Sai Baba dies at age 85

Indian Miracle Man Sai Baba, who was born as Sathyanarayana Raju on 23 November 23 1926 died on 24 April 2011. Though he was caught cheating several times, among other things for producing "holy ash", he had gathered a substantial following, including Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, as well as the "atheist" Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi.

The following is one of many videos exposing Sai Baba's rather clumsy sleight of hand:

However, it appears that many are trying to silence critical voices. Taslima Nasrin had criticised Sai Baba and India's "cricket god" Sachin Tendulkar in this connection, but she herself is now facing the wrath of some Indians. An article says there are now calls to cancel Taslima's visa in India "to restrict her from interfering from India's internal issues".

Sanal Edamaruku of the Indian Rationalist Association writes: "He proved once again that miracles and predictions fail. He had predicted at a public gathering at his head quarters in Puttaparthy, in 2000, and repeatedly many times, that he would die at the age of 96 only. And till the last moment, many of his devotees clung to his word and waited for a miracle. May it be an eye opener for the millions of gullible people whom he misguided and deluded." He criticises the support he received from irresponsible politicians and other public figures who should have known better. About his charitable institutions Sanal writes: "That he since spent a part of the great fortunes, swindled out of the gullible, for social development around his ancestral village, is highlighted now to present him as a saint. But as useful and welcome hospitals, schools and drinking water projects for the poor always may be: this kind of alibi-philanthropy is well known even from mafia-bosses. It cannot be weighed against his crimes and the damage he has done to the Indian society." The full text by Sanal Edamaruku is available here.

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