Embezzlements
My experience with God (Last chapter
of “Buddhism back to God”)
(This also details how
prisoner savings amounting to lakhs and lakhs of rupees being embezzled by the Tamil Nadu prison officials (
From
In
And I never had any job during the last four
years. But the moment I try to do something wrong or going against the laws of
nature, I used to receive immediate punishment amounting to giving me some
practical education resulting in my becoming homeless but otherwise my life
went on somewhat smoothly with the support of the Almighty Nature. I got, much
more spiritually educated while in
Only once, I received assistance to a tune of
Rs.5000/-, and that was by Koo Vazhalapadi
Ramamurthyji, one time Petroleum minister of Rajiv Gandhi regime.
I write these details, to show my reader how God
supported me in a foreign country like India and to think whether you would
also be in a position to receive such assistance if you happened to be in my
shoes.
Some gave Rs.1000/- and others Rs.500/- and
hundred and even less but for that I had to approach rich educated politicians
or businessman, with recommendation and so on. Because of being writer, my life
was placed in danger, resulting in having had to flee my own country which
happened even to current President Chandrika Bnadaranyaka Kumaratungaji who
fled
Madurai TTC allowed me to live there with board and lodging,
totally free for about 4 months There was a Muslim
businessman Sidique in Chennai (Perrys).
who allowed me to stay at his place for four months.
He also gave me some thousand rupees in installments.
There was another who seriously involved in
Christian evangelism plus some travel business named A.P.Daniel
who also helped me giving over Rs.1200 in installments as did The
Bishop’s houses are often I like to approach in
South India for help, as they are likely to give something like three four
hundred and there are Catholic media centers and seminaries in South India
which also helped me.
I often used to borrow for my living. This I do
even in
Governments approach IMF and World Bank and
borrow loans to carry out their development plans. Some may go to banks and
‘ask’ for assistance to buy cars and build houses or to do business. Buddha
used to walk on the street and ‘borrow’food, a
practice, he recommended for all his disciples too.
One way of my ‘borrowing’ is from men whom, I
feel may oblige, basically finding them at Bus Halting Places or on main
streets and telling in short my difficulty. Invariably, one out of three would
oblige with something like ten rupees or even more. On the road one cannot
expect more than fifty and there are times |I collected hundreds also.
I speak somewhat good English and therefore some
are impressed over that too, They feel that I am an
educated person, in deep trouble who is definitely worth being helped out.
In Chennai, I used to make money through burrowings and then pay hotel-room rent of Rs.50 daily plus
other expenses. I have to somehow find the rent for hotel room otherwise the
owner would be at my throat who might even throw me out of room.
Even Destovosky who
wrote "Crime and Punishment" used to leave his hotel room jumping out
of the window in order to avoid facing the reception who may remind him of his
default in payment of room rent.
I always used to do some charity with my
borrowed money and loved to part with my last coin of one rupee or so to some
body who wanted it and start recollecting. I know very
well that God gives me what I needed.
Once, I got thrown out of a room in Chennai for
not paying rent but I managed to keep one bag in a cloak room and walk on the
road when I met Sidiqueji who immediately offered me
lodgings, and some money, This is all God’s support. This happened on Cristmas Eve.
Family of Muslim businessman Sidiqueji, was superb. I ate
food with his wife and children in the same plate, on two occasions. Her
cooking was also superb. They are Gujarati Muslims settled down in Chennai.
There was a person well-known in Tamil Nadu named P.Nedumaran.who gave
me an unaddressed letter with his signature which I could address to any body
whom I like.
Nedumaranji was originally a Congress man who supposedly saved Indira Gandhiji’s life by pushing
her or so before a bullet whizzed past her, In the
process, he may have got a little injury. I never had any occasion to discuss
this matter with him. He bought five copies of my book titled "Good-bye Chandrika" at Rs, 250/-
each.
Nedumaranji gave that letter because my book "Goodbye Chandrika" was to his immense liking and therefore he
requested on the grounds of Human Rights to help me. However, I could not
obtain such a document from any other big time politician in Tamil Nadu. They may like to help me with money but never wanted
give me a letter for which they have to set their signature.
Vaiko’s private secretary Arunagiri used
to give me Rs.100/- most of the time I met him amounting to may be Rs.700/- the
maximum. I once talked with Vaiko but there was no
time for serious talk with him.
EVKS Illangovanji who
is now a MP and minister of state, gave me Rs.1000/- and second time, he gave
some Rs200/-.
