Sanatan Sanstha seeks publicity

Sanatan Sanstha is a publicity seeking organization, even Ms. Amruta Acharya’s latest post subscribes to this view. One clear distinction is that most seek publicity to attract outsiders into joining them. Sanatan uses publicity; either negative or positive to bind its sadhaks more closely to itself. Dr Jayant Athavale uses publicity as a mind control technique and internalises its impact. He wants the sadhaks to fear their families and give them a reason to flee. They should see Sanatan Ashram Ramnathi as a safe retreat. Once inside the imposing façade, they are under his control and he can use them as he feels like.

Negative publicity and Sanatan Sanstha

Sanatan Sanstha actively seeks out negative publicity. Negative news spreads faster than positive news and stays longer in people’s minds. Sanatan is aware of this old psychology trick. It milks this philosophy to the maximum. Most organizations seek positive news, Sanatan seeks out negativity. Look at some of the most read or most watched videos on Youtube.com.  They publish such news prominently on the Sanatan Sanstha Marthi website (later translated in various languages). Several articles are posted on Sanatan.org in defence of the murder accused. They have raised many issues and questioned the tactics of the police, the media, and any other connected institutions. Do they consider themselves above the law?

Their daily newsletter in Marathi, Dainik Sanatan Prabhat contains several news articles for the exclusive consumption of the sadhaks. Many refer to controversial statements that are very vague in nature but the editors use their freedom of speech to give such comments their own interpretation. They are not bothered about the truthfulness of such news stories. Sanatan Sanstha’s sadhaks digest anything printed under this banner. Dr Jayant Athavale knows this and uses this for his maximum benefit.

The Underdog – Sanatan Sanstha

Projecting itself as an underdog gives it an easy escape route. Sometimes back, police raided the Sanatan Ashram Panvel and seized a considerable quantity of drugs. Sanatan Sanstha denied that any such drugs had been seized in any raid but had to go on the backfoot when the SIT followed it up with raids on Sanatan Ashram Ponda and taking a psychologist for questioning. Without blinking an eyelid, Dr Jayant Athavale and his followers changed their storyline and said that the drugs were used for the treatment of followers having psychological disorders. The quantity was quite huge according to the media and the logical question is; if Sanatan Sanstha teaches spirituality to overcome anxiety and depression, why should it require drugs?

The subsequent events showed that the sanstha projected itself as an underdog. It seemed to be aware that it will not be able to convince any outsiders. But, it was targeted at its sadhaks. Dr Jayant Athavale wanted to convince the sadhaks that they were not being fed any such hypnotic drugs, he was not trying to control them, he was not brainwashing them.

Poor fellows, they believe in such things; believe in such hard baked information thrown at them by Sanatan Sanstha.