People can never forget Satya Sai Baba who floored all with his miracles,spiritual teachings and also with his social service activities which even the then Governments could never dare to dream of. Satya Sai Baba turned many impossible acts into a reality with his social service acts and his miracles made many believe that he was incarnation of Shirdi Sai.
Now CIA's declassified documents came with sensational findings. CIA declassified more than 13 million documents and the 16 page report titled Cultural Trends Study: India’s Sai Baba Movement is creating sensation.
CIA's fanciful report from the 1990s hailed Satya Sai Baba, the late spiritual guru with the distinctive Afro hairdo as a man who could “counterbalance the appeal of Hindu chauvinists and ethnic separatists”. CIA marked its report as 'Secret' and is the second highest classification not meant to be released to any foreign nationals.
The author of the report wrote that the movement including the growth of a “worldwide mass religious movement” around the “alleged miracle worker” and the belief that Sai Baba’s “well-organised and financed movement…may even become another worldwide religion”.
The report refers to Sai Baba’s claim to be the “Kalki Avatar”, whom the CIA operative likens to the return of Jesus Christ or the Muslim Mahdi who is expected to “create a new world of peace and justice”. Report states “In fact, he says he is the Biblical second coming. While such claims may be incredible, most of his devotees believe him,”
The report also concentrated on “miracles” linked to Sai Baba, such as his ability to change his shape, read minds, and materialise objects such as jewellery, hot food and live animals with a wave of his hand, as well as ‘vibhuti’ (holy ash) and ‘amritha’ (nectar) exuding from the guru’s photos.
It stated “Such claims have not been scientifically verified in a laboratory, although a team of western parapsychologists observed some of these events in a field study. While the scientific paradigm may reject the possibility of such capabilities, traditional Hindus accept them as entirely plausible,”
BBC in 2004 ran a documentary The Secret Swami, carrying accusations of sexual abuse and also accused of resorting to conjuring tricks and sleight of hand. Sai Baba denied all those and Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee wrote an official letter describing the allegations as “wild, reckless and concocted”.
CIA referring to it stated doctrine does have potential widespread appeal in a society riven by communal violence” It added “Since Sai Baba’s message supports the concept of a harmonious, multi-religious and multi-ethnic India, it has the potential to counterbalance the appeal of Hindu chauvinists and ethnic separatists”.
CIA referred “many Indian leaders”, including politicians who possibly saw the guru’s devotees as a large vote bank. “Nevertheless, Indian Prime Minister (PV Narasimha) Rao may be a devotee. He attended Sai Baba’s November 1991 combination birthday celebration, inauguration of the new hospital, and educational convocation,”
It felt that Sai Baba movement may “likely to eventually become another worldwide religion”, and author ended “There is always the possibility, too, that the movement will collapse if Sai Baba is convincingly demonstrated to be a fraud.”
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