Among those helped me in Tamil Nadu were Desiya Iyakkam Leader P. Nedumaran, CPI
Leader Nallakannu, Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalitha Government Ms. Saroja, Dr.D.Masthan, Rajya Sabha M.P. Mr. G.K. Mani
M.L.A, Christian Media Centre Teynampet, CSI Church, Catholic Church, Pastor D, Dayanandan, Dr, A.Kalanidhi
(Former M.P) Prof. Munusamy, Thiru
Vijay and Lion M. Sidique.
Once, pickpocket in Tamil Nadu
pulled out my purse from the trouser but finding nothing he returned it me.
They were not at all in fear. If I were to be tough, they would give me a good
knock. Then I gave him the Nedumaran’s letter for
reading, after which the pickpocket became sympathetic and gave me Rs, 20/- and immediately jumped into the next bus along
with his gang of three or four for further forays into pockets and whatnots..
Without any relative without any job, living in
Once I was hungry without any money in the
pocket, standing at a bus halting place about one kilo meter away from Chetpet railway station. Then somebody came from behind. and invited me to come and have food at his house. This kind
of thing happened only once,
When I have problem, I immediately tell God
being hundred per sure of his succor, But definitely problems which can dilute
my prayer for enlightenment are never placed before God at whatever cost. I
never asked God to give me a job or permanent lodging or something because that
would dilute my main prayer. I am leading a renounced life which is a must and
keep my belongings at very minimum, so that I can without difficulty move them
myself without paying porter charges.
One cannot ask from God to grant married life
and enlightenment both.
One person informed me that unless I go back to
The New Indian Express (City Express) page 3
September 19, 2001 reported my stay in a Islamic
school in Theni District to study religion, I became
a Muslim convert and joined the school purely to learn Islam and their
practices which otherwise to do so is impossible. Fact remains that only
Muslims can attend prayers at mosque. About
month and a week I stayed at that Muslim
converts school where I had the chance of attending prayers at mosque, and
reading lot of Islamic literature, because I could not listen to their lectures
being unable to follow their Tamil.
Later I had difference of opinion with the
management, and I thought the best thing is to flee from the school which I did
on one fine morning when others are getting ready for the early morning
prayers.
They wanted to check my bags and keep me in
confinement as they do to other student. First they did not do so because I was
recommended from their chairman, and editor of Vidiel
Velli Gulam Mohammed who
was quite friendly with me.
Being propped up by my being cut off from my
original livelihood and suspecting my credentials, they wanted at latter
stages, to go through my bags and baggage after one month which, I did not
like. Following day, I fled and about four or five students and one or two
teachers came running after me to catch and bring me back. Then I cut into a
paddy field and hid behind a hedge, flattened out. They went all over with
torches but could never catch me. Then I went to police and complained
In order to keep the story short, I do not want
to go any further into this matter. I learn from Muslims, the importance of
bowing to Almighty God which normally other religionist do not do inclusive of
Hindus in spite of Gita talking of it. By reading
Islamic literature, I became absolutely convinced of one and only Almighty God
who is attributeless. He is sans-touch, sans-sound,
sans-decay and sans-form
For my Being a
Sinhalese refugee, I was not accommodated with Tamil refugees nor was I given
any state assistance whatsoever, which normal refugees are entitled to. They
were at least given place to stay and stipend in order to make them stand on
their feet.
I brought this pathetic situation to the notice
of the State Human Rights Commission in Chennai which having gone through my
case, gave an order (Case No.3530) on 16-06-03 to the secretary of the
government of Tamil Nadu. Public
Department Chennai 09, to take a decision on my case.
However, the Secretary/Public could not
accommodate me in a Tamil refugee camp nor was he able to make alternative
arrangements to settle me elsewhere in Tamil Nadu.
Hence, he asked me not to visit his office anymore.
In Tamil Nadu I stayed
some three years And when I was about to leave that for Tirupathi,
in Andra Pradesh - some time in July 2003 - my friend
Daniel opposed the move vehemently because, according to him literacy rate in Andra is
low. Hence , I may find things more
difficult there.
But I already received the signal from God that
I should leave Tamil Nadu. So other’s advice is
nothing for me. I normally do not take advice and operate. If there is my inner
voice tells some thing I obey it otherwise I do what I feel to be right.
Nobody like P. Nedumaran
was found in Andra Pradesh or Uttar Pradesh who was
prepared to recommend me for assistance.
I look for a Guru who could lead me to
enlightenment in Tirupathi where I spend over 5
months reading books on Yoga, mainly on Kundalini
yoga at TTD library on Religion. I paid and learnt Kundalini
Yoga while in Tamil Nadu from a disciple of Vethathiri Maharishi who was
running a what is called: The World Community Service Center, at 20, Second
Seaward Street, Thiruvanmur, Channai
41. in addition to his headquarters elsewhere.
I could not be associated with that center till
I get established in the practice, a luxury I could not afford. I did not make
any prayer for that even to Almighty God.
