Sathya Sai Baba Cult Exposure By Major TV Channel In Australia

What is the effect on the wider society of a tremendously wealthy, worldwide cult such as the International Sathya Sai Organization?

In the coming days, there will be breaking news. A nationally televised program segment (see details below under the header in this blog: A Storm Looms) is expected to screen within the next week on Australian Current Affair , on Channel Nine, one of the highest profile and most respected television programs in this country, which airs throughout the year on Channel Nine, Monday to Friday after the 6.30 pm News. The producer of the Channel Nine segment is Chris Allen,

Australian Current Affair Exposes Sathya Sai Baba Cult, Australia

a senior Australian television journalist-presenter. Apart from his media training, studied at Australia’s leading acting school, National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), alongside such international film stars as Mel Gibson and Judy Davis

Some Background On India’s Most Powerful Guru, Call By BBC ‘The Secret Swami’.

Outstanding institutions such as the BBC, DR (Denmark’s national broadcaster), the Times of London, Telegraph, Guardian, Age, ABC (the nation broadcaster, Australian Broadcasting Corporation) UNESCO and many others have investigated various types of allegation leveled against the Sathya Sai Baba cult. See:

The BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ – A Revision

Indian Minister Shields Sai Baba on BBC television

BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ and British Press Praise

BBC Hidden Camera in ‘Secret Swami’. Ethical?

UNESCO and Indian Government – Were Up To Tricks

BBC Caught UNESCO Head Bowing To Indian GovernmentNote: The Indian Sathya Sai Baba Organization and the then Indian Janata Party Government attempted to get UNESCO to suppress a media advisory, which came after detailed submissions by former Sathya Sai Baba followers from several countries. The Media Advisory, dated September 15, 2000, had announced UNESCO’s withdrawal from a large, international human values education conference scheduled at Puttaparthi, in South India, for September 25-29, 2000, along with UNESCO’s partner, the University of Flinders, South Australia.

Atal Behari Vajpayee was Prime Minister, and, like countless power brokers in India, a longtime devotee of Sathya Sai Baba. However, the BBC was able to obtain a statement from UNESCO that unstitched the power play by Indian foreign affairs officials. The  advisory can be seen at the Url below, and it looks as though the internet wayback service is ironclad against any interference which could be expected of Sai Baba’s cult members (not to mention the Indian Foreign Affairs Ministry) who frequent high places: See:  http://web.archive.org/web/20031229133544/http://www.unesco.org/education/highlights/media_advisory.htm

Top UNESCO Officials Caught Out By BBC

Early in 2004, UNESCO spokespersons told media and other enquirers that the Advisory did not now reflect its views. Among others, Dr G.Venkataraman, deputy world chairman of the Sai cult, made merry in his official Puttaparthi newsletter, seeing the event as a great reversal for critics of his religious leader. One may add that G. Venkataraman, by virtue of his key roles (See links below this paragraph) has very close association with core leaders throughout the world, and every ability to determine that many devotees and former devotees for decades held in high esteem within the Sathya Sai Organization have raised the most serious issues about accountability. Facts like these are profoundly ignored by Sathya Sai Baba’s proxy defenders on the Internet, who engage in the most extaordinary defamations.

Sathya Sai Baba’s ‘Minister of Propaganda’ – Dr G. Venkataraman

Indian Nuclear Scientist Now Sai Baba’s Global Radio Chief

BBC assistant producer David Savill reported that only after his strenuous questioning of a senior UNESCO spokesperson, did she, Sue Williams, finally agree in writing to Mr Savill that currently: “UNESCO does not regret issuing the media release of September 15 2000.”

Lack of Accountability and Transparency

From the late 1990’s, networked former devotees of good standing within the Sathya Sai Organization had failed in their attempts to get such leaders as the world chairman, Dr Michael Goldstein, of Covena, California, USA, to institute accountability and transparency provisions that are normal in democratic countries. Unaware that a BBC camera was trained on him, Dr Goldstein showed the extent of his spirituality in the light of his master’s teachings.

Sathya Sai Anger Mismanagement

NOTE: The above photo of Dr Michael Goldstein was caught by BBC hidden camera. Given BBC caution in such sensitive matters, it was not easy for the BBC producer Eamon Hardy to get an HC sanction from top management of the BBC and legals. However, Sathya Sai Baba’s peak officials had acted extremely evasively. What is more, the BBC had uncovered shocking and credible accounts of sexual and other abuses by Sathya Sai Baba, including compelling evidence of massive ashram and successive Indian governments’ cover up of the April 6, 1993 killings in Sai Baba’s bedroom. These accounts went beyond the many testimonies compiled by our own international network. See:

V. P.B. Nair. B.Premanand. R.Priddy: Sai Baba Bedroom Killings

For Robert Priddy’s significant body of work on the killings and cover up, see under Further Resources, below.

