A representative of rape-accused self-proclaimed godman Nithyananda was invited to a high-profile Diwali party at the Parliament of the United Kingdom earlier in October. Nithya Atmadayananda, a UK delegate of Nithyananda, attended the party at the invitation of two senior Conservatives, The Observer reported. At the event organised by the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) in the Cholmondeley Room in the House of Lords, a commemorative brochure given out to attendees included a full-page advertisement promoting Nithyananda’s organisation Kailasa UK.
Nithyananda’s supporter Atmadayananda was invited to the party by Conservative MP Bob Blackman and member of the House of Lords Rami Ranger. Blackman is also chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus. Nithyananda is wanted by the Karnataka Police in a rape case. He is also wanted by the Gujarat Police in a child abduction case. He is believed to have left India and established his ashram in a place he calls Kailasa, the location of which is unclear.
Kailasa UK, also known as the Nithyananda Meditation Academy UK, is a registered charity, according to The Telegraph. Its advertisement was carried in the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB)’s brochure alongside messages of support for HFB from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Home Secretary Priti Patel and current Home Secretary Suella Braverman, The Telegraph reported.
Ranger has claimed he was unaware of Nithyananda and his organisation, and that he only facilitated the hosting of the event by the HFB in his official capacity. “I do not know Kailasa or this person. If I had known I would never have attended an event where such unsavoury characters were being promoted,” he reportedly said. The Hindu Forum of Britain, however, continued to support its invitation and the organisation. HFB president Trupti Patel claimed that “[as] far as we know this organisation has carried out good work to serve the community and has contributed positively in this country,” The Telegraph reported. She supported the advertisement too, saying there was no reason not to accept it.
Nithyananda is accused of raping a woman disciple for nearly five years during her stay in his Bengaluru ashram. While the case was registered in 2010, the trial began in 2018. Nithyananda was arrested and later released on bail. He has failed to respond to all the summons issued against him since 2019, and in his absence, the trial has stalled during the last three years. In 2020, his bail was cancelled following a petition by the complainant, his former driver Lenin, saying Nithyananda had fled the country.
In 2019, his ashram in Gujarat was raided by the police over child abduction allegations. Police freed three minors (a boy and two girls), who alleged that they were verbally abused, beaten and forced to do child labour at the ashram.