.Looking for a Guru, I visited several Ashrams
in Tirupati area My having no knowledge of Telugu
stood on the Way to finding Guru in Andra Pradesh,
Lot of people including some at Erpedu Ashram where
some 500 people take food at one sitting, advised me to visit Varanasi where I may meet my Guru who would help me to get
the enlightenment.
In
Swamiji gave me his blessing and advised me that I should not care
the winter nor should I buy any train ticket. God would look after me. Dressed
like Sanyasi as usual and just travel third class
nothing would happen to me, he said
At
He told that there are lot of Gurudwaras in
On reason why Mr. Parthasarhi
helped me because he thought I might get the enlightenment at Gangotri or some such place. Anyway, now I am somewhat
saddled with writing of "Buddhism back to God" which does not give me
any breathing space apart from going to Gangotri.
Even after writing I do not know what will
happen. I may receive a signal from God to work on the message given in my book
for which I may have to proceed to Sri Lanka.
I dissolved my stress with Sri Lanka’s President
Chandrika Kumaratunga and wrote her a letter in that
connection when I was in Tamil Nadu.
Having reached Delhi, on December 29, 2003 or so
I stayed at Hare Krisna Mission for one week and then
went Brinadavan and after staying for one week there
I went to Varnasi,
When I landed in Varanai,
I had only Rs 35 or so in hand but I stayed well over
1 ˝ months or so out of which one month at a small
tourist hotel paying rent of Rs,1200 per month,
What happened was that at Varanasi
Hindu University, I met a Buddhist monk who wanted his thesis written in
Sinhalese to be translated into English.
He paid my rent, For
food, I resorted to my usual burrowings. At Varansi there are lot of places
where one can have food free. Also there a one or two cafes
giving food at half the usual rate or very much less because of religious
reasons. In that kind of place 4 or 6 Chapathis,
plus plate of any amount of rice and Kuruma may be
given at Rs6 which is definitely unimaginable in Delhi.
At Shiva’s main shrine in Varanasi
free food is given to the devotees for two three days. If you are known to
somebody there, it is not impossible to have free food continuously.
And there are rich people belonging to a certain
caste who do Sari business. They often give out food free.
When, I was talking English at Varanasi, there were enough people to listen to my talk. My
accent seems to be quite attractive to them.
On my way back to Delhi, I stayed at Alahabad. Some Catholic Seminary Director there gave Rs.300
and
Also I visited Ananda Bhavan (Alahabad) there and met
the chief who went about with me and explained every thing possible with regard
to Nehru’s life. There was so-called Gandhiji’s room
which he occupied when he visited Mothilalji as well
as Jawaharlalji. Indira Gandhiji’s room was also shown, They told me that Indira Gabdhiji had written over
that property to a trust for running Ananda Bhavan for the benefit of those who visit that in
thousands, daily.
I bathed in various Ghats
of Ganga at Varanasi but
definitely found some difference and some improvement in my life style after
bathing at Sangam in Alahabad.
- confluence of Ganga and Yamuna and some underground river called Saraswathie.
Some professor of English Department at Alahabad University whose beautiful name I now forget,
offered to translate "Buddhism back to God", into Hindi but having
had the intention of rewriting the second edition in a big way, I could not
give him any undertaking on it. Any way I had a good chat with the head of the
English department and all the professors there as did with those of the Madurai Kamraj University’s
English Department as well as its English Language Department, Alahabad University’s English Department head had good
knowledge of Sanskrit too.
Coming back to my kind of
public burrowing. it never take more than twenty minutes for me to collect
money for day’s existence. I definitely had the God’s backing for that.
Otherwise nobody can do that. And I also do not go for more than what is needed
for the day. God likes if the people trust him and live without storing goods
and saving money. So, rest of the time I spend on reading or meditating. It was
easy because for about 15 years I have been living a life of a celibate without
deviation. May be from 1980 onwards, I did so except
some lapses when I was about to be engaged to a girl from New Zealand, which
would be spoken of later.
I was prosecuted and sent to jail for overstaying
the visa but magistrate concerned never took steps to deport me to Sri Lanka
after completing of my jail term of 10 months at Madurai
jail.
There are thousands and
thousands of Sri Lankans living in
The very first thing I did after coming to jail
was, thanking Almighty God for sending me there. I knew for a long time from the age of 30 or so that I may have to be in
jail. It may be some Karmic knowledge which kept me thinking off and on when would I be going there. And I wanted that experience very
badly and was yearning for it for a long time. I thanked him very often while
in prison where I got unnecessarily assaulted from a prison official. I
considered that to have been the worse experience there but it is nothing much
compared to larthi charges one receives by the
police.
