Why does Sanatan Ashram Ponda not allow journalists

The entry to Sanatan Ashram Ponda is said to be open to all. All are invited to visit the main ashram of Sanatan Sanstha. However, we are asked to keep a special lookout for journalists. Journalists who visit the ashram without informing us generally do not write positively about us. They are always on the lookout for some sensational news. After all, they are always demeaning Hindu religion and generally do not write anything positive about Dr Jayant Athavale.

Sanatan Ashram Ponda hides several secrets

Sanatan Ashram Ponda has several secrets that it does not want the public to see. It needs to control the information flow about the ashram, the activities going on inside and some of its occupants. Normal visitors; visitors who come to meet their relatives under the mind control of Sanatan Sanstha or visitors coming out of curiosity, are handled differently. They are given a well-defined tour of the ashram by a trained sadhak. Controversial locations are avoided and the sadhak bombards the visitors with sublime messages. These messages are intended to capture their mind and attack the sub-conscious mind. They generally ask harmless questions.

Journalists are a different breed altogether. We are trained to identify and isolate them. I have handled such instances during my seva at the swagat kaksh of Sanatan Ashram Ponda. Red lights go off whenever we detect such visitors. They are handled by very senior sadhaks and if they appear to be troublesome, they are immediately asked to leave the premises. Stories are also planted in the social media like Twitter.com and Facebook.com and print media. Dainik Sanatan Prabhat also highlights such intrusive visits. Sanatan Sanstha plays the role of the underdog to the full. The sadhaks all react with horror on hearing such stories.

Now, when I am free, relatively speaking, from the mind control tactics of Sanatan Sanstha, I realize the futility of such measures.

Cupboard of secrets in Sanatan Ashram Ponda

Agreed that Sanatan Ashram Ponda has several cupboards full of secrets. Most of the occupants are not aware of most of them. Hiding a fugitive from law enforcement agencies is only a small secret. Several secrets are more damaging. The point is that Sanatan Sanstha can devise a different manner to handle journalist visits. They can turn the visit into an opportunity.

Come to think of it, they really turn the visit into an opportunity. They are not targeting the outside public; that is handled by the sadhaks during the prachar seva. They are targeting the minds of the sadhaks and create an impression about oppression, first to the Hindu Dharma and our way of life. Then, they focus on Sanatan Sanstha and Sanatan Ashram Ponda. The real purpose of the visit is forgotten by everybody, we start believing in the lies spread by Sanatan and Dr Jayant Athavale turns our mind against media.

We lose ourselves into the truthfulness of Sanatan. The outside world is a dangerous world and only Sanatan Sanstha can protect us. We are safe only if we remain inside Sanatan Ashram Ponda.

How does Sanatan Sanstha handle criticisms

A spiritual organization like Sanatan Sanstha should not be bothered about criticisms. We are taught to let go of our ego during the personality defect removal process or PDR. Yet, Sanatan is very sensitive towards any negative publicity.

Sanatan Sanstha tackles negativity

Sanatan Sanstha uses two methods to tackle negative stories. It uses social media very effectively, it has well-maintained accounts on Twitter as well as Facebook. These accounts are used to tweet, retweet or post spirituality related news and announcements. Negative comments are handled by the sadhaks, they use multiple accounts and bombard such comments. They also retweet very aggressively. The commentator is bombarded with negative comments and name calling. These sadhaks cannot be traced back to Sanatan Sanstha. The media wing is very active in this regard. The first line of defense is to call such a person anti-Hindu, Hindu hater, and similar words. That is the reason we do not see any real experiences from real persons. I have built up the strength to write, I am also using Twitter.com to show the world what Sanatan really stands for.  I am not promoting my blog; I don’t want to sell anything and I am definitely not anti-Hindu. I support spirituality; in fact, I ran away to Dr Jayant Athavale to get spiritual knowledge.

The social media route in one way to stifle negative news. It is used extensively by commercial organizations. Spiritual organizations should not use it; in fact, they don’t require it. A person should be able to handle such criticisms proactively. The reason Sanatan Sanstha cannot digest negativity is because it is not a spiritual organization. It has a hidden agenda and that agenda is not related to Hindu Dharma or Hindu Rashtra. It is connected directly with the aspirations of Dr Jayant Athavale.

Legal notices by Sanatan Sanstha

Sanatan uses a very traditional method to stifle media and its critics. It slaps legal notices on such organizations and individuals. The compensation demanded is quite large and many individuals cannot even dream of such sums of money. They prefer to withdraw their remarks and offer an apology to Sanatan Sanstha. Organizations are similarly targeted. Defamation cases can be filed anywhere, Sanatan uses this lacuna to flood anyone with litigation.

In spite of all such strong-arm tactics, most of the media organizations carry on their work and give a factual report. Many individuals also carry on their fight; many times their personal fight. A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in Bombay High Court by four different families containing serious allegations.

Why does Sanatan resort to such strong-arm tactics to silence its critics? Does a spiritual organization require such tactics? Why cannot it handle criticisms? Maybe, because they are true. And the sanstha and Dr Jayant Athavale knows that if they are exposed for what they really are, the sadhaks will leave them.

It seems to be happening. It is only a small tickle, but I can see the small tickle. A small tickle can easily convert into a torrent. Nothing can stop it; nothing should stop it. People will realize the truth of Sanatan Sanstha and leave it; whether government bans it or not.