Satya Sai Trusts assurances fall flat

PUTTAPARTI (Anantapur): Satya Sai Central Trust had, on several occasions, dismissed several speculations on why Yajurveda Mandiram was not being opened and assured repeatedly that all was well and if the doors were opened, it would be done in the presence of revenue and police officials, members of Satya Sai Baba’s family and the media.But on Thursday, when the doors of Yajruveda Mandiram, the abode of Satya Sai, were opened, none of the assurances was kept.Only trust members and two retired judges were present.No district administration or pol ice official , leave alone mediapersons, was present.Questions are now being asked about lack of transparency in the functioning of Satya Sai Central Trust.Questions are also being raised as to why the relatives of Satya Sai, except Ratnakar, were not allowed inside the building.Even Baba’s grand niece Chittemma had been kept in the dark about the unlocking of Baba’s residence. Though the trust appeals to people not to have any misgivings on the Yajurveda Mandiram, its way of functioning gives rise to the same suspicions and misconceptions.In the words of PN Bhagwati, trust board member and former chief justice of India, the reopening of the Mandiram in the presence of all trust members is justified and can be considered transparent as per the constitution.ANANTAPUR: Sri Satya Saibaba’s dream project `Vidya Vahini’ aimed at providing quality education to rural children was launched in Chandranagar in Nandigama mandal in Krishna district on Friday.The project, to which industrialist Ratan Tata came forward to fund, was announced by Saibaba on his birthday last year, for improving rural education.The project was formally launched by Vidya Vahini state incharge PRK Prasad, in the school run by Saibaba devotee Tirupathaiah, in Chandranagar.Meanwhile, Ratan Tata, came to Puttaparthy by a special helicopter on Friday afternoon. He drove straight to Santhi Bhavan and later had the darshan of Baba’s Mahasamadhi at Sai Kulwant hall.Before leaving Puttaparthy, Ratan went to Yajur mandir where he spent some time with the trust members.Several eyebrows were raised over Ratan Tata visiting Yajur mandir while counting of currency and gold ornaments was on.It may noted that the trust member Ratnakar declared the details of the cash, gold and silver ornaments in the Yajur mandir, just after Ratan Tata left.Several questions have been raised whether Ratan Tata’s visit to Yajur mandir now is accidental or preplanned.