When I was in prison, I never prayed to Almighty
God to release me I thought of staying there as long as He wish.
However, I did my best to get out of it
defending myself without a lawyer drafting all kinds of appeals and handing
over to the magistrate,
My mother sent me a letter while I was in Madurai Prison from Cuba where she was staying
with her daughter and son-in-law who was Sri
Lanka’s ambassador to Cuba, saying that she could not eat because the moment
she takes food into the mouth, mere thought of my perishing in a jail without
food, burns her entire body as well as the food that was in the mouth .
I wrote to her saying there are enough more
important people being put in jail inclusive Nehruji
and Gandhiji as well as Nelson Mendela
who stayed well over 28 years there. Therefore Keerthi Kelegama to stay in Madurai Prison though as a third class prisoner was nothing
much.
Most of the political prisoners were given first
class prisoner status. Often they can get the food they like and also with the
help of the doctor, they can get certain foods that they wanted. I do not think
Nehriji, Gandhiji and them had that privilege. I too got especial Chappathi diet being a diabetic,
However my diabetes was cured while in prison taking some homeopathic medicine
given there,
My sister Ranjani, a
resident of Australia sent me some Rs2000/- which took at least two months to
be encashed. She wrote to me, that had it not been
for an unexpected problem having in hand, she would have come to Madurai, to see me immediately,
Anyway my sister and brother-in-law gave calls
to the prison welfare officer from Australia and found out my health condition
and the like. However prisoners are not allowed to take calls. But some have
smuggled cell-phones with which they talk with the outside world.
My brother in Sri Lanka sent me some three
hundred rupees or so in hard currency in a plain envelope, which definitely
with God’s support was never pilfered. However I have to give some percentage
to some authority for handing over the money without problem. Prison
Superintendent liked me more than most of the prisoners and I used to talked to
him in English and often got my problems settled,
The prison superintendent later became very angry
with me for adding the date after setting my signature for collecting my weekly
tokens (My own money being given in the form of tokens) for tea Vadai etc, from my account. I brought some money while
coming to prison and also I received money from post from my sister as well as
from my brother in Sri Lanka
What annoyed the prison officials most was my putting
the date after setting my signature. One prisoner mercilessly assaulted me for
setting the date. Strangely enough, when I complained about it to the Prison
Superintendent, no action was taken.
Latter stages I could not withdraw money at all
because they said if I continued to put date after setting the signature, they
would not allow me tokens in spite of having enough money lying to my credit.
They brought out the problems of accounting difficulty.
During my stay in prison, I heard lot of stories
that if there is any balance left in the prisoner’s account, they cannot
practically take them back home but the prison authorities misappropriate them
by setting counterfeit signatures withdrawing them on the date of discharge.
These stories, I believed to be right. I must tell that I managed to take my
balance money, on release.
Normally most of the prisoners who were to be
released, were told that their balance money - may be two three hundred rupees
- would be sent back by post. And that
I cannot now exactly remember the procedure in
Tamil Nadu prisons. It may be that we are supposed to
sign on a blank line carrying only our names on the payment register and the
voucher slip that we fill up requesting tokens and goods. In the course of the
week, the details of the voucher slip inclusive of money withdrawn by way of
tokens and goods are entered on the blank line.
On Sundays, tokens are given but the prisoners
are never released on that day. If date of release fell on Sunday, it would be
advanced to Saturday.
Say on a Sunday prisoner "A" signs up
his blank line which carries only his name and hands over the voucher
certifying that he received so many tokens. And the particular clerk (he is also
a prisoner) is supposed to enter the details of the certified voucher on the
payment register in the course of the week.
If on Wednesday ,
prisoner "A" is discharged, the voucher slip could be torn up instead
of entering that, and they supposedly write against the signature that he
received full balance money so much. They could do that because dating is not
allowed below the signature. If he signed on Sunday with the date, then they
cannot say that they gave the money on Wednesday - day on which he was
discharged. I feel getting the prisoners to sign on a blank line itself is
wrong, a procedure, I never felt at home with that kind of procedure and that
was why I rebelled against that. If I were a life prisoner, I can never think
of refusing to sign the blank line without the date. Lifers never go against
prison officials but meekly sign without finding any fault because their total life depend on them.
Money involved is not a simple amount. There may be prisoners having Rs.5000 to their credit. A large number of prisoners are released for a month. Their balance monies could vary from Rs10 to Rs.300, Rs.500 or Rs.5000. Some prisoners do not have any money at all who may form half the prison population.
This practice may be there thoughout
Tamil Nadu or may be whole of
While in prison, I managed to
get a single room but some time they cramp it with three four. When I am alone, I used to do meditations and yoga, and
there were times I did so even while others were there. Prisoners normally do
not cause disturbance while meditating
The best recreation in the prison is chess
playing. There are adepts at it.
