!! All organisations bearing His name cannot and should not be divided in the name of jurisdiction. It goes against the very principles that Swami enunciated throughout His Avatarhood!
I feel sad to recollect that in one of your letters, you have mentioned “… removing, or replacing the jurisdictional duties of appointments and reporting of officers, means taking away one of the primal functions of the SSSIO…” The primal function of any Sri Sathya Sai organisation anywhere in the world should be following Bhagawan’s spiritual teachings, participating in community service activities, spreading love and bringing peace and harmony to the society! What have we made of these divine organisations? No point talking about ideals to others, ignoring them ourselves as though they don’t apply to us. You and the team flaunt authority and accuse us of being autocratic and authoritarian!!
We fail to understand the circumstances in which you are in, due to which you are being indecisive. Maybe your team members who attacked SSSGC and SSSCT under your direction must be questioning your joining SSSGC! It was you and SSSIO which sought our meeting after about five months of animosity. We readily agreed and came forward for the sake of brotherhood and it was once again you who was in a hurry to release the Joint Statement and first to release the joint statement to Sai devotees worldover! You have also registered the entire SSSIO, including all the nations and centres en bloc on the SSSGC portal. Now you and the team are backtracking ! Inspite of the clarification and comfort, I and Sri Nimish Pandya gave you during the discussions, you are going back on your word, citing your team members unwillingness!! Only Swami can help to deal with this instability in thinking. I do not know how you will face the devotees? How embarrassed your national council presidents would be to go to centers and face devotees?!
Dr Narendranath Reddy, we have given our 100% and made all possible efforts sincerely to assure you and your team. It is clear to us that you understand our intent, but you appear to be not understanding. Being a reputed and respected organisation, SSSCT is not in a position to be part of any discussion wherein you are unable to come up with any clarity and we are unable to make any headway!! The responsibility of convincing the SSSIO team is entirely yours as we are not involved in that. Please do not blame SSSCT and Trustees or any one for that matter, for your wish to stay away from SSSGC and Prasanthi Nilayam!
Let me affirm that we gave our best to unite SSSIO with Prasanthi Nilayam but SSSIO did not come forward. Top leaders should have clear thinking and cannot be dilly dallying. Without clarity, leaders lose credibility. We have no right to take devotees for granted and think that the centers and devotees will follow us just because we have some positions in the organizations. Expecting devotees to swing to our tunes is not good. Swami will be deeply hurt when we cause confusion amongst devotees. Also, every office bearer should be here only for Swami and not for any of us. If they think they are for “leaders”, they don’t deserve to be part of the noble mission.
You need to appreciate our position that we will be moving forward on the SSSGC. We from SSSCT are committed to the SSSGC and that commitment is made to Bhagawan. We will abide by it. As far as SSSGC is concerned, all Sai organisations are already part of it. We will soon be communicating with all the countries and centers.
We, along with all those Sai children who joined Prasanthi Nilayam, will be making the offering of SSSGC at the Lotus Feet on Gurupoornima, 24th July 2021.
The doors of SSSGC will always be open for you and your team in future, but it will be without any dialogue, mails or calls and will be unconditional. Let me also affirm that SSSCT has initiated SSSGC as it is Bhagawan’s own directive and a safeguard for the future.
I am enclosing Bhagawan’s discourse clips for ready reference.
In Sai Service
R J Rathnakar
First Impressions
Strong stuff, to be sure, this letter by Managing Trustee Rathnakar. Worthy of his reputation as ‘the Don’ of Prasanthi Nilayam, some might think. Safe to say it is richly laden with serious, acerbic accusations towards Dr. Reddy, not unlike before but even more angrily phrased (not here for Swami, self-aggrandizing, unwilling, indecisive, egotistic, seeking personal interest, muddled thinker, flaunting authority). The only difference now is in the threat, or promise if you will, at the very end, where Rathnakar basically says: you shut up now, you and the SSSIO. We (i.e. the Central Trust) will be moving forward unilaterally. You can either sign at the dotted line or stew (… doors always open, but it will be without any dialogue, mails or calls and will be unconditional). On the other hand, I find it quite understandable that some devotees, especially from India (but not all), mainly found active on Facebook, agree with Rathnakar, as he and his trust members seem to make some valid points, not only in this ´tough-love´ letter but also in their Zoom calls I presented earlier. Was Reddy, in cohoots with his Prasanthi Council members Gutter and Harvey, stubbornly and stupidly stonewalling and sandbagging a perfectly sound idea to bring unity where it was lacking??
