SR 71 Blackbird
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Sai Baba was a fake?
The Vancouver Sun in 2001 reported that Sathya Sai Baba told his adherents not to browse the Internet due to allegations rapidly circulating on various Internet websites and in a few newspapers.[128] In a 2000 public discourse, Sathya Sai Baba said, "These teachings (the Vedas) are highly sacred. Today people are ready to believe all that they see on television and internet but do not repose their faith in the Vedic declarations. Internet is like a waste paper basket. Follow the 'innernet,' not the internet."
In 2004, in the UK and internationally, the BBC aired a documentary titled The Secret Swami, in its series 'The World Uncovered'.[130] One central theme of the BBC documentary was Alaya Rahm's sexual abuse allegations against Sathya Sai Baba.[126] The documentary interviewed him together with Mark Roche, who had devoted 25 years of his life since 1969 to the movement and alleged abuse by him.[126] A spokesman for the BBC told Asian Voice that the documentary had gone to great lengths to be balanced and fair, and that the story was one of a crisis and ultimately a betrayal of faith.[131] Another documentary, Seduced By Sai Baba, carried interviews of abuse allegations. It was produced by Denmark's national television and radio broadcast company, Danmarks Radio (DR).
During an interview with Asian Voice magazine Ashok Bhagani, a trustee of the Sai Organization in the UK, said that the allegations in the Secret Swami documentary were baseless. Bhagani said that devotees never meet Sai Baba alone.
Responses to criticism
In an article for The Pioneer on March 31, 2009, Sandhya Jain states that neither Sathya Sai Baba, nor any organizations associated with him, have been charged or convicted with sexual abuse or any other crime in a court of law. Alaya Rahm filed a lawsuit against the Sathya Sai Baba Society in the Superior Court of California on January 6, 2005, but withdrew his lawsuit on April 7, 2006 after indications that his challenge lacked merit. The case was dismissed 'with prejudice', meaning it cannot be filed for the same claims again. The Pioneer also noted that no offers of monetary settlement were paid to Alaya Rahm.
Devotee Bill Aitken was quoted by The Week as saying that Sathya Sai Baba's reputation has not been harmed by the negative stories published about the guru. He said that the more detractors rail against Sathya Sai Baba, the more new devotees went to see him.
In the article Divine Downfall, published in the Daily Telegraph, Anil Kumar, the ex-principal of the Sathya Sai Educational Institute said that he believed that the controversy is part of Baba's divine plan and that all great religious teachers had to face criticism during their lives. Anil Kumar also said that allegations have been leveled at Sathya Sai Baba since childhood, but with every criticism he becomes more and more triumphant.
In an official letter made public in December 2001, Atal Bihari Vajpayee (then Prime Minister of India), P.N. Bhagawati (Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Ranganath Misra (Chair Person, National Human Rights Commissioner of India and Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Najma Heptulla (President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; UNDP Distinguished Human Development Ambassador) and Shivraj Patil (Member of Parliament, India; Formerly of the Lok Sabha & Union Minister) all signed a letter which stated as follows "We are deeply pained and anguished by the wild, reckless and concocted allegations made by certain vested interests and people against Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. We would normally expect that responsible media would ascertain the true facts before printing such calumny especially when the person is revered globally as an embodiment of love and selfless service to humanity. Since this professional ethic has not been observed by a section of the media, we have elected to go public with this signed statement."[135]
The Times Of India on 26 December 2000 said that Sathya Sai Baba "lashed out at his detractors in a rare display of anger" while referring to criticism published in a magazine. The Times quoted him as saying, "Jesus Christ underwent many hardships, and was put to the cross because of jealousy. Many around him could not bear the good work he did and the large number of followers he gathered. One of his disciples, Judas, betrayed him. In those days there was one Judas, but today there are thousands. Just as that Judas was tempted to betray Jesus, the Judases of today, too, are bought out to lie. Jealousy was the motive behind the allegations levelled at him".
Sathya Sai Baba publicly responded to the allegations on 25 December 2000: "Some people out of their mean-mindedness are trying to tarnish the image of Sai Baba. I am not after name and fame. So, I do not lose anything by their false allegations. My glory will go on increasing day by day. It will never diminish even a bit if they were to publicize their false allegations in the whole world in bold letters. Some devotees seem to be perturbed over these false statements. They are not true devotees at all. Having known the mighty power of Sai, why should they be afraid of the 'cawing of crows'? One should not get carried away by all that is written on walls, said in political meetings or the vulgar tales carried by the print media."
1993 assassination attempt:
On 6th June 1993, four youths who were devotees and resided in the ashram, broke into Satya Sai Baba's quarters in Puttaparthi armed with knives. Sathya Sai Baba managed to escape and raised an alarm. In the scuffle, two of Satya Sai Baba's attendants, his chauffeur and cook, were killed, and the four assailants shot dead by the police. He was never investigated by the Indian authorities.
