Scribes seek probe into Baba criticism by press council

 

Date: 07-31-02

From: Express News Service. Anantapur. July, 1993

Anantapur District Journalists' Union (ADJU) at its emergent meeting here on Monday passed an unanimous resolution requesting the Press Council of India to inquire into the criticism of Sri Sathya Sai Baba against the Press for publishing news items and special articles on the June 6 incident that occurred in Prashanthi Nilayam in which six persons were killed.
It may be recalled that Sai Baba in a scathing attack on the media on Saturday said, "all arguments and theories carried in the newspapers for the past four weeks are nothing but flights of imagination and are false." Baba also said such reports were motivated and called them "malicious".
The meeting adopted an unanimous resolution "disapproving" of the Baba's criticism against the media and sought the Press Council's intervention to inquire and take action if the journalists had acted with any "malice".
Besides the meeting also posed some questions to Sai Baba requesting him to give personal replies.

The questions asked are:

When six persons were killed in Prashanthi Nilayam why none from the Prashanthi Nilayam organisation had lodged a complaint with the police?
Where was Sri Baba after the incident on June 6 till the next morning? During the period who met him and what did they discuss with him. Did Sai Baba himself press the siren button?
There is a widespread opinion that the four slain assailants were shot dead by the police only at the instance of some persons belonging to the Prashanthi Nilayam management. How far is it correct?
Why was the Sri Sathya Sai World Trust abolished? Why was it decentralised?
Will you publish a White Paper on the present properties, including cash assets in the name of various Sri Sai Trusts?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment by Robert Priddy:

The Press Council did not condemn any Anantapur journalists.
Sai Baba did not deign to answer a single question put to him.
He was never questioned about his role in the incident by the police, the CBI nor anyone else. 
What, then is the answer to the questions put to SB by the Anantapur District Journalists' Union?