That wasn't me in the video: Nithyananda
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Self-styled spiritual healer plays minority card, says sleaze video morphed
Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: Addressing his first-ever press conference after he was arrested on charges of rape by the Karnataka police in April last year, self-styled spiritual healer Nithyananda said on Tuesday he was not in the sex video featuring him and a Tamil actress.
The media briefing, which was also attended by several of his diehard devotees, was held at his Bidadi ashram.
Speaking on his behalf, Swami Nithyananda’s advocate K.V. Dhananjay described the video that sparked the entire controversy, which eventually led to the godman’s arrest, as a piece of “extraordinary digital manipulation” representing the “finest Hollywood morphing techniques”.
Criticises FSL
Mr. Dhananjay claimed the video had been analysed by experts in the U.S., who had found several inconsistencies and fabrications in it.
He also rubbished the findings of the Forensic Science Lab in Hyderabad which concluded that the person in the video was indeed Nithyananda.
Mr. Dhananjay also pointed out that the sleaze video, which triggered the controversy, was never used by the police as evidence in court.
“They released it only to the media,” he said.
‘Breach of privacy’
Swami Nithyananda also sought to know how another video, showing him being interrogated by the police, found its way out and appeared on the internet and on TV. “It is a breach of privacy of the worst order,” he said, blaming the police for the leak.
Claiming that he was persecuted owing to pressure from “some very powerful people”, Swami Nithyananda said: “I am the head of a minority religious group, which is ideologically different from other mainstream Hindu groups. That is why I have been persecuted.”
Without divulging any names, he also alleged that he was blackmailed by certain people and that Rs. 100 crore was demanded from him.
Police excesses
Lashing out at the police for “falsely framing” him, the swami said: “I was charged with rape without even a complaint to that effect. They first arrested me, slapped charges of rape and then started looking for the victim.
Such a thing has never happened in India.”
Pointing out other alleged police excesses, he said Nithyananda Dhyanpeetham Trust’s accounts were frozen illegally.
“I had not been charged with any financial crime. How could they freeze my accounts?” He also charged the police with highhandedness and said that they refused to admit cases or take preventive action when his devotees were being attacked and his ashrams were being plundered by mobs.
Not male, not female
Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: Claiming to have transcended beyond the earthly moorings, self-proclaimed godman Nithyananda said: “I am beyond the limitations of male and female.”
He told the press conference he was persistently questioned about his gender and sexuality by the police. “I told them that I don’t know the meaning of ‘potency’ and ‘impotency’. I am physically, intellectually and spiritually beyond all that.”
He also termed as “an insult to ancient Vedic traditions” the police claim that his healing involved mesmerism and hypnosis.
The Hindu, 2 February 2011; Times of India, 2 February 2011: Two different News headlines from two print media giants has exposed the yellow journalism existing in mainstream media.
2011-04-27