Full text: Statement issued by Nithyananda's ashram

Bangalore: Self-styled godman Nithyananda's ashram has issued a press release saying he'll be back at the Bidadi ashram on Thursday. The police, however, are still on the look out for Nithyananda over allegations of sexual abuse.

The press release issued by Nithyananda's ashram raises certain open questions on the cases against the self-styled godman. Following is the full text of the ashram press release:

Some open questions - Press Release - 13th June, 2012

A few questions we should all be asking regarding the attack on Nithyananda ashram and its aftermath:

1. Why is Suvarna TV running such a sustained and virulent hate campaign against Nithyananda and Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam?

2. Were the credentials of the woman Arati Rao (who claimed that Nithyananda had sexually abused her) verified before running her interview? It has now come to light that the woman herself has a criminal record in two countries, where she is facing multiple summons on charges of fraud, extortion and child abuse. She is also the carrier of a highly contagious sexually transmissible disease (STD) called Herpes 2. The woman has claimed 40 incidences of abuse by Nithyananda, but even a single incidence of contact (even through saliva) is sufficient for this deadly disease to be transmitted to the other person. Nithyananda has already submitted all relevant evidence, including his blood tests proving that he not carrying the disease, to the investigative authorities, including the Karnataka police and the High Court of Karnataka. Moreover, the woman has already filed the same case against Paramahamsa Nithyananda in a US court, where it has been investigated and closed as false and baseless.

3. Why is it that only one channel ran this interview? All other media without exception stayed away from the subject, which is not only sub-judice, but unverified and biased. The channel in question was already under a court injunction prohibiting them from telecasting anything defamatory about Paramahamsa Nithyananda. This amounts to contempt of court.

4. Where is Arati Rao now? When will she be arrested? She has been absconding from Indian and USA law since 2010, evading six summons and court orders.

5. Who can serve a summons? As per the Hague Convention as applicable to India, only a judicial officer authorized by a Central Authority can serve a summons. Anybody else attempting to do so (as the Suvarna channel editor had done with Paramahamsa Nithyananda) is committing a deliberate crime.

6. Why is it that Nithyananda ashramites, who were assaulted, abused and molested by a mob of 50 people, not given a chance to even make their grievances public? The press meet held by them was disrupted by anti-social elements who once again assaulted them in full public view. This is a violation of our basic right to freedom of expression.

7. Is this really a communal issue, or something much deeper than that? Paramahamsa Nithyananda has always enjoyed a loving and mutually beneficial relationship with the people of Karnataka. But since he belongs to the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, a deliberate attempt was made to escalate the issue into a communal conflict, by demanding the eviction of Paramahamsa Nithyananda and his spiritual community from Karnataka state. Using the rowdy elements of a certain group as a façade, certain parties with an ulterior have tried to give a communal color to what is an act or pure rowdyism, vandalism and deliberate harassment of a peaceful spiritual community dedicated to serving the people.

8. Who are these parties bent upon destroying Paramahamsa Nithyananda and his organization, and what is their motive? We don't know, and we need your support to find out. As is obvious from the above, those with their own vested interests have spared no effort in spreading false information to and attempting to influence public opinion against us. However, Paramahamsa Nithyananda and Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam rest their faith in the law. We appeal to all socially conscious media and the discerning public to support us in our campaign against this gross violation of our human rights.

Meanwhile, we are happy to share that Paramahamsa Nithyananda will be back in Bidadi ashram tomorrow (14th June) and will resume his regular activities.