Prem Rawat's (Maharaji) Legitimacy Project
In 2004 Rawat's USA followers were informed they were financing a long-term, phony public relations campaign to try and give him an aura of respectability and legitimacy. For fuller, more coherent expositions on Rawat's deceitful campaign see the Prem Rawat Reviewed Website and Prem Rawat Information Resource. The campaign had begun in 2001 with the creation of the Prem Rawat Foundation scam which allowed premies to fund his luxury and phony philanthropy tax-deductably and his minions organising bogus events linking Rawat with the United Nations and his appearances at respected universities (see below).
The Creation and Existence of the Project Demonstrates that Rawat had no Legitimacy and Needed Phony PR to Gain It
Connect North America was a .pdf newsletter that was part of the Rawatism information network which is large, complex and ever-changing but gives Rawat's more dedicated followers the illusion that Rawat's "Knowledge" continues to interest and attract new followers and provide meaningful "service" they can do for their Master. The October 2004 issue contained a story announcing a new "project" to "both present his message to new audiences and to receive public recognition for his efforts." Ordinarily public recognition and respect is gained by actually doing meaningful public work. This is the path his eldest brother Satpal Maharaj took by combining his position as Godman and successor to their father with political and social work in the area in which they were born and raised and so Satpal's public recognition, while controversial, is not spurious.
CNA: What kinds of projects are you working on?
RC: We're looking to develop speaking opportunities that could help build the public's appreciation for Maharaji as a leading voice for peace. One example is the recent TPRF sponsored event at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre.
Followers of Prem Rawat hired a hall (the Sanders Theater on July 22, 2004) at Harvard University and "invited" him to speak there. They filmed the speech and used W. Timothy Gallwery, a tennis professinoal and alumnus of Harvard to introduce him to the audience of premies. They then promote the "event" as "Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji, addressed an audience that included faculty, community leaders, and students at Sanders Theatre, Harvard University" to make it appear as if the famous, respected university has invited him to speak. Shame, Richard Cooper, Shame!
Ten packs of the CD were available for purchase from The Prem Rawat Foundation for followers to buy and distribute, voila instant legitimacy(?).
Another would be Maharaji's presentation in Italy to the former Prime Minister and to members of the Parliament.
Followers of Prem Rawat hired the the former prime minister Emilio Colombo, 83, to introduce him and make a fulsome expression of admiration for the Armani-clad Rawat. It is uncertain how much cocaine Colombo had stuffed up his nose to inspire these sentiments and how much he was able to purchase with Rawat's legitimacy largesse. Possibly Mr Colombo was saving the money for his defense lawyers, but after all in the cesspit of Italian political corruption, there's little stigma attached to pushing your 83-year-old nose up Rawat's arse and bringing it out covered in Bolivian bullshitting powder.
Ten packs of the CD were available for purchase from The Prem Rawat Foundation for followers to buy and distribute, voila instant legitimacy(?).
CNA: These would be introductory events, right?
RC: Not really. We have more to do with fostering recognition and enhancing Maharaji's legitimacy than with having more people become his students. Our efforts, for example, enable your newsletter to report about the Italian and Harvard events. Those are powerful statements about the legitimacy of Maharaji's work.
CNA: What is planned for the future?
RC: We're looking at some unique speaking engagements and at ways for Maharaji to be formally acknowledged for his work. A US Governor recently recognized Maharaji "in honor of his exemplary career, life accomplishments, and many contributions to [our] citizens". We'd like to pursue more tributes like that.
CNA: How do tributes like that come about?
RC: I work with people in North America who would like to see their city, state or university offer Maharaji some kind of award, letter of appreciation or honorary degree. All kinds of institutions have mechanisms in place to honor persons of merit - I help people work with those mechanisms.
Richard Cooper, who was a key figure in the Legitimacy Project, died in October 2006. Neither the
courage, committment and loyalty he demonstrated when he was kidnapped and deprogrammed nor his intelligence and innate decency helped him realize in his subsequent 30 years of practising Rawat's "Knowledge" how his ethics were corroded by his belief in Rawat's divinity and the compromises with truth he had to make to remain a follower. Phony events staged at famous universities are not "powerful statements about the legitimacy of Maharaji's work" but are phony and fraudulent public relations and yet this obvious truth seems not to bother Rawat's students who presumably have become inured to lies about Rawat and his "Knowledge." The project has been ongoing for nearly a decade and Rawat has had the following published on the Words Of Peace Global site.
Prem attracts audiences from all walks of life, regardless of their education, beliefs, age, or status. As well as speaking in front of intimate audiences and vast crowds – sometimes exceeding 300,000 in India – he has been invited to speak at a number of important institutional venues and forums. These include the European Parliament, the United Nations (UN), the Italian Senate, the parliament buildings of Australia, Argentina and New Zealand, the Young President's Organisation, and the Guildhall in london, as well as numerous universities across the world.
Prem Rawat has spoken at various universities including Oxford, Harvard and UC Berkeley. However he was not invited to speak by the University Administrations nor the student body but some of his followers rented a hall at the university and organised a private meeting. The same occurred at the United Nations, the Australian and New Zealand parliament buildings and he purchased the chance to speak at the london Guildhall by making a £25,000 donation. He has spoken in Italy under the auspices of various political figures especially in Sicily. It may only be a coincidence that Italian politics is the most corrupt in Europe and his buddy ex-President Colombo the most corrupt cocaine-addled of them all. His audiences at Indian religious festivals seems astonishing but is not unusual amongst Indian Godmen but as a young Godboy, Guru Maharaj Ji, crowds of a million came to hear him speak in Bihar while he was riding his father's religious cachet and before he was disinherited and deposed.
Fortunately for Rawat there are some public figures who'll take any photo opportunity, possibly for the best of motives.
In total contrast to Prem Rawat is his eldest brother, Satapl Maharaj, who has gained national and international respect through actual political and social success. Using his credibility as the leader of the movement created by their father, Shri Hans Ji Maharaj, he has increased the family's wealth and power through politicas, charitable, social and religious activities. Being able to attract a large, enthusiastic crowd of spiritual devotees anytime, anyplace has been a great advantage politically.
Prem's Brother, Satpal Maharaj, Had Meaningful Meetings With South African leaders like Nelson Mandela
References:
- Connect North America, October 2004 Newsletter
- Prem Rawat Reviewed - legitimacy
- Connect North America, 2004 Newsletters