We, the devotees of the Mother and
Sri Aurobindo in Odisha, read on 28.10.2014 in the Odiya dailies about Shri
Manoj Das’s clarification “Kinchit hatachakita jane lekhakara prashna o pratibedana”
[a befuddled writer’s question and
submission] regarding his involvement with the scam-tainted Seashore Chit Fund.
Since we feel sorry for such a famous writer like him getting involved in such
dubious money matters, and as we found some discrepancies in the submission of
his position to the dailies, we request him to provide further clarifications.
Besides, since we are associated with Sri Aurobindo Ashram for a long time, the
magical word craft of Shri Manoj Das cannot sway us enough to lose sight of the
reality staring at us.
Here are the following
discrepancies: -
1. Generally Shri Das states Sri
Aurobindo Ashram as his address below his articles, but in this case why has he
given “Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education” as his address? Has the Ashram Trust Board forbidden him to
use the Ashram name? Is it because the Ashram Trust then might get dragged into
the controversial company? But just by changing the address, would he be able
to keep the Ashram Trust out of the controversy that arose out of Shri Das’
questionable activities?
2. Shri Das states, “I had no idea
as to what a chit fund is…yet why did no one ever indicate to me that there was
something fishy about this academy (Seashore Literary Academy). Most people
cannot believe that a person of Shri Das’ political and literary eminence does
not know what a chit fund is. Moreover, he has himself stated in this article
that about a year and a half ago Shri Prashanta Pattnaik had criticized him in
the Odiya daily ‘Sanchara’ about his involvement in such a dubious company as the
Seashore. Prashanta Pattanaik himself has written in the Odiya daily ‘Sambada’
on 30.10.2014 under the heading ‘Manoj Dasanka lekha upare spastikarana’: “Respected
Shri Das was involved in one of the most controversial chit funds in Odisha
called Seashore and that he was receiving rupees one lakh per month from the
company was published a year and a half ago in the Odiya daily ‘Sanchara’ in my column under the heading ‘Sidhakatha’ [straight speak]… I was certain that one
day this company would come under scrutiny. Although Manojbabu’s involvement
with such an organization would increase its reputation, yet when an enquiry
would be held regarding the amassment of unlawful wealth, all those who were
connected with the company would come under scrutiny. I wrote that piece to
warn Shri Manoj Das in order to avoid such a situation. …after the publication
of the above mentioned column, it was also put on Facebook…the fact that people
in Odisha disapproved of Shri Das’ involvement with Seashore was clear from their reactions.”
Therefore, how on earth could Shri Das write that he had no idea as to what a
chit fund was and that nobody had hinted that there was anything suspicious
about his involvement with Seashore? Is he not contradicting himself?
3. In his submission Shri Manoj Das
writes, “I do not crave for money nor am I averse to it in the form of awards and
honours. Money is a benign force. I have the right consciousness to make the
best use of it and I have been doing so for the past fifty years.” Is not Shri
Das concealing the truth here? As he is an inmate of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the
Ashram bears all his expenses and he has accepted the ideal that all he is and
all he has belongs to The Mother. So how could he donate the amount he received
of rupees ten lakhs and his assistance’s due of rupees forty five thousand to
the Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief fund? According to the opinion expressed in
the “Ashahaya data” [helpless donor]
in the editorial of the Odiya daily ‘Samaja’ dated 2.11.2014, it would have
been better if Shri Das had returned the money to the Seashore Chit Fund. In
this way he would have been ‘freed’ from being blamed and the poor people who
had invested their hard earned money in the dubious company would have got at
least some of their money back. By donating the amount he received to the
Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief fund, does he not prove that he has received and
spent the money as he likes?
4. The following question also
arises: Why did Shri Das, instead of returning the scam-tainted money to the
Seashore company, donate it to the Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief fund? Shri
Das who has himself pointed out more than ninety factual errors in the denigrating
biography of Sri Aurobindo [The Lives of
Sri Aurobindo] written by Peter Heehs, an inmate of Sri Aurobindo Ashram,
Pondicherry, is now supporting the same author to please the Managing Trustee
of the said Ashram. It is common knowledge that the government of Odisha has
banned the controversial book by a gazette notification dated 9.4.2009. Shri
Das through the author Peter Heehs, has filed a case in Odisha High Court to
annul the gazette notification by the Odisha Government. So, in order to influence
the chief minister to withdraw the ban, he has written a letter on this matter
to the Chief Minister. Can Shri Das deny this fact? Such dubious and clever
manipulation by Shri Das is not known outside the circle of devotees and
disciples of Mother and Sri Aurobindo. The great Indian tradition of ‘
Guru-shishya” will never forgive him for such heinous ‘ Guru-droha’ activities.
5. Shri Das writes, “Within the past
four years my personal expenses were mostly incurred for treatment at AIIMS in
Delhi, flight charges and other related expenses. In spite of the main
treatment being free of cost, the reason for giving the above details is to
explain to my serious critics that the money received from Seashore was used
for this purpose alone. But to satisfy them further, I have had to spend the
money a second time.” This means, according to his own statement made in his
clarification, that he had to borrow
rupees ten lakhs, which he had already spent for his treatment, from his friend
in order to donate it to the Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief fund just to
silence his critics! But the truth is that his treatment in Delhi, that is, his Knee
Replacement, was done long before he got involved with Seashore and was paid by
the Ashram Trust. And regarding the treatment of his recent illness, we are
sure that the Ashram Trust is bearing all his expenses as per the Ashram rule.
One can get full proof evidence from the Ashram Accounts department. Since he
has become an inmate, the Ashram has paid for all his expenses relating to his
treatment. Can he deny this fact?
6. An important question for Shri
Das:
Has he taken permission from the
Ashram Trust, whose rules and regulations he had accepted when he became an inmate,
before involving himself in the Seashore affairs? When he found out that the
company with which he was financially involved was under CBI scrutiny, and he
"helplessly" donated the amount he received to the Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief
fund, did he seek permission from the Ashram authorities for doing so? Shri Das
jolly well knows about Rule No. 8 on page 26 of the ‘Rules of Sri
Aurobindo Ashram,’ published by the present Trustees to whom he has always shown
loyalty by sacrificing his own conscience, “An inmate must not involve himself
in any private or personal business or take up an employment outside the
Ashram. In very exceptional cases an inmate may do so with the prior express
permission of Board of Trustees. The decision of Trustees shall be final and
binding on the inmate.” Sri Das is not only involved in the present Seashore
scam, but he has also been personally involved in earning money by neglecting his assigned
work since he joined the Ashram. So,
following his footsteps, many young
Ashram inmates have also involved themselves in personal businesses. When
questioned, they cite his example first, which silences the Trustees. Of
course, their silence has its own meaning.
However, he is a good literateur.
After he settled in the Ashram, the people of Odisha looked up to him as an
example or ideal. But living in the Ashram in the guise of a Sadhak, he has
only sought to further his own objectives and ambitions with total disregard
for the established principles of the Ashram and indirectly his own Guru. Being
idolized by young sadhaks, he has become one of the main causes of the Ashram’s
downfall.
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