To get a further measure of Dr Goldstein’s cultist bent, wherein, in a widely distributed circular, he rejoiced in how his living God’s Grace prevented many Sai Baba devotees from getting caught up in the terrorist strike in the United States on 9/11. See:

Michael Goldstein’s Chilling 9/11 Remarks

Book Resource

“Murders in Sai Baba’s Bedroom” by B. Premanand. Price India Rs. 400/-, Overseas US $40/- (free postage). Publ. by B. Premanand. 11/7 Chettipalayam Road, Podnadur. 641 023 Tamil Nadu, India.

In short, Sai Baba and his core leaders like Dr Goldstein, Dr G. Venkataraman, and the  Sathya Sai Central Trust Secretary, K. Chakravarthy and others eluded many attempts to properly investigate the extensive and worldwide allegations of Sai Baba’s sexual molestation of boys and young men and cover up of the killings in Sai Baba’s bedroom, as well as many other serious scandals and anomalies.

Quality media in a number of countries investigated. An extremely rare example in India of coverage, where Sai Baba is considered to powerful to tackle, was the serious mass circulation magazine India Today, December 4, 2000. See:

COVER STORY: SAI BABA. Test of Faith.

So did institutions such Flinders University in South Australia which appointed a senior academic to investigate. Top officials in UNESCO made extensive investigations too began to probe, they found the earmarks of a considerable cult.

In 2004, the BBC was moved to title their 2004 documentary ‘The Secret Swami’. See:

The BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ – A Revision

BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ and British Press Praise

Threats By Sathya Sai Organization Leaders To Major Media

It is a profound failure of intelligence, and indeed probity, that Sathya Sai Baba’s defenders have resisted central points about issues of democracy, accountability and transparency. As befits cultists with much to hide, they prefer to use threats of legal action. This was how key Sai organization players such as T. Sri Ramanathan – an autocrat widely disliked but sometimes virtually worshipped by the more pious in the Australian Sathya Sai Organization – treated Australia’s great multicultural broadcaster SBS (which telecast DR’s ‘Seduced’ re-titled ‘Seduced By Sai Baba’), the BBC, CBC (Canada), Times of London, Telegraph, Guardian, Age, etc. I was informed by a senior journalist from a major Canadian newspaper (part of the CanWest chain) that his senior management was ensconced lengthily with lawyers and sundry other high rollers, when the Sai Baba parties threatened to withdraw large advertisments in the newspaper by one of the devotees, a Canadian multi-millionaire.

Autocracy. Secrecy. Defamation. Vilification

In each case there were suppressive attempts by very high profile Sathya Sai Baba leaders. His defenders go all out to to ensure that anyone who speaks out is villified, libeled, and some seriously harassed and threatened. Like medieval popes, Sai Baba’s core leaders excommunicate good and decent individuals. We find that their personnel ensure that internet attackers are provided with information intended to blacken and villify those who speak out.

A Storm Brews. Unleashed in Next Days and Weeks

However, as we shall see in the next days and weeks, there are democratic, caring forces within the community – ones not peopled by Sathya Sai Baba followers, who are prepared to protect vulnerable people who have been hurt by some of those very close to him.

A Storm Looms

Sai cult attempts to silence questioning have not succeeded. Of that, more soon.

For those interested in seeing attempts by this powerful cult at damage-control and cover up, the segment on Australian Current Affair will be a show worth watching. But of course, the cult is a secret organization – therefore, one may miss out on some of the crucial action. Among the leaders are some seasoned string pullers at the highest levels of government, both local and central, in many countries. Nonetheless, it is important to prevent governments from being soft on cults. Governments that protect cults need to be stood up to.  In this case, it is the State Government of Queensland, Australia. The programme is the high profile Australian Current Affair, and the segment researched by one Australia’s senior television journalists. It was to have been shown last Thursday night, but has been re-slotted because of the tragic story of the little girl in Melbourne Australia who was thrown off a bridge by her demented father. Hiding from the issue of cults does not further the cause of religious freedom but actually threatens it over the long term. Protection of cultists should not be at the expense of the protection of the more vulnerable in our society.

Hitherto, it is mostly former devotee critics, along with important contributions by rationalists (especially B.Premanand) and humanists, who have produced an extensive  Sathya Sai Baba cult critique. But now, matters proceed beyond those confines.

The Sathya Sai Organization core leaders were not able to suppress – despite draconian measures far from the spiritual ones they profess to follow – awkward questions from those who tried to reform from within. Vilification is the inner chant of their darkly compromized hearts.

They were not able to prevent strong and sustained criticism by highly skilled academics such as Robert Priddy (ex-head of the Sathya Sai Organization in Norway), Brian Steel (Australia), Timothy Conway Ph.D (USA), Kevin Shepherd, an independent British scholar, and others. Nor could they stop a large exit from the organization in country after country.  Some of this exit was the result of respected leaders making their own investigations in regard to families whose children reported sexual molestation by Sathya Sai Baba.