The Vancouver Sun in 2001 reported that Sathya Sai Baba told his adherents not to browse the Internet due to allegations rapidly circulating on various Internet websites and in a few newspapers.[128] In a 2000 public discourse, Sathya Sai Baba said, "These teachings (the Vedas) are highly sacred. Today people are ready to believe all that they see on television and internet but do not repose their faith in the Vedic declarations. Internet is like a waste paper basket. Follow the 'innernet,' not the internet."
In 2004, in the UK and internationally, the BBC aired a documentary titled The Secret Swami, in its series 'The World Uncovered'.[130] One central theme of the BBC documentary was Alaya Rahm's sexual abuse allegations against Sathya Sai Baba.[126] The documentary interviewed him together with Mark Roche, who had devoted 25 years of his life since 1969 to the movement and alleged abuse by him.[126] A spokesman for the BBC told Asian Voice that the documentary had gone to great lengths to be balanced and fair, and that the story was one of a crisis and ultimately a betrayal of faith.[131] Another documentary, Seduced By Sai Baba, carried interviews of abuse allegations. It was produced by Denmark's national television and radio broadcast company, Danmarks Radio (DR).
During an interview with Asian Voice magazine Ashok Bhagani, a trustee of the Sai Organization in the UK, said that the allegations in the Secret Swami documentary were baseless. Bhagani said that devotees never meet Sai Baba alone.
Responses to criticism
In an article for The Pioneer on March 31, 2009, Sandhya Jain states that neither Sathya Sai Baba, nor any organizations associated with him, have been charged or convicted with sexual abuse or any other crime in a court of law. Alaya Rahm filed a lawsuit against the Sathya Sai Baba Society in the Superior Court of California on January 6, 2005, but withdrew his lawsuit on April 7, 2006 after indications that his challenge lacked merit. The case was dismissed 'with prejudice', meaning it cannot be filed for the same claims again. The Pioneer also noted that no offers of monetary settlement were paid to Alaya Rahm.
Devotee Bill Aitken was quoted by The Week as saying that Sathya Sai Baba's reputation has not been harmed by the negative stories published about the guru. He said that the more detractors rail against Sathya Sai Baba, the more new devotees went to see him.
In the article Divine Downfall, published in the Daily Telegraph, Anil Kumar, the ex-principal of the Sathya Sai Educational Institute said that he believed that the controversy is part of Baba's divine plan and that all great religious teachers had to face criticism during their lives. Anil Kumar also said that allegations have been leveled at Sathya Sai Baba since childhood, but with every criticism he becomes more and more triumphant.
In an official letter made public in December 2001, Atal Bihari Vajpayee (then Prime Minister of India), P.N. Bhagawati (Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Ranganath Misra (Chair Person, National Human Rights Commissioner of India and Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Najma Heptulla (President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; UNDP Distinguished Human Development Ambassador) and Shivraj Patil (Member of Parliament, India; Formerly of the Lok Sabha & Union Minister) all signed a letter which stated as follows "We are deeply pained and anguished by the wild, reckless and concocted allegations made by certain vested interests and people against Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. We would normally expect that responsible media would ascertain the true facts before printing such calumny especially when the person is revered globally as an embodiment of love and selfless service to humanity. Since this professional ethic has not been observed by a section of the media, we have elected to go public with this signed statement."[135]
The Times Of India on 26 December 2000 said that Sathya Sai Baba "lashed out at his detractors in a rare display of anger" while referring to criticism published in a magazine. The Times quoted him as saying, "Jesus Christ underwent many hardships, and was put to the cross because of jealousy. Many around him could not bear the good work he did and the large number of followers he gathered. One of his disciples, Judas, betrayed him. In those days there was one Judas, but today there are thousands. Just as that Judas was tempted to betray Jesus, the Judases of today, too, are bought out to lie. Jealousy was the motive behind the allegations levelled at him".
Sathya Sai Baba publicly responded to the allegations on 25 December 2000: "Some people out of their mean-mindedness are trying to tarnish the image of Sai Baba. I am not after name and fame. So, I do not lose anything by their false allegations. My glory will go on increasing day by day. It will never diminish even a bit if they were to publicize their false allegations in the whole world in bold letters. Some devotees seem to be perturbed over these false statements. They are not true devotees at all. Having known the mighty power of Sai, why should they be afraid of the 'cawing of crows'? One should not get carried away by all that is written on walls, said in political meetings or the vulgar tales carried by the print media."
1993 assassination attempt:
On 6th June 1993, four youths who were devotees and resided in the ashram, broke into Satya Sai Baba's quarters in Puttaparthi armed with knives. Sathya Sai Baba managed to escape and raised an alarm. In the scuffle, two of Satya Sai Baba's attendants, his chauffeur and cook, were killed, and the four assailants shot dead by the police. He was never investigated by the Indian authorities.
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