Press Release

[Guest guest]

Issued in Public Interest by the Manager,

Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam,

Kancheepuram

with the support of the devotees

from all over the world.

 

 

 

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1. What is the truth about the real wealth of the Kanchi Mutt? Is it

15,000 crores, 10,000 crores or 5,000 crores?

 

Various TV Channels, and Newspapers have reported that Sri Kanchi

Kamakoti Peetam is worth Rs. 14,000 crores, Rs. 10,000 crores, Rs.

1000 crores and so on. We too wish they were true, but the reality is

different. The Mutt essentially comprises of itself, its branches and

a few Trusts which are directly controlled by it. Most of the other

Trusts are independently run and funds, activity and investments are

managed by them. The Mutt has no say in these Trusts and their

accounts are not consolidated with the Mutt.

The Mutt does not have any access to their funds and cannot draw

anything from

their resources.

 

The landed estates of the Mutt have been gifted to it over several

generations by Royalty and Devotees and the several endowments

created by them for specific purposes continue to remain. If the loan

taken by Kanchi Kamakoti Sankara Hospital (Rs. 64.98 crores) is taken

into account, the residual cash, bank balances and investments of the

Mutt are too meagre even to warrant a mention. The Mutt runs with

Kanikkai (contributions) from the devotees and the accounts are

professionally audited and the returns filed with Income Tax

Department and estate accounts filed regularly with HRCE Department

of the Tamil Nadu Government.

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2. Why are people making allegations about misconduct by His Holiness?

 

A writer, Ms. Anuradha Ramanan has claimed that she was victimized by

the Seer. Frankly, we are shocked and disgusted by such slander. Why

would some one, that too a prolific writer with the power of the pen,

who claims to have been victimised in 1992, come out with the

allegation now? Why was she silent for 12 long years? Who is behind

her disclosure now? Why did she preside over the function at the

Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital on 01.08.2003, if she had such

ill feeling towards the Acharya and the Mutt? We ourselves would like

answers to these questions.

 

In another instance, the police claimed that a 'deserted woman' Usha

staying at Srirangam used to converse with His Holiness regularly and

that she was provided with free quarters to stay. Substantial sums of

money had been transferred to her through bank. Smt Usha a cancer

patient who has undergone 130 chemotherapy sessions, appeared before

the police on 30.11.2004 on her own volition and submitted all bank

accounts and medical records. Dinamalar dated 2.12.2004 reports that

she was interrogated and after receiving her explanations she was

released. Smt. Usha is not the only cancer patient who has received

such help. The Sri Matha Trust run under the auspices of the Mutt

provides free accommodation, and food not only to the patients

seeking admission to Cancer Institute Adyar, but also to their close

relatives/attendants.

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3. Media has been publishing and telecasting news that the Swamiji

has confessed. What is the truth?

" His Holiness says this is totally untrue" On 29.11.2004 the

prosecution claimed that His Holiness has confessed and they have it

on video tape. The claim of confession of His Holiness, as stated in

the High Court, is only the statement of the senior counsel, on

instruction during the proceedings and is, significantly not found in

the counter affidavit filed by the government in the high court. Smt.

Sushma Swaraj, MP, the three supreme court advocates and the manager

of the Mutt, who met the Swamiji in Vellore prison on different dates

have confirmed that the Swamiji denied having made any confession.

 

Remember that two people who were part of the 'clinching evidence' of

the prosecution retracted their statements in the open court. They

clearly declared that it was under extreme physical torture and abuse

that they had implicated His Holiness in the case. The attempt now

seems to be, to convict him in the media.

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4. What is the Mutt's answer regarding the allegation on Cellphones

usage?

 

Police claimed that they have a pattern series of telephone calls

between the Swamiji and the henchmen and his associates on the day

prior to the murder and after the murder. It was later modified and

represented by the police in the court that the cell phone did not

belong to the Swamiji but it was the manager of the Mutt who owned

the cell phone.

 

The Mutt further confirmed that the cell phone referred to did not

belong to the manager. The police then claimed that this is not the

stage that further details can be disclosed in the matter.

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5. What about huge cash withdrawals from the bank accounts of the

Mutt? Where did the money go?

 

The prosecution charged that huge cash withdrawals were made from the

Mutt's bank accounts to pay the ransom to the alleged killers of

Sankara Raman. From ICICI Bank to Indian Bank to ICICI Bank Account

of an Individual, prosecution has been shifting stance. THE TRUTH IS,

THERE WAS NO WITHDRAWAL AS ALLEGED.

 

Here is the summary of the bank accounts of the Mutt for the period

April 2004 to September 2004.

 

 

Sr.