To further try and split the foreign countries up, this rather sweet-voiced message was put online by the CT after the decision of the SSSIO to remain independent after all was made public.
Reddy’s Convincing Rebuttal
As the initial statement at the top of this page by the SSSIO in response to this onesided step by the CT already makes clear, the SSSIO was quick to react. The SSSIO is NOT part of the Global Council, it firmly stated. In a new declaration of independence the International Organisation sums up 107 countries who jointly agree with this remarkable turn of events, and stick to the SSSIO. The above call to join the SSSGC by the CT evidently did not amount to much. The reason might well be a lengthy Teams-session posted online July 4 on the SSSIO website, showing Reddy, Gutter and Harvey, the leaders of the International Organisation, moderated by Malaysian SSSIO executive Dr. Suresh Govind, in a strong and enlightening rebuttal of the allegations flung at them by the Central Trust. The screenshot is telling as to the scope of subjects discussed by this panel of VIP-devotees and office bearers with a joint total of near 110 years of close, personal contact and experience with Sathya Sai Baba during the master’s lifetime, and another 30 in office after his demise.
Screenshot with contents of the video conference
Some decisive statements that caught my eye and ear: The CT was developed solely for the management of the ashram, schools, hospitals and institutions. It was never intended to have any purview outside India. Another one: The history of the SSSIO harks back decades, and was, by the master himself, in near-constant deliberations with Goldstein, but especially Reddy, often in the presence of Harvey and Gutter, put into place as is around 2004, a wholly independent body to ´spread the word´, not for 50 or 100 years but forever. Like the disciples of Jesus, men like Reddy were to see themselves as apostles in expanding the flock. Also, all the necessary laws and by-laws were drafted and after discussing them with Sai Baba approved by Sai Baba himself, both verbally and in writing (!), including a democratic process of replacing office bearers, up to the highest level. This process went on until Sai Baba’s death. So, to men like Reddy this was divine command, and still is. To come in between swami and his devotees, creating a divide between swami and Prashanti Nilayam for foreign devotees is unacceptable as it is the home for every devotee even before any organisation existed. To set conditions, as the MT does, is adharmic. So Reddy emphatically states: Do you want to follow Bhagawan’s teaching or the instruction of the MT? And at 1:10:37: The Global Council is manmade, the SSSIO and its guidelines were godmade and meant for all times. Gutter elaborates: They erased with the left hand what they have promised and written with the right hand. A salient detail in the video is Chakravarthi’s statement dating back to 2013, where he unequivocally affirms international matters are far beyond the scope or mandate of the CT, as it only has a domestic role (see below video from 1:14:30 onwards). By now however, Chakravarthi is an important member of the CT and appointed Global Council chair, and seems to embrace the totally opposite view. Up til 2015 the independent position of the Prasanthi Council and the International Organisation was not seriously contested. The organisatation’s organogram clearly showed that. See here:
The Sathya Sai Organisation up til 2015, with an independent international and national branch
Reddy went on: We only surrender to Swami, not to the Managing Trustee. Gutter specifically addressed the dispute regarding the differences in the two TORs. He says, in reference to Rathnakar’s letter, that he/the CT insisted on adding a supervisory role and the right to appoint office bearers at every level by the CT within the SSSIO. This is not in accordance with the procedure swami bestowed upon the SSSIO. It violates Bhagawan’s direct instructions. Another hot topic: Are the Prasanthi Council members powerhungry and do they want to cling to their seats? is rebuffed with valid arguments (Many came and went, even after swami’s demise. We have a democratic process for that). In a small but strong intersection, Harvey describes the announcement of the Global Council as a Trojan horse. In conclusion Reddy soothingly said: All is well. No one needs to worry. Even if they want to make us second rate visitors to Prasanthi Nilayam, it is of no consequence. The bond between swami and his devotees does not depend on that. It is eternal and of the heart.
