Madhusudan Naidu can be termed as 'spiritual fraud' and 'spiritual cheater'; 'financial fraud' term needs evidence proving fraud in court of law
I felt it appropriate to reproduce comments of mine on Facebook, as this separate post. The comment contents are (slightly edited):
In my considered opinion, fraud is a very strong term with typically criminal financial wrongdoing implications. Unless one has strong evidence of such financial wrongdoing that goes against the laws of the land, and so will stand in a court of law, I don't think one can say Muddenahalli group is engaged in financial fraud.
My objections to Muddenahalli group are in the area of Madhusudan Rao Naidu GOING AGAINST the publicly announced teachings and instructions of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba by making the claim of being a so called communicator and sometimes acting as if Bhagavan has entered into his body and is doing miracles like Lingodbhavam. By those acts Madhusudan Rao Naidu is misguiding thousands of Sathya Sai devotees across the world using the HOLY NAME of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
I would not have objections in this regard if Madhusudan Rao Naidu preached in his own name or a name like Madhu Baba.
Regarding a court case, I still have the view that Madhusudan Rao Naidu should be challenged in an Indian court of law (and perhaps in foreign countries too like Singapore and Malaysia) for unauthorisedly using (misusing and abusing) the name of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I think it is a case of identity theft.
I am somewhat disappointed that the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT), the authorized body in India in this regard, has not challenged Madhusudan Rao Naidu on this matter in an Indian court of law. But then SSSCT has legal luminaries including a former Supreme Court justice on their board. I have never even stepped inside a court of law, Indian or foreign! So I accept that SSSCT board of trustees is far more knowledgeable than me on court cases in India in general.
The SSSCT lawsuit with respect to Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust is a trust control related matter and does not focus on Madhusudan Rao Naidu's so called communicator claim.
I have also publicly stated, and I feel it is appropriate to restate that here, that I do not have any objections to the service to society work of Muddenahalli group like their educational and medical sector work, and wish them all the best in those activities.
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[To open pic in higher resolution, right-click on pic followed by open in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.]
The related Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba discourse (given in Prasanthi Nilayam on 25-11-1962) document is available here: http://sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume02/sss02-51.pdf. I have given below the related section (a few sentences more than what the above pic has):
Vr Ganti sir, the Swami quote you gave (attached as pic to this post) where Swami has instructed us to treat people who claim to be his mediums (or communicators) as we treat cheats, is very relevant in the case of Madhusudan Rao Naidu. I have no doubt that Swami would view Madhusudan Rao Naidu as a cheater (and so as a fraud).
However, in a court of law in Malaysia or Singapore (or India for that matter), they would go by their meanings of the term, 'financial fraud' and 'financial cheating'. My earlier comments are in that context.
Another point is whether Madhusudan Rao Naidu can be called a 'spiritual fraud' or a 'spiritual cheater' different from 'financial fraud'. As Madhusudan Rao Naidu is going against the teachings and instructions of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba by claiming to be his so called communicator, I do think that he can be termed as a 'spiritual fraud' and a 'spiritual cheater'. I also think that by diluting and distorting the legacy and memories of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who he claims is his Guru, Madhusudan Rao Naidu is doing harm to his Guru and his legacy and so can be termed as a much stronger term, which I don't want to use here as it is very harsh. But my considered view is that that much stronger term would also be valid in the case of Madhusudan Rao Naidu.
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In my considered opinion, fraud is a very strong term with typically criminal financial wrongdoing implications. Unless one has strong evidence of such financial wrongdoing that goes against the laws of the land, and so will stand in a court of law, I don't think one can say Muddenahalli group is engaged in financial fraud.
My objections to Muddenahalli group are in the area of Madhusudan Rao Naidu GOING AGAINST the publicly announced teachings and instructions of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba by making the claim of being a so called communicator and sometimes acting as if Bhagavan has entered into his body and is doing miracles like Lingodbhavam. By those acts Madhusudan Rao Naidu is misguiding thousands of Sathya Sai devotees across the world using the HOLY NAME of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
I would not have objections in this regard if Madhusudan Rao Naidu preached in his own name or a name like Madhu Baba.
Regarding a court case, I still have the view that Madhusudan Rao Naidu should be challenged in an Indian court of law (and perhaps in foreign countries too like Singapore and Malaysia) for unauthorisedly using (misusing and abusing) the name of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. I think it is a case of identity theft.
I am somewhat disappointed that the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT), the authorized body in India in this regard, has not challenged Madhusudan Rao Naidu on this matter in an Indian court of law. But then SSSCT has legal luminaries including a former Supreme Court justice on their board. I have never even stepped inside a court of law, Indian or foreign! So I accept that SSSCT board of trustees is far more knowledgeable than me on court cases in India in general.
The SSSCT lawsuit with respect to Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust is a trust control related matter and does not focus on Madhusudan Rao Naidu's so called communicator claim.
I have also publicly stated, and I feel it is appropriate to restate that here, that I do not have any objections to the service to society work of Muddenahalli group like their educational and medical sector work, and wish them all the best in those activities.
...
[To open pic in higher resolution, right-click on pic followed by open in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.]
The related Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba discourse (given in Prasanthi Nilayam on 25-11-1962) document is available here: http://sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume02/sss02-51.pdf. I have given below the related section (a few sentences more than what the above pic has):
Talking of faith, I must issue a warning. Many people are collecting money in various places using My Name for various purposes like arranging receptions, building temples, worshiping, etc. That is unauthorised and against My wish and command. Do not yield to such requests and encourage this practice, which I condemn.
Then there is another set of people who trade on your faith. They advertise that I have “possessed” them; that I am “talking” through a medium or a stove (!) or some other thing. Treat all such people and their agents or brokers as you treat cheats; if you do not treat them so, then you are also accomplices in the cheating process.
Others gather groups of followers and admirers and collect money exhibiting some idol or image that has been “given” by Me or advertising some other sign of My Grace. Some of them even declare, “Baba sent me to you to take from you some money,” or “Baba has given me this,” or “Baba blessed me specially thus and thus,” and then ask for your help or your praise or your purse! I ask you to chastise all three types of men and turn them away — whoever they are.--- end discourse extracts ----
Vr Ganti sir, the Swami quote you gave (attached as pic to this post) where Swami has instructed us to treat people who claim to be his mediums (or communicators) as we treat cheats, is very relevant in the case of Madhusudan Rao Naidu. I have no doubt that Swami would view Madhusudan Rao Naidu as a cheater (and so as a fraud).
However, in a court of law in Malaysia or Singapore (or India for that matter), they would go by their meanings of the term, 'financial fraud' and 'financial cheating'. My earlier comments are in that context.
Another point is whether Madhusudan Rao Naidu can be called a 'spiritual fraud' or a 'spiritual cheater' different from 'financial fraud'. As Madhusudan Rao Naidu is going against the teachings and instructions of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba by claiming to be his so called communicator, I do think that he can be termed as a 'spiritual fraud' and a 'spiritual cheater'. I also think that by diluting and distorting the legacy and memories of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who he claims is his Guru, Madhusudan Rao Naidu is doing harm to his Guru and his legacy and so can be termed as a much stronger term, which I don't want to use here as it is very harsh. But my considered view is that that much stronger term would also be valid in the case of Madhusudan Rao Naidu.
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[I thank sssbpt.info and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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