3 B.C. cities rescind recognition of 'great cosmic borderless nation'

Editor's note May 31, 2024: This story has been updated to clarify the allegations made against Nithyananda and to identify a source for that information. The story has also been updated to add additional context about Kailasa's presence in Canada and to remove descriptions of the actions of the United States of Kailasa for which there was no clear source. An audio segment previously embedded in the story has been removed, because it contained incomplete and imprecise information.

Three mayors from across B.C. proclaimed July 3, 2023 as "Guru Purnima Day" at the request of the United States of Kailasa. 

It appeared to be an honest effort by the cities of Surrey, Victoria and Nanaimo to celebrate a Hindu festival focused on offering respect to spiritual and academic gurus. 

The only problem? 

Kailasa is a self-proclaimed "great cosmic borderless nation," and its founder Nithyananda, who, according to the proclamations signed by three mayors, is the "Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism" and "head of 21 ancient indigenous Kingdoms of Hinduism."

According to Indian court records, he is also the subject of a criminal complaint of rape in that country; a judge revoked his bail in relation to the allegation in 2020, ordering the court "to take custody" of him.

"The accused has successfully hoodwinked and misled the court," Justice John Michael Cunha wrote.

"He is not available in India and his whereabouts are not known either to the prosecution or the persons close to him."   

Nithyananda, who claims to be the living embodiment of the Hindu god Shiva, has publicly denied the allegations against him.

Since Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke signed the proclamation in June, the City of Surrey has rescinded it.

Surrey's corporate services told CBC News in a statement that it "was signed in error and is not supported by Mayor Locke."

Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog declined an interview with CBC News but said in a statement that "like Surrey, we didn't pay close attention, and this one slipped by much to everyone's embarrassment. A lesson learned."

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto was not available for comment. 

An ongoing campaign

This is not the first time elected officials have signed official documents and decrees in support of Kailasa.

In November 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed a letter supporting Kailasa's Hindu Heritage Month celebration.

In March 2023, the city of Newark, New Jersey, accepted a "sister city" partnership with Kailasa, which the city council rescinded just six days later.

In February 2023, Kailasa's representatives spoke at two meetings at a United Nations conference in Geneva: the first was a discussion on equal female representation in decision-making systems, organized by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

The second one was on the topic of sustainable development, hosted by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 

According to a statement sent by the United Nations to CBC News, the general discussions are public meetings open to anyone interested, though the statements made by representatives of the United States of Kailasa would not be included in the official reports as they were "irrelevant to the topic of the general discussion" and were "tangential to the topic at hand."

According to Kailasa's website, some 30 U.S. cities have signed some sort of "certificates of recognition."

Kailasa has a presence in Canada as well with a website and what the group describes as a meditation academy in Toronto. According to the group's website, Toronto members take part in charitable activities such as a monthly food drive.

A bid for legitimacy

Stewart Prest, a lecturer in political science at Simon Fraser University, says the representatives of Kailasa are trying to use their official letters of recognition to validate their organization.

"The pursuit of legitimacy is part of a much larger campaign to convince the world that this organization is legitimate and normal when it is perhaps anything but," said Prest. 

"Legitimacy is a resource, and if someone who is undeserving of it is using this tactic to drum up the appearance of legitimacy, then that really makes it clear that politicians and city governments have to be more careful in doing a little more care and due diligence."