While I was there, famous Tamil Nadu Politician and MP, MDMK leader Viko
was arrested and I thought he might be put into Madurai
prison and then I would have had some chance to discuss with him. Unfortunately
he was incarcerated at
But
He had all the newspapers both English and
Tamil. I knew PTR Palani Vel
Rajan even before.
I first met him at Legislative Assembly
Speaker’s office who gave orders to his secretary to
buy two copies of my "Good-bye Chandrika"
to Assembly library,
After his losing elections, he gave me Rs. 1000/- when I met him at his home. On the second
occasion, he gave me some Rs.200.- if I remember
correct.
There was a prisoner named Shanmugam
– chief barber who did hair cutting, There was
Engineer named Vira Bharathi serving life sentence. I helped him to draft his
personal appeal to the Supreme Court and edited it in addition to giving new
points. Unfortunately I cannot remember the names of other prisoners I was
friendly with because now it is well over one year and three months since my
discharge. There was one Jayaram young and very sexy
and always talk about women but he helped me a lot. I taught him English. He
cried for him having a chance of learning English,
When I left the prison, I gave some money to
fellow prisoner who was discharged along with me who otherwise had no money to
go back home..
In prison, no English papers are supplied but
for a man like me who used to feed more on news than on normal food, it was a
big harassment, Palani Vel Rajanji stayed there only for two weeks or so,
When in prison, I managed to read Thina Thandi understanding may be
something like one
third, to a half or even three fourth. It depended on the matter.
Thina Thandi language was
easy to understand for man of my quality Tamil.
`The Dhina Malar of January 2. 2003 carried the most important news of
the Year 2002 in one full page. According to that most important event took
place on
Another news paper also reported my arrest as
one of the important news, but being in prison, I could not get a cutting or
page of it and now I cannot even remember the title of the paper.
Any way my arrest was reported in most of the
papers in Tamil Nadu on
When I went to court once in two weeks, most of
the time, I went with full security hand-cuffed in a separate vehicle alone by
myself with two police guards with automatic weapons, during which, I toyed
with idea of escaping but I never tried,
After leaving the prison, I decided to go back
to
She said as I was in jail I must bring a jail
discharge certificate which the prison superintendent did not give me being
absent on that day. So I have to again go back to
Immigration department officials definitely
needed money to give me the exit permit. And she later made that known to me in
unmistakable terms. But I could not afford that and therefore I made a written
complaint to Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister L.K Advani and the letter was dated May 16. 2003 but posted on
May 17 by
Immigration department officials insisting on
bribes
Rest of the letter goes thus: Since my release
from Madurai central Prison on 08-02- 2003 after
being convicted for overstaying the visa, I have been trying to obtain exit
permit to leave India but due to Immigration Department officials insisting on
my paying a bribe of Rs.2500/-, I could not leave the country.
Being threatened to prosecute me once more for
overstaying the visa and being not given Exit Permit after taking over
documents without giving receipt, on top of it, being pressed to part with
Rs.2500 as bribe, I have been placed in intense mental agony,
Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner wrote to chief
immigration officer along with a copy of my first air ticket requesting them to
grant me an Exit Permit on 13.03.2003 but for the reasons of not giving the
bribe, my request was refused.
Before filing action at JM –2 court, Madurai on April 29, 2002, Madurai
Q Branch and Tallakulam police questioned me and
worked together, After my being remanded, they asked time to investigate my
case fully before filing charge sheet which the Hon. Magistrate allowed.
Finally they filed the charged sheet for overstaying the visa. Being accepted
guilt, I was given 10 months RI, Now that I am cleared, why not they allow me
to leave the country.
A lady immigration officer "X" who
harassed me at Q branch continues to do so at Immigration office, Sastri Bhavan demanding me to
part with Rs.2500/- to grant me the exit permit. She heartlessly continues her
anger for my giving her no money to her at Q branch.
It is clear from the Indian Express report of
"Where in pursuance of sub rule 2, a foreigner
surrenders his passport and other proof of identity,
he should be entitled to receive a receipt for it from the Registration
Officer." This part of the law in spite of my insistence, she has
unmercifully violated. Still these documents have to be handed over for which
she requires a bribe of another Rs.1000/-. Otherwise she would sabotage my case
at immigration office too, she said in addition to my being sent to prison once
more for overstaying the visa.
Because of this unwanted delay, resulting in money
problems, I had to dispose of my first air ticket. And then second air ticket
also bought. For that too, I had to get a new date because of not giving me the
exit permit. From the time of my coming from prison to Immigration Office, for
over three months, I was not allowed to meet the chief immigration officer to
place my grievance, Top officers refusing even to tell his name which seems to
be not knowing.
