Why is Lakewood City Council approving a questionable self-promotion “swami”? – Suburban times

Submitted by John Arbeeny.

I read with interest the Suburban Times (December 22, 2021) article titled “Lakewood City Council Summary Monday, December 20,� which contains the following proclamation endorsing a certain “brand� of Hinduism. He declares January 3, 2022 in honor of religion but more precisely of an individual with a Hindu link named "Nithyananda". "Nithyananda Day"? The question I had to ask is "who exactly is Nithyananda and what is his connection to Hinduism"? The results were shocking as quoted below after an excerpt from the proclamation.

CITY OF LAKEWOOD PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS Lakewood City Council sends its best wishes to the Sovereign Pontiff of Hinduism, Jagatguru Mahasannidhanam, Bhagavan Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam, recognized as the 1008th living incarnation of Paramashiva according to the Sanatana Hindu Dharma (“Hinduism�) and

by his predecessors as masters and enlightened followers, crowned as the 1008th Acharya Mahamandaleshwar (the head of all spiritual leaders) of Atal Akhada (former supreme body of Hinduism), and ordained as the 293rd Guru Mahasannidhanam (Pontiff) of Shyamalapeetab Sarvajnapeetam; and…………..

WHEREAS, the Town of Lakewood thanks the Sovereign Pontiff of Hinduism, the Ruler of the Sovereign State of SHRIKAILASA and honors and expresses its appreciation for the contribution of KAILASA for his contributions to the enrichment and improvement of the lives of our residents.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Lakewood City Council hereby do
proclaim January 3, 2022, SPH Incarnation Day, as the SPH Nithyananda Day of KAILASA, thereby honoring the 45th celebration of the rebirth of the sovereign state of SHRIKAILASA, the ancient nation of enlightened Hindu civilization, the first nation of Hindus. PROCLAIMED this December 20, 2021.
_____________________________
Don Anderson, Mayor

A quick read of internet sources and international news sources revealed an enormous amount of derogatory information about Mr. Nithyananda, of which the following is only a small sample.

“Following accusations and charges of rape and kidnapping in Indian courts, Nithyananda left India and went into hiding, citing threats of assassination and mob lynching. He later announced the founding of his own self-proclaimed island nation called Kailaasa. NOTE: This island is off the coast of Ecuador, which is convenient as Ecuador does not have an extradition treaty with India.

"Nithyananda made several pseudoscientist claims, including that he delayed the sunrise by 40 minutes, that he could make the cattle speak in Tamil and Sanskrit, and that he could refute the accuracy of the mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc. ^"

^"In 2019, a couple from Tamil Nadu approached the High Court of Gujarat Affirming that three of their four children were taken to Nithyananda Ashram in Ahmedabad from Bangalore without their knowledge; the couple requested the return of their children to their care.

“On November 20, 2019, the Gujarat Police released a statement that Nithyananda fled India after choosing not to appear at multiple court hearings. Some senior police officials have not ruled out the possibility that he is still in India. He then addressed the The United Nations to complain about persecution and sought recognition for his new country Kailaasa. Nithyananda also cited attempts to lynch and murder mobs as the reasons he was forced to withdraw from Indian society.

"The so-called Godman Nithyananda Paramashivam has found himself embroiled in a controversy as he has been accused of committing" grave human atrocities in the name of Hinduism "by a former yogi in his ashram. petition to Changer.org and on YouTube, the former yogi and now "whistleblower" describes how Nithyananda allegedly tortures ashram inmates, especially children. "

“He was convicted of child abuse and kidnapping by police in Gujarat after three minor children (a boy and two girls) were rescued from his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. This is the second case against him, the first being the rape case with which he was charged in 2010, after which his passport was confiscated.

“The self-proclaimed god Nithyananda, who has been accused of rape and sexual abuse, recently surfaced in a video, stating that 'no one can touch me' and that no court can prosecute him. The controversial figure is wanted by Gujarat police in a case of kidnapping and abusive detention of children in his ashram in Ahmedabad.

“I will show you my integrity by revealing the reality and the truth to you. Now no one can touch me, I can tell you the truth - I am Param Shiva. To understand? No stupid court can sue me for revealing the truth. I am Param Shiva, �said Nithyananda, wearing a turban and a rust-colored robe.

There are many obvious questions that need to be put to the Council and to which it must also answer.

Why did the mayor and the rest of council fall for such an obvious scam? Was it naivety or a lack of intellectual curiosity or both?

Who was responsible for bringing this proclamation to Council for consideration?

Who researched, if any, Mr. Nithyananda's background? the circumstances surrounding his self-proclaimed country KAILAASA; demanded the support of the large Hindu community for its alleged powers and its divinity?

Why is Lakewood City Council endorsing a suspected religion or religious leader in a proclamation?

Why did Lakewood City Council feel the need to dedicate a specific date, January 3, 2022, the first of the new year, to endorse this religious claimant they seem to know nothing about?

I spoke several days ago with Deputy Mayor Whelan who informed me that the proclamation was withdrawn from the December 20, 2021 meeting and was not read aloud at that meeting. I would have loved to hear it read by anyone given the names and titles that turn the language!

However, that proclamation was still in the December 20, 2021 meeting summary as published in the Suburban Times article (on which I commented). I have yet to see a correction or retraction of this item. The Council has the public responsibility to correct the December 20, 2021 summary in the Suburban Times and to answer questions that I have asked previously so that the public is made aware of the reasons why it was initially accepted and then deleted as a proclamation. .