SATHYA SAI BABA BLUNDERS INTO POLITICAL MINEFIELD WITH TALK OF 'SIN'   Date: 02-18-07 By: Exbaba Admin Sathya Sai Baba's latest political foray is calling it a sin that there should be a new, independent Telangana State (which once was an Indian State and which suffers economically from its depependency to Andhra Pradesh authorities, especially in the matter of water supplies which Telanganan claim have been diverted from them . The ares is very poor, mostly agricultural (see http://www.telangana.com/aboutus.htm). This just shows how little he cares for the wishes of the poor and low-caste, discriminated peoples in his own area (which includes much of the Rayalaseema area) Sai Baba is known as a keen supporter of India's caste system. Two political parties in AP - the TVS and the BJP support the separation of Telangana from Andhra. His gauche authoritarianism and political meddling has landed him in hot water in his home state, Andhra Pradesh. He was told flatly by Union Minister K. Chandra Sekhar Rao - a frequent visitor to Sai Baba - to "limit his business to giving religious discourses and tending to devotees. “Otherwise, he should quit religion and join politics,” Rao said." (Hindustan Times) and "Congress MP Madhu Yakshi Goud echoed similar sentiments too. She asked what Sai Baba was doing when people were dying of fluorosis in Telangana for ages? Revolutionary poet and Maoist sympathiser Gaddar also asked Sai Baba to “shut up”. Sai Baba's political meddling was unpopular not only with some students and members of the Telangana Vidyarthi Sangham (TVS) - who burned his effigy and torn down posters of him at the Sivam temple (the local outfit of Sai Baba situated near Osmania University) but also with prominent politicians, such as the Congress Party general secretary Digvijay Singh. "TDP leader Ch Rajeswara Rao expressed surprise at Sai Baba’s comments. He said that the division of the state does not come under ‘Papam or Punyam’ but it was necessary to take his observations in the proper spirit without turning emotional." Cong ignores Sai Baba's remarks Times of India, India - Jan 24, 2007 NEW DELHI: Congress on Wednesday sought to ignore the remarks of Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi opposing creation of a separate Telangana state carved out of ... Protest against Sai Baba for opposing separate Telangana (Click here if not available) Indian Muslims, CA - Jan 23, 2007 Hyderabad, Jan 22 (IANS) Protesting the remarks of spiritual guru Satya Sai Baba here Monday opposing a separate Telangana state, people went on a rampage TRS cries hoarse over Sai Baba's Telangana stance Times of India, India - Jan 23, 2007 HYDERABAD: A recent statement on Telangana allegedly made by Satya Sai Baba in Chennai has generated a controversy with activists of the Telangana Rashtra ... KCR condemns Sai Baba's Anti-Telangana comments Andhra Cafe, India - Jan 21, 2007 Better Sai Baba to confine himself to religious activities and keep away from politics. If interested, he is welcome to join politics. Can Sai Baba see ... Sai Baba lands in a Telangana row CNN-IBN CNN-IBN, India - Jan 23, 2007 New Delhi: A remark attributed to Sri Satya Sai Baba, in which he apparently said that any attempt to create a Telangana state by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh ... Telangana activists upset with Sai Baba Hindustan Times, India - Jan 22, 2007 She asked what Sai Baba was doing when people were dying of flurosis in Telangana for ages? Revolutionary poet and Maoist sympathiser Gaddar also asked Sai ...