There is a fact often not realized by the many good and decent rank-and-file individuals in the organization. It is that we have, here, a secret swami, a secret cabal of core leaders, and a guru-blinded autocracy skilled in suppression, the arts of political and organization cover up, self-deceit and deceit of their governments and mainstream organs that the Sathya Sai Organization influences via various fronts (of which more later). In the meatime, See:

Sathya Sai Baba Organization and Libel and Disinformation

See, too, extensively detailed articles co-authored by Robert Priddy and Barry Pittard:

Sathya Sai Organisation – Further Subterfuge and Misinformation

Sathya Sai Organisation – Lavish Spending On Super Dome Venue Meeting (Sydney, Australia)

Disinformation By The Sathya Sai Organization.

Plush Recruiting Venues and Styles of Appeal Aim At The Wealthy

To see recruiting tricks aimed at bringing in wealthy and influential citizens without, however, informing them of Sai Baba’s pronouncements that he is the Father of Jesus Christ, the One Who Sent The Prophet of Islam and that he claims he will save the whole world by circa 2022, see:  Secret Swami’ Cult Recruits At Prime Public Venues

But the next days and weeks will tell. And so shall this blog – Call For Media and Government Investigation of Sathya Sai baba.

Further Reading

Sai Baba, Kubla Khan, Citizen Kane, Bill Gates et alia

The Unresolved, Covered-up 1993 Murders in Sathya Sai. Baba’s Bedroom RevisitedSathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders

Sathya Sai Says: “Why fear when I am here?”. On the Events of June 6, 1993 – Murders in Sai Baba’s Private QuartersMore Concerning The 1993 Murders In Prashanthi Mandir.

Excerpts from newspaper reports with information concerning the murders in Sai Baba’s vicinity at Prashanthi Nilayam of 6-6-1993.

The Unresolved, Covered-up 1993 Murders in Sathya Sai Baba’s Bedroom RevisitedSathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders.

A convenient coverage of many of the issues is at Robert Priddy’s blogsite: http://robertpriddy.wordpress.com. See, Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.

Part 4. Part 5.

Important Other Resources:  Kevin Shepherd, Brian Steel, Robert Priddy:

Citizen Initiative

Recent Research on the Claims of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba Deceptions Exposed

Sathya Sai Baba In Word And Action

Hitherto, it is mostly former devotee critics, along with important contributions by rationalists (especially B.Premanand) and humanists, who have produced an extensive  Sathya Sai Baba cult critique. But now, matters proceed beyond those confines.

The Sathya Sai Organization core leaders were not able to suppress – despite draconian measures far from the spiritual ones they profess to follow – awkward questions from those who tried to reform from within. Vilification is the inner chant of their darkly compromized hearts.

They were not able to prevent strong and sustained criticism by highly skilled academics such as Robert Priddy (ex-head of the Sathya Sai Organization in Norway), Brian Steel (Australia), Timothy Conway Ph.D (USA), Kevin Shepherd, an independent British scholar, and others. Nor could they stop a large exit from the organization in country after country.  Some of this exit was the result of respected leaders making their own investigations in regard to families whose children reported sexual molestation by Sathya Sai Baba.

There is a fact often not realized by the many good and decent rank-and-file individuals in the organization. It is that we have, here, a secret swami, a secret cabal of core leaders, and a guru-blinded autocracy skilled in suppression, the arts of political and organization cover up, self-deceit and deceit of their governments and mainstream organs that the Sathya Sai Organization influences via various fronts (of which more later). In the meatime, See:

Sathya Sai Baba Organization and Libel and Disinformation

See, too, extensively detailed articles co-authored by Robert Priddy and Barry Pittard:

Sathya Sai Organisation – Further Subterfuge and Misinformation

Sathya Sai Organisation – Lavish Spending On Super Dome Venue Meeting (in Sydney, Australia)

Disinformation By The Sathya Sai Organization.

Plush Recruiting Venues and Styles of Appeal Aim At The Wealthy

To see recruiting tricks aimed at bringing in wealthy and influential citizens without, however, informing them of Sai Baba’s pronouncements that he is the Father of Jesus Christ, the One Who Sent The Prophet of Islam and that he claims he will save the whole world by circa 2022, see:  Secret Swami’ Cult Recruits At Prime Public Venues

But the next days and weeks will tell. And so shall this blog – Call For Media and Government Investigation of Sathya Sai baba.

Further Reading

Sai Baba, Kubla Khan, Citizen Kane, Bill Gates et alia

The Unresolved, Covered-up 1993 Murders in Sathya Sai. Baba’s Bedroom RevisitedSathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders

Sathya Sai Says: “Why fear when I am here?”. On the Events of June 6, 1993 – Murders in Sai Baba’s Private QuartersMore Concerning The 1993 Murders In Prashanthi Mandir.

Excerpts from newspaper reports with information concerning the murders in Sai Baba’s vicinity at Prashanthi Nilayam of 6-6-1993.

The Unresolved, Covered-up 1993 Murders in Sathya Sai Baba’s Bedroom Revisited.

Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders.

A convenient coverage of many of the issues is at Robert Priddy’s blogsite: http://robertpriddy.wordpress.com. See, Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom Murders:

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.

Part 4. Part5 .