No. Date Cheque

No. Amount

(Rs.) Details

1 02.04.2004 852068 30,000 Imprest

2 24.05.2004 277873 90,000 Jankalyan Trust

3 28.05.2004 277898 31,885 Redeposited next day

4 30.06.2004 280765 34,285 Salary

5 20.07.2004 281500 1,00,000 Expenses & VidwatSambhavna for 70th

Jayanthi

6 29.07.2004 278840 5,00,000 Expenses & Vidwat Sambhavna for 70th

Jayanthi

7 31.07.2004 278847 32,135 Salary

8 03.08.2004 278853 40,000 Advaitha Sabha Suspence a/c returned (cash

against cheque)

9 02.09.2004 297237 39,185 Salary

 

NOTE : Out of total amount of Rs.6,00,000/- withdrawn on 20.7.2004 &

29.7.2004, a sum of Rs.5,99,107/- was paid as SAMBHAVANA TO VEDIC

PUNDITS GODHANAM & OTHER EXPENSES ON THE OCCASION OF BHIMARATHA

SHANTI (70TH BIRTHDAY). The balance of Rs.893/- was redeposited into

the account.

 

In addition to the above account, five trust accounts are operated by

the Srikaryam & the Manager of the Mutt as Authorised Signatories.

There are no cash withdrawals from the five trust accounts from 1st

April 2004 till 30th September 2004.

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6. There is a charge that Gold collected for the Kamakshi Amman

temple was misappropriated. The entire quantity collected was not

used. Where has the balance gold gone?

 

The charge by Sankara Raman that 100 kgs of gold were imported to

make a gold chariot for Kanchi Kamakshi deity. and only 35 kgs were

used while the remaining went missing, was re-iterated by the police

in the high court for probe.

 

Here are the facts.

 

Sri. Adi Sankarar Swarna Vimana Trust with registered office at VHS

Campus, Chennai 600 113 was entrusted with the Gold cladding work of

Sri Adi Sankarar Vimanam, Sri Kamakshi Ambal Vimanam and Simha

Vahanam. The board of trustees of this trust comprised of eminent

persons. The gold cladding work was done on copper sections by the

conventional methods of beating gold strips into foils and pasting

the gold foils over mercury base, heating and polishing. The entire

gold plating work was completed and handed over to the authorities of

Sri Kamakshi Ambal Devasthanam, Kanchipuram as per the details given

below.

 

The trust imported 85.31 kgs of Gold (and not 100 kgs as alleged)

comprising of Gold bars 71.31 kgs, Biscuits 14.00 kgs.

 

This was used as follows:

1. Sri Adi Sankarar Vimanam 21.875 kgs

2. Sri Kamakshi Ambal Vimanam - upper portion 5.996 kgs

3. Sri Kamakshi Ambal Vimanam - lower portion 41.411 kgs

4. Sri Kamakshi Ambal Kavacham 7.495 kgs

5. Rajagopuram Kalasam 3.932 kgs

6. Simha Vahanam 4.430 kgs

Total 85.139 kgs

 

The balance gold of 171 gms has been duly accounted.

 

The full description of the various kanikkais together with the

receipt numbers are recorded in the register maintained by the temple

trust. These accounts have been verified by the HR&CE department of

the government from time to time.

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7. Had the Swamiji planned to escape to Nepal?

 

The police claimed that a helicopter was hired from Pune and was kept

ready at the Hyderabad airport and it was intended to go to

Mehboobnagar. The helicopter, the police further claimed, was

procured by the friend of the millowner at whose premises

Chandramouleeswara pooja was performed by the Swamiji.

 

The prosecution did a somersault and stated that at no point of time

it has alleged that the Swamiji would flee along with his commandos

and stated that it was for the Swamiji to escape that a helicopter

was stationed at Hyderabad with flight schedule for Mehboobnagar. To

quote TVR Shenoy from The Indian Express, Mumbai dated December 2,

2004. "HAL's Advanced Light Helicopter, Dhruv has a range of only 660

km. I am told the Pentagon has some choppers in its arsenal which can

do about 700 km, and farther still with the addition of a fifth fuel

tank." With this speed it would require about 12 hours to reach Nepal

and a minimum of 5 refuelling stops. Would it ever be possible to

escape like this? The Swamiji's Travel programmes are always posted

in the official website of the Mutt www.kamakoti.org and every one

has access to it.

 

The Swamiji is a `Z' category security person surrounded all times by

commandos/policemen on duty.

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8. Who is Sankara Raman? What is his connection with the Mutt? What

was his conflict with the swamiji? What had he written in his

letters? Why was he killed?

 

First. Sankara Raman was never an employee of the Mutt as it is made

out to be. He was an employee of a temple in Kanchipuram at the time

of his death. Sankara Raman wrote several letters to His Holiness

over the last several years accusing the Swamiji and several others

of various acts of omission and commission, to put it mildly.

