Kailasa, Godman Nithyananda’s ‘Own Country’ on a Remote Island

 A Hindu godman Nithyananda Swami fled India and founded the new country in 2019 after buying an island on the coast of Ecuador, South America. “Kailasa” is named after Mount Kailash in Tibet Plateau, China, which is of religious significance and is considered sacred by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bons.

The fugitive Hindu religious guru Nithyananda left India after facing several cases of rape and sexual assault.

The issue came into the limelight when the representatives of controversial godman Nithyananda spoke at a meeting of a United Nations committee, the representatives of the ‘Kailasa’ country appalled the world. The all-women delegation dressed in saffron robes and decked in heavy jewellery, the representatives from the United States of Kailasa (USK) set the internet blazing after they attended a discussion conducted by the UN Committee.

The representatives participated in discussions on “equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems” at the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) meeting held in Geneva on February 24, 2023, and the photos of the event were posted by Nithyananda on his Twitter account. During the discussions, they said Nityananda is being persecuted across the world and demands protection for the “supreme pontiff of Hinduism”. However, the video of the event received indignation from people across the world.

The United Nations body mentions that all the member states must submit regular reports to the Committee on how economic, social, and cultural rights are being effectively executed. If any member state, organization, or even an individual feels that their rights under the Covenant have been violated, they can approach the CESCR. Under this rule, ‘The United States of Kailasa’s representatives approached the UN committee and spoke during the discussion. Well, this country, ‘The United States of Kailasa’ is not among the 193 countries recognized by the UN.

The website further said that the committee may also, under certain circumstances, undertake inquiries on grave or systematic violations of any of the economic, social, and cultural rights delineated in the Covenant, and consider inter-state complaints.

The UNHCR mentions mechanisms under which incidents of human rights violations can be reported and issues addressed. These mechanisms are divided into two types: Treaty-based, and charter-based. While the CESCR comes under a treaty-based mechanism of UNHCR.

After the discussion on February 24, 2023, the UN committee’s website carried a link for people and organizations to register and put forward their complaints. ‘Kailasa’s’ representative Vijayapriya Nithyananda made use of this provision and asked the UN body what measures could be taken ”at national and international levels” to stop the self-styled godman’s persecution.

On the Twitter handle of USK, a post was shared calling for applications for e-visa and e-citizenship. USK claims to have a flag, a constitution, a financial department, a passport, and an emblem of its own.

On the “official” website of USK, Kailasa self-proclaims itself as the “greatest Hindu nation on earth”. It mentions that the nation of Kailasa was specifically dedicated to the restoration, preservation, and propagation of authentic Hindu culture and civilization, which had been oppressed and subjugated over centuries.

During the UN discussion, Ms Nithyananda exaggerated and said, “Kailasa has been implementing the ancient Hindu practices and indigenous solutions that are synchronous with the time-tested Hindu principles for sustainable development of the world.”

Meanwhile, A United Nations official, told the BBC that they will ignore such statements made by the representatives of the fictional country as they do not recognize the USK. The official called out their submissions as “irrelevant” and “tangential” to the issues being talked over.

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