In fact I stayed in
But the
I must add that my book titled: "Where Religions
Agree" was kept at the Indian Embassy Library
outside showcase for three months or so for every body to acquaint with it,
Only after that it was allowed for lending. That book eulogized
visa Wherein Shastri Bhavan Chief Information Officer was requested to give all
assistance possible to make my stay in
Once more I appeal to your Excellency to make
necessary orders in this respect and also allow me to leave the country, I am not having any money to pay this lady
Immigration Officer. Sgd. Keerthi
Kelegama
Copy of my complaint was sent to Chief
Immigration Officer Pujari who was furious for
writing that letter. He told me that he would investigate into the complaint
within a month. I did not know whether he did that or not.
Then a letter dated
The rest of the letter goes thus:.
After my sending a letter headed Immigration
Officer insisting on bribes and going to Sastri Bhavan Immigration Office with letter addressed to the
Chief Immigration Officer by Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner to get an
Exit Permit, I was assaulted for complaining to Your Excellency against them,
They also took away my Emergency Travel Document
and Air Ticket (Indian Air Lines), police certificate
and so on yesterday. When I went there today, they told me to come to
Chennai Air Port on 26th may 2003, assuring that
I would be allowed to travel to
I told them such instructions have to be given
in writing and not verbally and before all that it is their duty to issue a
receipt for taking over my documents.
They have no right under Section 9(3) of
Registration of Foreigners Rules to take over such vital documents without
issuing a receipt for them when they are statutorily bound to do so. And it is
wrong on their part to assault me for complaining to Your Excellency against
them, I told about my being assaulted to the Sri Lanka High Commission as well
as to an Indian Express staffer.
Also, I am attaching two documents (P1 & P2)
written by and immigration official that they require (P1) Rs.2145 for some
unreadable fee and visa fee etc. etc. In the P1, they entered Rs.6370 as visa
fee and later it was cut and made Rs.135 and once again cut and made Rs675. All
that is visa fee and added some unreadable fee of Rs1570 and made a total of
Rs.2145
On the second week, the P2 was given which says
that they require Rs1470 again for the same unreadable fee but from it visa fee
was taken off. These documents were in their own hand writing and passed on to
me for some mysterious
purpose because the Deputy High Commission told me that I need not
pay any fees for getting
Exit Permit.
I shall be thankful if your Excellency could
intervene and help me to get back to my country ordering them to hand over my
documents, Copies of the documents mentioned here are also attached hereto for
Your Excellency’s information and
necessary action please. Yours truly, Keerthi Kelegama.
On 20,05.2003 under ref no.DHC/
CONS/ 2002/ 2003 from the office of the Deputy High Commissioner for the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Chenna,
sent the following letter addressed to:Mr. Amaresh Pujari, I.P.S., Chief
Immigration Officer, Bureau of Immigration, Shastri Bhavan Annexe, Chennai 600 006.
My dear Amaresh
Issue of Exit Permit- Mr, Kelegama Keerthi.
Rest of the letter goes as follows: The above
named,
Mr. Kelegama
Keerthi has informed me that he was arrested for his
overstay beyond the period of validity of his visa and was imprisoned at
Central Prison,
Mr. Kelegama Keerthi furher informed me that
he called over at your office with all these documents and covering letter
issued by this Mission on 13.02.2003 but he was not issued the necessary Exit
Permit to enable him to leave for Sri Lanka although he was holding an air
ticket to travel from Chennai to Colombo.
Mr. Kelegama Keerthi has no permanent place to stay in Chennai and he is
staying in different places on different dates and hence he is unable to
produce any documents with regard to his stay in Chennai.
You would understand that Mr. Kelegama Keerthi is destitute and
is finding it very difficult to stay in Chennai any further, Mr. Kelegama Keerthi has undergone
tremendous difficulties including mental trauma. Therefore in view of his
pathetic conditions, I shall be very grateful if you could kindly consider his
case on sympathetic / humanitarian grounds and grant him necessary Exit Permit
to enable him to leave for
Your kind cooperation and assistance in this
regard is very much appreciated,
With kind regards, Yours
sincerely, Sgd. Sumith Nakandala, Deputy High Commissioner.
One thing is clear that the Tamil Nadu government had decided not to send me back to
Even Human Rights Commission Chennai, (case
No.3530) which heard my case, on 06-06.03, never thought of deporting me,
instead, tried to settle me in a camp there but failed due to my being
Sinhalese who cannot be accommodated with Tamil refugees.
Hence it is clear that two judges who had the
power of decision making on my future never thought of sending me back to Sri
Lanka, istead allowed me to stay in India.