 

He marked copies of several of his letters to the CM, the leader of

the opposition , HRCE Department and several other prominent citizens

and devotees. Every one just ignored the letters as those of a

disgruntled black mailer who was threatening to 'expose' the two

Swamijis & The Mutt. These letters were being freely circulated by

Sankara Raman. In one of his letters he claims that he was a man of

average means and that 'some kind hearted man' was paying for the

mass copying and postage of the letters.

 

We cannot speculate as to why he was killed or who was involved. The

only thing we believe unequivocally, is that His Holiness is being

falsely implicated in this.

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9. Who is Radhakrishnan? What is his relationship with the Mutt? Why

was he attacked? Who attacked him? Why is the Swamiji implicated in

this?

 

Radharishnan is a former associate of the Mutt, and has his own

business. In 1994 when it was discovered that he was involved in a

malicious defamation campaign against the Mutt, he was relieved of

his services. He was one of the trustees of the Sri. Adi Sankara

trust, for the golden chariot for Kamakshi Amman. The case about an

attack on Radhakrishnan is 2 years and 3 months old. In the FIR filed

in this case neither the Mutt nor Swamiji were mentioned.

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10. If the Mutt is not so rich, how can you afford to pay for such a

huge advertisement? Who is paying for this advertisement?

 

This advertisement is appearing in media through the kind courtesy of

several of our devotees all over the world who are keen to see that a

2500 year old heritage is not destroyed by scandalous media. In this

hour of all out assault on the Mutt, It requires large infusion of

funds to defend itself and provide the truth and right perspective to

all concerned. The Mutt has appealed to its devotees and to all

Indians to contribute their might to support it to tide over this

crisis.

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11. So much is claimed about the Mutt's various religious, cultural

& social welfare activities? What exactly are they? How are they

Managed?

 

A quick glimpse at the activities and achievements of the Mutt in the

last 51 years is a testimony to some one who has been called "The

21st Century Jagadguru" Be it in the field of Education, Vedic

Research, Healthcare, Social Welfare or Religion, The Acharya has

created enduring institutions that will serve people for several

generations.

 

Education

Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Vishwa Maha Vidyalaya at Enathur near

Kanchipuram is a Deemed University. This institution seeks to revive

Kanchi's reputation as a 'seat of learning'. An Ayurvedic College

devoted to Indian medicine forms part of the Vishwa Mahavidyalaya.

 

Vedic Education and support

Vedal Patashala located on the Bangalore Highway is perhaps the

largest patashala in the world and teaches all the four Vedas.

Similarly, Agama Patashalas and Silpa Patashalas give a fillip to

temple design and architecture.

 

Healthcare

The Mutt's foray into Healthcare truly reflects the Acharya's

Compassion, Care and Commitment to serving the ailing, poor and

needy. The Kanchi Kamakoti Sankara Hospital, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS

Trust Hospital, Sankara Dev Netralaya, Guwahati, Sri Mata Trust are

just a few of the shining examples. 1,75,928 patients were treated

free of cost at the Kanchi Kamakoti Sankara Hospital, since

commissioning in May 2003.

 

At the instance of the Acharya, the Mutt stepped in at the right time

to help the CHILDS Trust hospital to recover from its financial

troubles. Because of professional management provided, the CHILDS

Trust Hospital has not only turned around but is also one of the

finest paediatric hospitals in the country serving young children who

need specialist medical help. About one lakh children receive

treatment at this hospital every year. Sri Mata Trust is a unique

organisation that supports poor cancer patients and their

relatives/attendants with shelter and food during the treatment

period. Sankara Dev Netralaya started at Guwahati is an exemplary eye

care institution and the only one of its kind in the North Eastern

part of the Country.

 

Renovating old temples and consecrating new ones

The Acharya has performed countless number of Kumbabhishekams to

revive old temples and consecrate new ones. (The number could be well

over 6,000 in the last 50 years)

 

Social and Humanitarian Services

At His guidance, several homes for the aged, the destitute and the

needy are run under the auspices of the Mutt. There are Old Age Homes

in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, UP & MP. His Holiness is known for His

support of the Goshalas and there are many which are run in Tamil

Nadu and in the North.

 

Encouraging culture, arts, science, and public service

The Kanchi Mutt has had a long tradition of supporting the arts and

encouraging artists from all the fields. In keeping with this

tradition, the Acharya has instituted several awards.

 

Saint of the masses

The Acharya has travelled more than a million kilometres on foot

reaching more than 3000 villages and small towns. He has been one of

the first ones to reach areas hit by natural calamities like floods

and earthquakes with help for the affected. He has always lead a very

simple life with minimal needs. This simple, selfless Saint of the

masses is facing an outrageous charge. Such a charge is directed

against the very Acharya whose compassion has reached millions with

His helping hand. It is indeed the darkest hour for His devotees and

those interested in following the tenets of Hindu Dharma.