Dhanya Rajendran and Sameera Ahmed | The News Minute | January 28, 2015 | 07.00 pm IST
IAS officer C Umashankar from Tamil Nadu has been in the midst of controversy after the state government issued him a notice restricting him from preaching and propagating religion, which could thereby create communal tension.
However, apart from his religious preaching not much attention has been given to the IAS officer’s expertise as a self-styled miracle healer and his controversial statements at some of the meetings he takes part in.
The government which in a written directive by TN Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan warned the civil servant against taking part in seven prayer meetings scheduled in January in the state, has courted trouble over his alleged religious “preaching and propagating” activities.
Umashankar who is popular in religious circles for his strongly-worded sermons, is also famous for his alleged healing technique.
He has told the media, including The News Minute that he delivered Jesus' message and many people have got cured of many ailments, including cancer.
So does his 'healing miracle' not amount to quackery? He replied, “ How can I be called a quack. Forget money, I don't even take any offering that a patient may give even if they are cured."
“I heal many people. I have healed people in Mumbai and Pune recently. When I was in Kuwait, I was taken to the houses of two people. One woman had arthritis, the other, a man, had spondilytis”
He says that both of them were cured, but he did not take any offerings from them. "This is just another allegation without basis,
In an age of spiritual gurus and yoga men proclaiming cures for regular ailments, the only difference between them which has sparked controversy is Umashankar’s position as a civil servant.
However, on being asked if being an IAS officer made it even more easier for gullible people to believe anything he spoke, he said,” If they believe me because I'm an IAS officer, its all for the better. I have been specially anointed by Jesus,” he said.
His premonition about disasters, especially his claims that he knew floods will ravage Uttarakhand has been a point of debate, especially on social media. Umashankar says his preaching is meant only for Christians and since he talks about the world's end, people of other religions will not understand his preaching. He said that the 9/11 attacks in America was a representation of the ‘spiritual Babylon’. A biblical concept, the mystery of Babylon is believed to be a representation of defilement of everything holy.
A man who went on record post the Uttarakhand floods claiming to have prophesied the 2013 tragedy, he said that the devastating floods were an effect of the same biblical concept acting against the Hindus of India for all their misdeeds. “The next big disaster will be against the Christians in India, I am not scared to say that,” he says vehemently.
While publicly propagating Christianity, Umashankar has been accused time and again of denigrating other religions. However, according to him, he says it only because it is the truth.
“I speak what Jesus has said. He has said that he knew the way to heaven and hell. Jesus has said that salvation is only through him. Other religions may think I am speaking against them, but I am speaking about Jesus and that is meant only for Christians."
Umashankar maintains the government is targeting him only because he is preaching Christianity. "When I was Thiruvavrur collector, I ensured that the temple pond was saved from becoming a dumping place. No chariot procession used to take place without Collector. No one objected my interference in religious doings then, why now," he asks.