NEW YORK: Self-proclaimed God and fugitive from the “United States of Kailashas signed a “cultural partnership” with more than 30 American cities, a media report said, days after the city of Newark in the US state of New Jersey said it canceled a “sister city” deal with the imaginary country.
The twinning agreement between Newark and the fake “United States of Kailasa” was signed on January 12 this year, and the signing ceremony was held at the Newark City Hall.
Nityananda, whose shocking spiritual sermons shrouded in a sheen of pseudo-science have caused much cheer on social media, says he created a country called the “United States of Kailasa” in 2019.
According to its website, there are over 30 American cities that have signed a cultural partnership with the fictional nation of Kailasa—cities from Richmond, Virginia to Dayton, Ohio to Buena Park, Florida, literally all over the map.
A Fox News report on Thursday said that “we’re finding that the supreme false pontiff” has a “long list of cities he has deceived.
He claimed to have contacted some US cities about a reaction to signing an agreement with the false nation.
“And so far most cities have confirmed that these claims are indeed true,” the report said.
Jacksonville, North Carolina, told Fox News, “Our filings with Kailasa are not an endorsement. They are a response to a request, and we do not verify requested information.”
Fox News blamed cities for failing to “Google” information about the fake nation.
“If somebody wants a proclamation, somebody gets a proclamation. They’ll just say you’re an exotic Hindu island and name a street after you,” the Fox News anchor said.
The report added that it’s not just mayors or city councils, but also “people who run the federal government” who fall in love with the fictional nation.
He added that according to the fake guru, two congressmen gave Kailasa “special congressional recognition”.
One of them is Congresswoman Norma Torres of California, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.
“So, the person deciding what to spend our tax money on has just been duped by an alleged rapist guru with a fake country,” the Fox News anchor said.
Republican Troy Balderson from Ohio also presented “his divine holiness and pontiff’s congressional acknowledgment of Hinduism.”
Earlier this month, a press officer at the Department of Communications, City of Newark, Susan Garofalo he had told PTI in an email that as soon as “we learned of the circumstances surrounding Kailasa, the city of Newark immediately took action and canceled the sister city agreement” on Jan. 18.
“Based on the deception, the ceremony was baseless and void…Although a regrettable incident, the City of Newark remains committed to partnering with people of diverse cultures in order to enrich each other with connectivity, mutual support and respect.” Garofalo said.
Newark adviser to Large Luis Quintana sponsored the motion to terminate the agreement.
He said during the official proceedings that moving forward any city entering into a twinning agreement “must be in good human rights standards.
“We can’t bring Sister Cities International into an issue where there is controversy. This is an oversight, it can’t happen again,” he said, adding that Newark can’t put itself in a situation where there is a sister city that has no rights humans.
He said going forward, it must be ensured that while twin cities are encouraged, agreements cannot be made with “governments that have no human rights”.
The Fox News report quoted a Newark resident as saying that the sister city deal with a fake nation was an embarrassing incident for the city. “I think it’s embarrassing that he didn’t do his background research before entertaining them.”
Last month, USK representatives participated in two public meetings of the United Nations in Geneva: a general discussion on “Equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems” organized by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW ) on February 22, and the general discussion on the General Comment on Economic, Social, Cultural Rights and Sustainable Development on February 24, hosted by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR).
Responding to questions about Kailasa’s US participation in UN forums, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that registration for such public events is open to NGOs and the public in general.
“Anyone can submit information to the treaty bodies, who will use their own judgment to determine the credibility of the comments received.”
“On the day of the CEDAW general discussion, USK members were barred from distributing promotional materials in front of and inside the conference room. Their written submission to CEDAW will not be published by the Committee as it is irrelevant to the topic of discussion general,” OHCHR had said.
Nithyananda is wanted in India on multiple charges of rape and sexual assault, charges he denies.
Kailasa’s website counts “two billion practicing Hindus” among its population.
The twinning agreement between Newark and the fake “United States of Kailasa” was signed on January 12 this year, and the signing ceremony was held at the Newark City Hall.
Nityananda, whose shocking spiritual sermons shrouded in a sheen of pseudo-science have caused much cheer on social media, says he created a country called the “United States of Kailasa” in 2019.
According to its website, there are over 30 American cities that have signed a cultural partnership with the fictional nation of Kailasa—cities from Richmond, Virginia to Dayton, Ohio to Buena Park, Florida, literally all over the map.
A Fox News report on Thursday said that “we’re finding that the supreme false pontiff” has a “long list of cities he has deceived.
He claimed to have contacted some US cities about a reaction to signing an agreement with the false nation.
“And so far most cities have confirmed that these claims are indeed true,” the report said.
Jacksonville, North Carolina, told Fox News, “Our filings with Kailasa are not an endorsement. They are a response to a request, and we do not verify requested information.”
Fox News blamed cities for failing to “Google” information about the fake nation.
“If somebody wants a proclamation, somebody gets a proclamation. They’ll just say you’re an exotic Hindu island and name a street after you,” the Fox News anchor said.
The report added that it’s not just mayors or city councils, but also “people who run the federal government” who fall in love with the fictional nation.
He added that according to the fake guru, two congressmen gave Kailasa “special congressional recognition”.
One of them is Congresswoman Norma Torres of California, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.
“So, the person deciding what to spend our tax money on has just been duped by an alleged rapist guru with a fake country,” the Fox News anchor said.
Republican Troy Balderson from Ohio also presented “his divine holiness and pontiff’s congressional acknowledgment of Hinduism.”
Earlier this month, a press officer at the Department of Communications, City of Newark, Susan Garofalo he had told PTI in an email that as soon as “we learned of the circumstances surrounding Kailasa, the city of Newark immediately took action and canceled the sister city agreement” on Jan. 18.
“Based on the deception, the ceremony was baseless and void…Although a regrettable incident, the City of Newark remains committed to partnering with people of diverse cultures in order to enrich each other with connectivity, mutual support and respect.” Garofalo said.
Newark adviser to Large Luis Quintana sponsored the motion to terminate the agreement.
He said during the official proceedings that moving forward any city entering into a twinning agreement “must be in good human rights standards.
“We can’t bring Sister Cities International into an issue where there is controversy. This is an oversight, it can’t happen again,” he said, adding that Newark can’t put itself in a situation where there is a sister city that has no rights humans.
He said going forward, it must be ensured that while twin cities are encouraged, agreements cannot be made with “governments that have no human rights”.
The Fox News report quoted a Newark resident as saying that the sister city deal with a fake nation was an embarrassing incident for the city. “I think it’s embarrassing that he didn’t do his background research before entertaining them.”
Last month, USK representatives participated in two public meetings of the United Nations in Geneva: a general discussion on “Equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems” organized by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW ) on February 22, and the general discussion on the General Comment on Economic, Social, Cultural Rights and Sustainable Development on February 24, hosted by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR).
Responding to questions about Kailasa’s US participation in UN forums, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that registration for such public events is open to NGOs and the public in general.
“Anyone can submit information to the treaty bodies, who will use their own judgment to determine the credibility of the comments received.”
“On the day of the CEDAW general discussion, USK members were barred from distributing promotional materials in front of and inside the conference room. Their written submission to CEDAW will not be published by the Committee as it is irrelevant to the topic of discussion general,” OHCHR had said.
Nithyananda is wanted in India on multiple charges of rape and sexual assault, charges he denies.
Kailasa’s website counts “two billion practicing Hindus” among its population.
