14th February 2021
Response to letters from office bearers of SSSIO
There had been some stereotype letters from the office bearers of Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation (SSSIO), expressing their disagreement about the formation of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council (SSSGC). These letters were received, largely between 8th December 2020 to 12th December 2020. It is rather regrettable to note that the letters received by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust lack felicity in the use of language.
The Managing Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) wrote a detailed letter in response to those stereotyped letters from some office bearers of SSSIO. The reason for setting up SSSGC explained in detail urging all the officer bearers of SSSIO to become part of SSSGC as it is conceived as a very inclusive body of all office bearers of the International and All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations. As can be seen, there is no question of any office bearers being displaced from the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation of any country, consequent to formation of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council, as each country becomes automatically a member of SSSGC with the internal organisation being left in its place. It was also explained that this action is in accordance with Bhagawan’s directive that all bodies and Seva organisations must function in accordance with the guidelines of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and from Prasanthi Nilayam.
It is understood that even after the clarification has been sent by the Managing Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust efforts have been made by certain of the apex functionaries in the Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation to dissuade country functionaries in various countries from corresponding with the members of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.
Very strangely, Mr. Leonardo Gutter took upon himself the burden and restarted relaying to SSSCT members the opinions of one or more office bearers everyday in the last 10 days. As a responsible body, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust has collated all the concerns expressed by members of SSSIO. SSSCT members would like to set forth the response to the points which were also raised by Mr. Leonardo Gutter in his letter dated January 31, 2021:
Point 1: Swami created three organizations and they are all running well and should all function independently. Swami did not connect all three organisations to Prasanthi Nilayam and kept them separate.
The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust would like to state that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba created many institutions and over time He reorganised in keeping with the needs of the time.
There is a widespread feeling that the bonds of all institutions with Prasanthi Nilayam ought to be strengthened. The system must provide for cohesiveness in order that a unified front is seen by the devotees. Bhagawan has made clear that all organisations have to work in tandem with the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust. All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation (SSSSO) has expressed that it would join Sri Sathya Sai Global Council.
Point 2: Creation of SSSGC will lead to administrative chaos and existing system should not be disrupted. It will cause disharmony. Managing International organisation requires expertise and experience which SSIO leaders alone have
The view expressed by Mr Gutter and others is wholly misconceived. The constitution of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council takes under its auspices all the Sri Sathya Sai Organisations, the world over. The administrative structure in the member countries will continue to stay. Therefore no “Administrative chaos” should be there. No disharmony will be caused because all functionaries in all the countries’ organisation will continue. Besides the heads of all the countries’ organisations, it will have the President of Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation and the President of All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation. Only three Trustees of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust will be members of the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council and the Chairman will be nominated by the Sri Sathya Sathya Sai Central Trust. Currently a Trustee of SSSCT will be appointed as Chairman and the Presidents of Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation and All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation will be Vice Chairmen. Since the new body will comprise of all countries’ organisation, the majority of the membership will consist of them.
The collective expertise and experience of all the countries’ functionaries will also be available to Sri Sathya Sai Global Council. The SSSGC will therefore not be in anyway different from the present membership of Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation and it will have the additional expertise of the All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation.
Point 3. SSSGC will function under SSSCT which is not acceptable
There is a misconception that Sri Sathya Sai Global Council will function under Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.
Sri Sathya Sai Global Council (SSSGC) will not function under Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) but along with it.
Point 4. The proposed Executive Committee with few countries represented cannot lay down protocols for all countries
Sri Sathya Sai Global Council consists of all countries where activities of Sri Sathya Sai Organisations are carried on besides the President of Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation and the President of All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation; only three Trustees of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust are additional members.
The Executive Committee can be constituted when the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council meets. There is no need to have the number fixed, and can be flexible. This Executive Committee is the executing arm of the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council and will carry out the policy laid down by Sri Sathya Sai Global Council. It is made clear that the Executive Committee will not be laying down the protocols and is conceived only as an implementing authority.
The policy will be laid down by Sri Sathya Sai Global Council with the participation of all its members, i.e. of all Countries’ heads, President of Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation and President of All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation. The proposed five countries participation in the Executive Committee stands withdrawn and will be kept open for all countries on a rotation basis, as will be decided by the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council.
Point 5. Selection of leaders should be left to SSSIO and current practice is working well
It is to be noted that Dr Narendranath Reddy was appointed by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust to succeed Dr Goldstein who was appointed by Bhagawan, when He was physically with us.
As stated earlier the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council will be the most inclusive body comprising of all the Sri Sathya Sai Organisations in various countries. The Constitution of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council is a wholesome move in the right direction. Besides the Country Coordinators, the Office bearers such as Zonal Chairs and Regional Coordinators will also be members of SSSGC and will continue in SSSIO even if it means a multilayered bureaucratic organisation such as it is. Overtime the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council will gain experience and work out an effective and efficient global outfit which will ceaselessly and unfailingly work for the establishment of what could be celebrated as “Sai Yugam, Sathya Yugam”.
It is placed on record that the 127 letters received by SSSCT from SSSIO office bearers reflect only the above five concerns and is consistently quoted as objections to the formation of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council, hence this communication to clarify the concerns.
It is also brought to the notice of all the respected office bearers of Sri Sathya Sai Organisation in various countries that the All India Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation which is the biggest amongst all Sri Sathya Sai Organisations in the world has conveyed its wholehearted concurrence to the proposal of setting up Sri Sathya Sai Global Council.
It is therefore requested that the respected and esteemed office bearers of Sri Sathya Sai Organisations in different countries join as members of the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council and strengthen the Sri Sathya Sai movement in different parts of the world. The Sai mission beckons us all to work together and take the Sai movement to greater heights through the watch words of Love, Peace and Harmony which characterise Sri Sathya Sai’s message to humanity. It is also requested that NO SAI OFFICE BEARER should give this effort a colour of “Power Struggle”. There is only one power, the Divine power of our beloved master, which guides and propels the “Sai Mission”. Let us be very clear that this is not a divisive step, but a uniting one!
The local, national and international faces of Sri Sathya Sai Organisation will have only one global face. Let us all move on the path shown by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for spiritual advancement of the entire humanity and the individual progress towards God by each and every one of us.
Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust
Prasanthi Nilayam
“Unity is Divinity”
Jai Sai Ram