“You are not going to be missish, I hope, and pretend to be affronted at an idle report. For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen (1813)
Now I personally am no devotee, and have no vested interest in a smooth, unaltered, unified Satyha Sai Baba Organisation remaining in place in whatever shape or form, as I do not share the sole premise these esteemed gentlemen from both sides of the isle DO share, a rocksolid belief in the divineness of their master. Still, it is of interest to see the very thing happen in this organisation that so many starting and even matured religions suffer or suffered from: fractioning, in-fighting, each faction surer than the other to know the will (?) of the (long) gone master. That being said, my sympathy is with the SSSIO, though their Zonal Leaders in my time were one of the reasons to step from the podium (they could be every bit as hideous as Rathnakar and co). I find the SSSIO´s version of events and their firm insistence on independence simply more humane and convincing. But then, is that not due to the mere fact that I am a westerner? Let’s not forget the Indian independent organisation (SSSSO) went along with Rathnakar in a jiffy… Then again, maybe it has something to do with very real, lasting differences between (the traditional religious part of) India and the rest of the world? Different mores and such? Anyhow, for now, the rift is near total.
The 10th anniversary of the death of Sathya Sai Baba came and went in April 2021, but there is no sign of him nor his town raising from the dead. Every few months, articles appear about plans to make Puttaparthi a grand tourist centre, but nothing much has happened so far. Tourists are not flocking to Puttaparthi as the believing devotees hoped.
Another article has just appeared proclaiming that the “badly neglected” Puttaparthi airport will be “abuzz again”. Will it? Will it really? We are not holding our breath. Should you?
Another article brings up the subject of the attempted sale of the airport in 2012, stating:
“In 2012, the government of the then united Andhra Pradesh, headed by N Kiran Kumar Reddy, had sought to take over the airstrip and turn it into an airport for commercial operations. But, the move did not make headway because of the political situation then.”
DECCAN CHRONICLE. | DC CORRESPONDENT Published Jul 6, 2021, 12:02 am IST UpdatedJul 6, 2021, 12:12 am IST
ANANTAPUR: The Puttaparthi Airport would soon get a facelift and begin commercial operations, said industries minister Mekapathi Gowtham Reddy. He said the government was firm on developing Anantapur district as a hub of biotech parks following available feasibility.
The Puttaparthi airport was defunct and confined only to rear visits of VVIPs through chartered flights for many years and the airport had no night landing facility and has been badly neglected after the demise of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
In view of long-pending proposals to develop the airport for commercial use, the minister had a meeting with the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust authorities at Santhi Bhavan in Prasanthi Nilayam in the district on Monday. Trustee R. J. Rathnakar, R&B minister Shankar Narayana, MP Gorantla Madhav and MLA Sridhar Reddy were present at the meeting.
Gowtham Reddy told the media that the defunct airport would get operational soon after making necessary changes and developments. The government wanted to speed up the process including land acquisition towards expansion of the airport to provide a terminal for at least 100 passengers. The Puttaparthi airport was inaugurated on November 24, 1990 to serve the super speciality hospital for emergency situations. The 1000-metre-long airstrip was constructed by L&T ECC. It was later extended to enable the operation of jet aircraft. Though there were proposals to expand the airport to provide cargo services, no steps were initiated due to complications in the land acquisition process.
The airport, however, would be operational with commercial aircrafts in six months, sources said.
The minister also announced plans to complete MSM Park in Puttaparthi area in 104 acres. The minister also visited the biotech industry at Kodur village in Chilamathur mandal.
“The government will establish an IT concept city in Anantapur among the three sanctioned in the state. A skill development centre would be established for unemployed youths,” the minister said.
Without prior notification the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) announced the erection of a new legal entity, a Global Council, in November 2020 – about a week before the late guru’s 95th birthday. Whereas the Indian based Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations (SSSSO), headed by Sri Nimish Pandya, apparently went along with the ‘proposal’ within six hours, the hitherto independent International Organisation (SSSIO), with its headquarters in the United States, did not. On the contrary: they vehemently opposed.
See the full dramatic story on Chris Dokter’s new blog!
Without prior notification the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) announced the erection of a new legal entity, a Global Council, November last, about a week before the late guru’s 95th birthday. Whereas the Indian based Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations (SSSSO), headed by Sri Nimish Pandya, apparently went along with the ‘proposal’ within six hours, the hitherto independent International Organisation (SSSIO), with its headquarters in the United States, did not. On the contrary: they vehemently opposed. Over a period of roughly half a year the conflict obviously got so out of hand that at least 2 members of the Central Trust, Sri Rathnakar, the (in)famous nephew of Sai Baba (see for instance this incisive post) and Managing Trustee, and Sri Naganand, an experienced lawyer, felt the need to publicly step in.
