Letters to Indian and other Parliamentarians
 
 

Posted: November 30, 2003

Author: Barry Pittard
 
 
Note:    
 
In the last few days, thousands of parliamentarians in various countries have been emailed, with many more in other countries to be contacted.
 
Quite likely the Sathya Sai Organisation and others partial to Sathya Sai Baba will attempt to counteract such activities. However, I am here and elsewhere making public the countries to which emails have been sent so that e.g., citizens in those countries who read this will be alerted and therefore ready to anticipate and counter the expected counter moves of the Sathya Sai Organisation.
 
A follow up step will be to send to thousands of parliamentarians and other authorities round the world a letter containing the signatures of many outstanding persons who wish to see Sathya Sai Baba and his accomplices made accountable.
 
Below is a letter to all Members of the Indian parliament, the Lok Sabha (Lower House) and Raj Sabha (Upper House). Along with it was also copied a letter sent initially to all parliamentarians state, territory and federal in Australia. In short order, a similar letter is being sent to various other parliaments around the world.
 
Barry Pittard, Australia 

 

 
To:  All Hon. Members of Lok Sabha and Raj Sabha
 
November 27, 2003
 
 
Dear Hon. Members,
 
Namaste! to you all.
 
For twenty-five years, I was a deeply committed devotee of Sathya Sai Baba, and for two years was an unpaid lecturer in English in the Whitefield college of Sathya Sai Baba (1978-1979), and now am equally an unpaid international coordinator working to bring to world attention the many shocking allegations against him. I have spent many years in India engaged in prolonged spiritual sadhana.
 
Please be assured that there will be ever-increasing and unrelenting international focus by all media and a judgement on how India handles the Sathya Sai Baba question. You should know that the accusations are made by persons in many countries, most of whom were once fervent devotees of Sathya Sai Baba. They allege only after thorough acquaintance with the facts and issues. Many are professionals, and some are highly-trained specialists in sexual abuse issues convinced, likewise, that the many boys and young men (and those who have grown older) who give their accounts of sexual molestation by Sathya Sai Baba speak the truth.  
 
There have been the shameful attempts by Sathya Sai Baba and by those such as Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, Indulal Shah, P.N. Bhagwati, Ranganath Mishra, Y.V. Anjaneyulu, Sri T. Ramanathan, J. Jagadeeshan, etc., and many Sathya Sai leaders from other countries, to cast his dissenters in a bad light. However, as citizens in their professions, trades and wider communities, these dissenting former devotees of Sathya Sai Baba are typically held in the highest regard for their integrity and responsibility 
 
You are welcome to write to me, and I invite you to share this email down all your networks in India and far beyond until democratic accountability - and concomitant properly administered law - is inescapably demanded of Sathya Sai Baba and others around him who would refuse it.
 
Barry Pittard, Australia

 

 
Dear Hon. Members,
 
This letter is going to all parliamentarians in Australia, State and Federal, and copied to major media, and to many citizens of Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsee, Christian and other faiths and of none who have expressed interest - including many victims and families. It is also being copied to other parliaments, both upper and lower houses, in various countries - initially, India, New Zealand, Fiji, the UK and Canada.
 
In the case that the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation of Australia and Papua-New Guinea asks you to appear at one of their functions, or to have anything to do with any of their activities, I ask you to refuse the invitation.
 
Despite its good works and apparent respectability, the Sathya Sai Organisation is a heavily serious authoritarian cult, whose leader, Sathya Sai Baba has drawn worldwide accusations of serial sexual molestation of boys and young men from many countries. Interpol, the FBI, Scotland Yard, the Australian Federal Police, the German Chief Prosecutor's Office, the French National Police and many foreign ministries have documentation. 
 
To get anywhere with the CBI New Delhi seems hopeless, such is the sheer extent of political protection of Sathya Sai Baba and his outfit. UNESCO has posted a strong Media Advisory, and the US State Department a Travel Advisory has been posted. 
 
There are other allegations of major crimes, such as implication in a number of police executions in his bedroom in June 6, 1993, and sections of the Indian media (such as the Anantapur Journalists Union) have shown grave concern at the evidence for a massive cover up by Sathya Sai Baba, his ashram authorities and by local, state and central government and police.  
 
The Sathya Sai Organisation is immensely wealthy, and attracts the largest foreign donations that go to India. (The Rediff.com news agency reported, August 16, 2003, "The largest recipient of foreign contribution was Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Rs 88.18 crore (Rs 881.8 million)" - http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/aug/16donations.htm.
(As of 2003.11.22 06:18:48 GMT 1.00 INR India Rupees = 0.0218151 USD United States Dollars).
 
This cult has a number of programs aimed towards insinuating itself into community respectability by means of associating with a range of respectable individuals and groups esteemed in the wider community.
 
I would like you to add your support to my attempt to ensure that all parliamentarians, federal and state, refuse to lend their name or image to Sathya Sai Baba related activities. After my detailed submissions, Australian leaders have acted to cut ties with the Sathya Sai Organisation, such as Professor James McWha, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, Professor Ian Chubb, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Flinders, Michael Lin, Director of the Katoomba Christian Convention Centre. It now appears that the Anglican Archbishop of Western Australia is likely to do so as well. In similar manner former Sathya Sai Baba devotee submission has obtained cancellation of affliation with Sathya Sai Baba oriented projects by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, by the authorities of the University College of London, of Downe House public school, of Lord Wandsworth College and by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Clifton whose Diocese comprises Glastonbury, where large Sathya Sai Baba activities had secured the use of his Church's property.Please feel welcome to contact me ...
 
(Contact details supplied)
 
Barry Pittard