Opposition Grows to Government’s Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centennial Celebration Plans

Fast Summary

• Members of local organisation ‘Sangamam’, along with other secular and rationalist groups, protested at Dharna Chowk on September 17, 2025.
• Protest was against the goverment’s decision to host Sri Sathya Sai Baba centennial celebrations in Puttaparthi this November.
• Protesters argued that Sathya Sai baba’s claim of being a divine incarnation contradicted constitutional principles regarding secularism.
• They emphasized that the State must remain neutral and avoid endorsing religious celebrations or ideologies.
• Participating individuals and groups included Jana Sahiti, Rationalist Association, Sahiti sravanthi, Charvaka Ashram representatives, senior journalist G.V. Rangareddy, and Jana Vignana Vedika members.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The protest illustrates ongoing concerns about maintaining secularism in India’s governance as outlined by its Constitution. While individual faith practices are protected under freedom of religion provisions,critics argue government involvement in promoting specific figures or beliefs may risk undermining secular principles. Hosting religiously affiliated events such as centennial celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba could be seen as blurring the lines between personal belief systems and state neutrality. With participation from diverse rationalist entities at the demonstration,it underscores broader apprehensions about state endorsement potentially alienating citizens who identify with different religious beliefs or atheistic perspectives.

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