Present members of the SSS Central Trust, June 2021
On the other hand, the accusations made by the International Oganisation’s leaders regarding this initiative by The Central Trust were so serious they could not be ignored nor concealed, as they were part and parcel of the social domain. Reddy and Gutter basically accused the Trust of power grabbing, money grabbing and withholding Covid aid to countries outside India. These accusations were apparently widely shared with central committees and centres all across the globe, in letters, mails and online meetings. The remnant of a letter dated April 13 2021 by Narendra Reddy can be seen in below screenshot (it has recently been taken offline):
The full version can be read here. It was saved by several sources before it disappeared. A similar message, on video, by Leonardo Gutter was preserved also and can be seen here:
As most official letters, mails and internet meetings are by now largely hidden from the general public, what exactly transpired during the last 7 months is difficult to fathom. The Central Trust’s version of events is quite clearcut, in that they view the Global Council as a necessary new overarching body, with Prasanthi Nilayam as the central hub. They accuse the leaders of the International Organisation of letting the topic of ‘the Muddenahalli gang’ slide, and put them in place also regarding the amount of money that was donated to the CT by the IO over the last decade, it being a miserly 2 million dollars, the same amount the Central Trust allegedly pays every month in expenses, if we are to believe Rathnakar.
Miracle Reconciliation
Because the turf war was allegedly all of a sudden over after one, ‘cordial’ Zoom meeting on May 30, clearly decided in favour of the Central Trust, and thus in favour of the Global Council, every previous letter and public announcement by the International Organisation has all but vanished. The following amazing joint statement by SSSCT, SSSSO and SSSIO went out across the planet immediately after, as if all the discord and burning of bridges had never happened:
All lovey-dovey again in the Sai Universe?
One wonders what will become of the International Organisation after Guru Poornima Day (July 24) this year, when the Global Council will be put into actual fact. And one cannot but wonder what will happen to brave men like mr. Gutter, who spoke out in favour of an independent organisation outside India and against the vanity of a Central Trust that once was the sole domain of only the late guru himself. Will this newly found comradery last?
Are you an IT professional? Would you like to give up an average salary of Rs 7.5 lakh a year (about $10,500) in India (or average about $100,000 or Rs 73 lakh rupees in America) and work for NOTHING? Then the ashram of Prasanthi Nilayam would like to take advantage of your services!
In exchange for long hours of work with no benefits and no pay, you will get the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting the ashram of the now-dead pedophile narcissist self-proclaimed ‘god’, and encouraging Central Trust and other ashram VIPs to syphon off even more funds from donations, which will NOT be given to you.
Don’t worry about competition because the ashram requires VolunteerS, that means plural and multiple people will be accepted! Because they are always desperate for free slave labor!
This is further proof of the ashram’s financial losses over the last few years, as reported in our previous blog – no god has come to rescue them!
The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and Prasanthi Nilayam ashram has suffered severe financial loses in the last year and a half, and much of it may be due to the covid pandemic and the subsequent lack of tourism money – including foreigners not visiting.
A local resident and employee inside the ashram who wishes to remain anonymous, has revealed he has seen many workers fired in the last year and a half. The few paid employees who remain, have had their salaries cut by at least half. Even those overseeing maintenance activities within the ashram have seen their salaries drop from an anyways pathetic Rs 9,000 a month ($121) down to Rs 4,000 ($54).
When employees beg for a living wage, Ashram higher-ups plead inability to do so, saying that due to a Rupees 4 Crore loss in the last year ($540,000), they are unable to pay bills, and need to cut corners extensively – including firing many employees and ignoring maintenance within the ashram, leaving the buildings to crumble and leaky faucets to puddle water.
Of course, the public will not know about these financial difficulties because the ashram continues to look splendid during festivals, making use of free service (seva) volunteers and recycled decorations.
The number of paid employees within the ashram has typically been low and the pay extremely insufficient and less than many other areas in India, due to the many ‘Seva Dal’ volunteers who come on a regular basis. These devotees come for typically two weeks at a time to devote 16-hour working days for free. In fact, each State and District in India who have Sathya Sai centres, are pressured into recruiting these volunteers on a regular basis. Sending less than the required quota of ‘slaves’ is NOT an option!
The ashram also continues to skillfully edit official videos to cut out angles that show just how empty the Hall is, such as the rare photo below, revealing a mostly empty gent’s side during the recent 10th Death Anniversary of Sathya Sai Baba on 24 April 2021.