At Andra Pradesh, Chitoor District Collector asked me to work on getting the
citizenship in
On
On
My refugee registration: G- 2 Periamet Police Stn, Chennai – 3
of 10 - 8 – 2000. Certificate This is to state that Mr. Keerthi
Kelegama M/A 54 S/O Wanninayaka,
Digana, Maho, Sri Lanka, is
staying in Eswari Lodge Room No.6, No. 37, Thiruvengadam St, Periamet,
Chennai –3. He was registered in G2 Periamet Police Stn. (Serial No. 1) on 10.8.2000. This is for information. Sgd. Inspector of Police, G-2 Periamet
Police Station, Chennai 60003 on 10.8.2000
My problem concerning the return to
may send me a Guru who may lead me to enlightenment.
On 03.09.2000 The New Indian Express report headed; Lankan journalist seek
asylum. Expres News
Service, Chennai September 2: Keerthi Kelegama, a Sri Lankan journalist has sought political
asylum in
Keerthi was with Lake House which publishes,
Sunday Observer. But he lost his
job after he wrote an article on ‘
Interestingly Chandrika,
then Chief Minister of the
He dedicated his political book, "How Premadasa and Dingiri Banda
Manipulated Justice" to President Chandrika
Kumaratunga when she assumed power in the mid 1990s. But when she started
committing mistakes, he was not afraid to write the truth which was against her
interests. His second book "Good bye Chandrika"
was written to expose her.
Then Leader of the House and now Prime Minister Ratnasisri Wickramanayaka wrote
to him that the government planned to impeach the judges on Keerthi’s
charges.
Contract killers started following him, looking
for an opportunity to finish him off, he alleges. After staying at a hotel in
However while I was in prison, I met doctors of
allopathic, Aurvedic and Homeopathic. This was often
done to move out of the ward and to walk about. I never became seriously sick
in prison except talking medicine for my diabetes. I used run about a mile in
the prison due to that and my brief being not tight enough, I developed hernia
there. It gave very little trouble and the doctor was prepared to send me for a operation but as my release was also nearing that was
luckily
not done, But now I have slight bulge. it
does not give me any pain at all. About two months ago I got a slight pain
there for about two hours, the maximum. I do not see any reason why, I should
go for any operation.
While I was at the university, some thirty five
years ago, I was admitted to the
During my entire life time, I would not have
spent more than Rs.700 on doctor fees plus medicine, good part of them were to
buy medical certificates.
My immune system is good. I never try to live a
germ free life. I drink any kind of water - very rarely the boiled stuff.
Mosquitoes do not like to bite me. My blood may
be of some special kind. I can remember reading somewhere that mosquitoes
normally prefer male blood to female blood. My blood may contain more of
special qualities found in female blood which was somewhat repellent to
mosquitoes. Or else my vibration may be the matter.
Famous Hindu sage Shivanada who was a successful allopathic doctor in
overnight is the second, excess of sexual intercourse is third,
moving amidst the crowds the fourth. Fifth cause is the effect of unwholesome
food. The sixth is the checking of the discharge of urine and excreta. The
seventh is the laborious mental operations with energy.
On February 21, 1946, I was born into a Buddhist
family of Sri Lanka but grew into an atheist during my university career from
1963 to 1967 and in 1968 or so I was converted to Catholicism and remained so
till I learnt Transcendental Meditation (TM). I became a Teacher of TM after a
four months residential training in 1975. This I believe to be the beginning of
my spiritual life.
While undergoing Yogic exercises and intense
meditation at a tourist hotel, we often had vegetarian food. Our American
Jewish instructor David Weiner stuck to vegetarian food but reluctantly ate
eggs to show us that TM has nothing to do with vegetarianism. By the end of
four months training and receiving final instructions from Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi personally, I became out and out vegetarian but whenever it became
necessary I took non-veg food.
Becoming a Catholic just for the thrill of it,
but when my prayers being found answered, I got shocked with disbelief. I
definitely wondered whether, I am becoming crazy or duped into being
brain washed.
At my training as a TM teacher, we had to listen
to video-taped lectures of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who
rarely strays into talking of God. Living in accordance with all the laws of
Nature means one is in a position to shake hands with God, he said.
From 1980 to 1981, I lived with two German TM
teachers namely: Karl Schmirl and Uve
Stolzenberg, with them I worked full time, teaching
meditation in Sri Lanka’s prisons and a large number of schools in Kandy area. There was another German named: Dr. Ebberhard Baumann with whom I worked before the arrival of
other two. Karl and Uve were highly evolved with
meditation, being strong vegetarians and celibates. They definitely experienced
bliss, Maharishi
Mahrishi spoke of and their vibrations were superb.
