Ramanathan Threatens Barry Pittard With Law

 

Topic: Ramanathan Threatens Barry Pittard With Law

Posted: Barry Pittard, Australia, April 4, 2003

Email: bpittard@beachaccess.com.au

Sent to: www.exbaba.com

Ref: See also my next posting for today's date

Dear All,

Just after 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, I rang the Chairman of the Sai Org. in Australia, Sri T. Ramanathan. He had left a message on my answering machine. I asked him how he had got my phone number, and he said, from Prasad's Motel, in Adelaide, South Australia, where the Sai National Conference has been resheduled, after the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, having investigated the extensive documentation sent to him by the Australian former devotee Expose, cancelled the conference venue.  

Much to my pleasure (especially, since I am a disability support pensioner with no private means), he has threatened me with the law. At different stages, sometimes repeating himself, he said, "You are going around ringing up everybody."  "You are phoning everybody."  "You are hurting people."  "You are harrassing and intimidating."  The "everybody" of course can only refer, in reality, to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor James McWha, the South Australian Premier's Office, the South Australian Archbishop's private secretary, the Adelaide Lord Mayor, and the state's premier newspaper The Advertiser

He said that his reason for contacting me was because he remembered me "as a good person" and "as a good fellow" and that it would be a kind thing for him to let me know, giving me a "fair warning not to proceed further with all these things that you are putting about."

In a conversation that lasted about three quarters of an hour, I let him do most of the talking. (It is wonderful to watch pearls of wisdom cascade lustrously). He said that the only issue was "Swami's glory," and that I was clouding the issue when I suggested that any organisation, including his, is wise to have a workable complaints mechanism, otherwise unaddressed grievances are bound to create problems.  He said "I have only one simple mechanism which I have applied down the years" which is to deal with such matters, as he was dealing with this one with me, personally.  There was no need, he said, for such a mechanism in the Sai Organisation, which is "special and different to any other organisation."  It was, he said, a divine organisation. I suggested to him that we could consider having a meeting, perhaps mediated by an independent professional mediator, so that he and his people and some former devotees, including families with concerns, could bring matters into open discussion in a proper process.  He said that my thinking was "clouded" here, and that the one issue was "Swami's glory. There is no other issue."  I then asked him did he accept that former devotees making the various allegations are responsible people well regarded in their professions, trades and wider communities.  He tried to lead away, but I pinned him down, saying "Just a moment, sir, do you consider that they are not coming from integrity? He replied, "No, I am not denying. What I am saying is that Swami's glory has nothing to do with all of this. You are confusing all this."

At one stage, quite apropos of nothing, he said, "We are all democratic. Swami's leaders are appointed democratically."  For once, words failed me!

Of course, I took notes, and towards the end told him that I had done so, and asked if he would like a copy, so that nothing may be misreported.  He said "No. I do not want that.  It is not necessary."  I said that I would much appreciate a letter from him stating what he had told me in our phone conversation.  He said that he would do this. I gave him a forwarding address, which he wrote down.  I then asked him did he think that what he says I have been doing (that is relating the allegations to "everybody") was a crime.  He said, "Yes, it is a crime. You are hurting people, and we will not allow it. You have to stop it. I am giving you a chance, or we will go to the law." At an earlier point, he had asked me point blank if I will  desist, but I move the topic sideways, and didn't reply.

Quite a bit of Ramanathan's time was spent regaling me in what he sees as Sai Baba miracles, such as the materialisation of two lost diaries (one with his University of Sydney's student results and the other with Sai Organisation business), and the materialisation of an air ticket which he had lost in Kuala Lumpur only for it to be materialised in his Bangalore hotel, and a cassette which wouldn't come out of his machine that miraculously extracted and was found lying on the table by the time he woke up in the morning. 

Saint Ramanthan would have gone on ... BUT lo! - a heavensent visitor miraculously materialised at my door! 

Barry Pittard

See also Sai Baba Hospital soliciting for funds