This is an excellent article explaining how Sathya Sai Baba was repeatedly exposed as a fraud, but was never held responsible for his crimes due to political clout. The author Sanal Edamaruku even wrote to the then-President of India Dr. Abdul Kalam in 2005, asking if “saffron clothes make an offender untouchable for the law”. His letter was unanswered.
India would have been a better place without Sathya Sai Baba
Indian rationalist Sanal Edamaruku on the final debunking of a guru
By Sanal Edamaruku WEDNESDAY, 27TH APRIL 2011
When Sathya Sai Baba died on 24 April 2011 at the age of 85 years, he proved once again that miracles and predictions fail. He had predicted at a public gathering at his head quarters in Puttaparthy, in 2000, and repeatedly many times, that he would die at the age of 96 only. And till the last moment, many of his devotees clung to his word and waited for a miracle. May it be an eye opener for the millions of gullible people whom he misguided and deluded. Sathya Sai Baba
De mortuis nihil nisi bene, they say: say nothing but good of the dead. But I think Sathya Sai Baba’s case qualifies for an exception. Too great is the damage that he did to India. His devastating influence on reason and scientific temper caused huge setback to the country. At a time when scientific progress led to great social and economic leaps, and scientific awakening started spreading all over India, Sathya Sai Baba launched a “counter revolution” of superstition, supported by irresponsible politicians and other public figures who should have known better. In my judgment, this is his greatest crime. I succeeded again and again in exposing him publicly as a fraud, as did some other rationalists. But due to his political protectors he was never held responsible for his crimes against public reason. Nor was he ever booked for any other crime he was accused of. Numerous cases of alleged sexual abuse and murder are yet to be investigated, not to mention the financial secrets of his empire.
Sathya Sai Baba insisted in all seriousness that he was god, the creator of the universe, and “proved” his divinity with a couple of small “miracles”. As son of a village tantric he was familiar with the hand sleights and tricks of the trade. However, he did not only fascinate poor and uneducated villagers with his fraudulent performances. Over the years, he managed to attract a galaxy of India’s rich and powerful, among them ministers, prime ministers, presidents, chief justices, top industrialists and superstars.
Sathya Sai Baba had a special modus operandi that was the key for his astonishing success and the root of his enormous clout. Many of his high society devotees came to serve their own vested interests. Some came to rub shoulders with the prominent. Many joined the club because it was working as a powerful syndicate spreading its tentacles all over the political system. It was a way to the top jobs and a way to get things done. Others were seeking financial support or wanted to get rid of ill-gotten black money: the empire, it is alleged, was based on money laundering, using foreign devotees and branches. In fact, the huge foreign donations to Sai Baba stood in contrast to the comparatively modest number of active foreign devotees and the sometimes quite weak foreign branches, some of them residing in private homes. That is no great surprise, when one considers that Sai Baba did not speak any other language than Telugu and traveled only once in his whole life abroad – to visit his friend Idi Amin in Uganda.
On his 80th birthday, Sai Baba’s supporters announced that he would turn from a miracle man to a philanthropist. That was after I had demonstrated his miracles so often on TV shows that many kids in the streets could imitate them. That he then spent a part of the great fortunes, swindled out of the gullible, for social development around his ancestral village, is highlighted now to present him as a saint. But, useful and welcome as hospitals, schools and drinking water projects for the poor may always be, this kind of alibi-philanthropy is well-known even to mafia-bosses. It cannot be weighed against his crimes and the damage he has done to the Indian society.
In December 2005, I wrote a letter to the then President Dr. Abdul Kalam, one of Sai Baba’s ardent supporters, which was never answered. I demanded criminal investigations against Sai Baba. If his social development projects are meant to be indulgence to nullify his crimes, this procedure is unprecedented and unacceptable, I wrote. It is a shame for India that well-founded accusations and numerous reputed witnesses against Sai Baba are ignored without any investigation. Do saffron clothes make an offender untouchable for the law? Do we have to tolerate that political protectionism raises its head so boldly, mocking India’s democracy?
Sathya Sai Baba caused great damage to India. His irresponsible political patrons corrupted the political culture of India. Encouraged by the clout of Sathya Sai Baba, a new clan of miracle mongers imitated him. India would have been a better place without Sathya Sai Baba.
Sanal Edamaruku is president of the Indian Rationalist Association
The Joint Statement in question, still present on the site of the Central Trust
Screenshot with contents of the video conference
Sathya Sai Baba Deceptions Exposed 
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