I virtually grew in their vibrations by living
with them and working with them day in day out for about one year. This was the
time I became to a great extent convinced of God.
In 1981 or so, I learnt
TM Sidhis which was an advanced techniques given by
special teacher of TM.
From 1984 to1995, I worked as a staffer attached
to the Sunday Observer, largest selling English newspaper, editing reporting
and feature-writing, handling all aspects of the newspaper craft. Meanwhile I
became book writer and platform speaker being a founder member of the Free
Media Movement, which was the greatest attraction of the people of
As much as possible I did meditations and Asanas though I gave up Sidhi
practice due to some specific reason.
I was carrying on some where in 1988 or so with
Marina a Jewish girl who was a cancer researcher, from
Whatever it is, I admired Jews a lot. So I
presented some hundred rubles or so to a retired army captain who ran one of
those libraries. That was a big amount because I was paid only hundred rubles
monthly in addition to my free food, free
lodging, plus free travelling for studies
and other official purposes.
I met Rajiv Gandhiji at his 10 Janpath
residence about one year before his demise, having had an opportunity to
represent Sri Lankan journalistic community single handedly at a Journalist
world conference held in
All the participants of the conference were
taken to No.10. Janpth. I asked Rajivji: "Sir can I talk to you about
Being taken aback, I got my dinner served, on to
a plate sat on a chair and started eating. After a little while Rajiv came from behind and tapped and said "Come, you
want to talk to me aren’t you." So I went and talked to him standing for
over 15 minutes. Then others became impatient for they were not getting a
chance to talk with him. Hence, I backed out,
Sri Lanka High Commissioner to
My meeting with Rajivji
being a journalist was given wide media coverage in
Subsequently, I wrote a book titled: "The
Unmasking of an ambassador" carrying my picture with him, which was copied
to him. He acknowledged the receipt in addition to writing one or two lines
extra.
A copy of my another book titled "Where
religions Agree" dedicated to Rajiveji reviewed
by "The Hindu" on November 26, 1996, was sent Mrs,
Sonia Gandhi who acknowledged the receipt informing that it was added to her
library collection. A copy of the book was showcased outside the Indian High
Commission library for the people to be acquainted with, before it being
allowed for lending.
Also, I sent her a copy of another book of mine
titled "How Premadasa and Dingiri
Banda Manipulated Justice" for which, her private secretary sent me an
acknowledgement on her instructions.
Once I was about to be engaged to a lady in
On
Chandrika" which criticized the President and the judiciary
resulting in my life being placed in jeopardy having to flee my country and
seek refuge in
I came to India by an Indian Airlines flight
from Malaysia as do thousands and thousands of Sri Lankans
who flee the war-torn country and continued to stay in India being registered
at Mandapam after coming by boat,
Also, I pioneered in the field of internet
journalism in
of an Internet Weekly "News News
News" running it successfully for over 1˝ years.
On 1.5 2003, while being in India, I printed and
published yet another book titled: "Buddhism back to God" because
Buddhists all over the world except a few belonging to some minor Mahayanic sects, do not believe in God. First edition of it
had only 92 pages and this is its second edition which definitely more than
double even after selecting smaller font size.
"My parents did not know English and I did
not attend a school where English is properly taught. I was the first person
with that kind of background to join the most prestigious English newspaper in
I was at one stage able to move the
Impeachment of Chief Justice and three more S.C.Judges: Request for an address of parliament under
article 107 (2) and (3) of the Constitution for their removal from office
I wish to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
dated
Sgd. Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka,
Leader of the House of Parliament and Minister of Public Administration, Home
Affairs,
(Two letters that I received from the Leader of
the House as well as my two memoranda which made him reply twice, were carried
in my book titled "Good-by Chandrika",
publication of which made me flee the country.)
Brief account of my life would also give you some
idea how God could operate one’s life.
Sages never meant to divide the humanity but to
lead them to self-realization. in respect of truth
there is only one.
If anybody involves in killing, womanizing,
drinking, stealing but continues to visit Buddhist temples, he is considered
hundred percent Buddhist. These attitude have to
undergo drastic change.
Christ never spoke of Christianity. He said, he came to preserve the existing religion. He taught in
synagogues, Adi Shankaracharya
who was charged to have been a disguised Buddhist, introduced formless God into
Buddhism. Some time after his passing away, Brahminism
changed that to image worship.
All tried to reform humanity. Even Sai Baba theory is that nobody should give up his own
religion but to practice them in order to make them better Buddhists, better
Christians, better Muslims and better Hindus. Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi and Mahatma Gandhi sticks to the same theory.
I would like to exchange views with my reader
and try to be available as and when it is necessary.
Book ends here.