In a shocking incident, a UK-based media report claimed that a fugitive Hindu guru attended a Diwali party at the House of Lords (Upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom) this year. According to a report by The Observer, Swami Nithyananda, the high-profile, self-styled godman, who had fled India in 2019 after being charged in a rape case, was invited by two senior Conservatives. The report claimed that Atmadaya, the British representative for the controversial guru known as Nithyananda, was invited to the function during Diwali celebrations.
The controversial guru was reportedly invited by MP Bob Blackman and Raminder Singh Ranger-- a Pakistan-born British businessman. Even before the event, Nithyananda’s organisation also published an advertisement which was reportedly handed over to attendees. Although some of the guests demonstrated their anger against the Conservative leader for inviting the controversial leader, the event was kicked-off with "great enthusiasm".
Meanwhile, while speaking to The Observer, one of his disciples said that Nithyananda pressurised her to maintain a sexual relationship. Also, she revealed that his "staunch followers" threatened her with forced labour if she did not comply with his wishes.
“We knew that we would be shunned by the whole community if we didn’t do what he wanted, or that worse, we would be made to do hard labour in the hot desert outside Bangalore," she told the UK-based media outlet.
However, when The Observer asked Richard Rogers, Nithyananda’s UK-based lawyer, about the allegations and his presence at the UK Parliament, he refuted the claims and termed the charges as "baseless". "The available evidence suggests that the known pending criminal allegations against the applicant in India are part of a broader campaign of religious persecution targeting the applicant, which is rooted in religious intolerance and based (in whole or large part) on falsified evidence," he told.
Who is Swami Nithyananda?
It is worth mentioning that the controversial leader has been facing multiple charges in India, including rape and kidnapping cases. According to multiple media reports, he raped one of his devotees and provided safe heavens for the kidnappers. In India, he organised a number of religious congregations where he used to address his millions of followers. Besides, the self-made god ran more than a dozen temples and ashrams where he claimed of having supernatural powers. Even Nithyananda claimed that he has the "power to delay the sunrise, see through walls, cure children of blindness and make cows talk". Also, he claimed of setting up his own country or which he often called as "Republic of Kailaasa".
Also Read: Self-styled godman Nithyananda wants 1 lakh people to settle in 'Kailasa'
