Puttaparthi observes shutdown against Sathaya Sai trust
Saturday June 25, 2011 03:13:23 PM,
IANS
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Hyderabad:
Traders in the pilgrim town of Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh’s
Anantapur district Saturday observed a shutdown to protest the
alleged irregularities committed by the Sathya Sai Central Trust
members.
Shops and business establishments were voluntarily closed in the
town as dozens of traders took out a rally, demanding the state
government take over the trust in view of the allegations against
trust members.
Holding placards and raising slogans, the protestors demanded the
trust members come clean in view of the allegations that they are
involved in misappropriation of money and valuables belonging to
the trust.
As police intensified the probe into seizure of huge cash from a
car last week, anger is sweeping among the business community in
the town over the alleged acts of omission and commission by the
trust.
Trust member and late Sathya Sai Baba’s nephew R.J. Ratnakar is to
appear before police later in the day while another member, V.
Srinivasan, is likely to be quizzed Monday.
The police issued notices to two of the trust members after three
people arrested with Rs.35.5 lakh on July 19 revealed they were
transporting the cash from Puttaparthi to Bangalore on the
instruction of the trust members.
Worried over the impact the controversies may have on their
business, the traders are demanding that the government take over
the trust, which manages the vast empire of Sai Baba.
The devotees, including the business community in Puttaparthi,
want an administrative body on the lines of Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanam (TTD) to run the empire.
Taking a serious note of the goings on, the government June 22
sought a detailed report from the trust on its activities, its
future programmes, assets and financial matters.
The government is also considering withdrawal of several
exemptions enjoyed by the trust under the Endowment Act for last
35 years.
The trust, which runs educational and healthcare facilities in
Puttaparthi, other parts of Anantapur, Bangalore and schools in
various countries, has been facing series of allegations after the
demise of Sathya Sai Baba April 24.
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