A viral social media post by a netizen named N. Muthuramalingam has ignited speculation around the recent controversy involving spiritual speaker Mahavishnu, who was arrested following his lecture on karma and Hindu philosophy in a government school. Muthuramalingam’s post questions whether the uproar surrounding Mahavishnu was engineered as a political manoeuvre by DMK to appease disgruntled minorities. He highlights the unusual logistics and timing of the event, suggesting it could be part of a larger strategy by Dravidanists and missionaries to discredit Hinduism.
The post, which features photos of Mahavishnu with DMK ministers, raises concerns about potential political motivations behind the controversy, as Mahavishnu faces charges including incitement and spreading false information.
Controversy About Mahavishnu
Amid the controversy surrounding the arrest of spiritual speaker Mahavishnu, who gave a lecture on rebirth, karma, and Thirukkural philosophy at government schools in Ashok Nagar and Saidapet on 5 September 2024, during Teacher’s Day celebrations, a social media post about Shankar, a visually impaired teacher involved in the incident, has gone viral.
Mahavishnu, a motivational speaker from the Paramporul Foundation, was invited to talk in the Ashok Nagar and Saidapet area government schools. During his speech, Mahavishnu stated that ancient Indian education systems, like Gurukulams, were destroyed by British rule, leading to the loss of powerful knowledge once written on palm leaves (olaichuvadu).
He asserted that reciting specific mantras could heal bodies, cause “rain of fire,” or enable one to fly, alluding to mystical powers lost over time. The speaker then stated that social inequalities and people’s circumstances, whether rich, poor, criminal, or heroic, were the result of actions in their previous lives.
A school staff member named Shankar objected to the content of Mahavishnu’s speech, pointing out that the speaker was invited for a motivational talk, not a spiritual discourse. This led to a heated argument, with Mahavishnu questioning the teacher how a child will live a proper life without knowledge about past life karma. Shankar publicly criticized Mahavishnu’s comments about Karma.
The day after the incident caused an uproar, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh supported teacher Shankar, congratulating him and stating that Mahavishnu would not be let off easily. Following a complaint that his speech was offensive, Mahavishnu, who had just returned from Australia, was arrested by the police.
The Saidapet police have charged Mahavishnu under four sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act 2023, Section 192 (Incitement to riot), Section 196(1)(a) (Dissemination of objectionable information), Section 352 (Disturbing public peace), and Section 353(2) (Spreading false information about religion and caste). Additionally, he faces charges under one section of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.
Mahavishnu was presented before the Saidapet judicial magistrate, who remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody. The city police are preparing to file separate First Information Reports (FIR) as additional complaints continue to be lodged across various police stations, including Tiruvottiyur.
N.Muthuramalingam’s Post
Amid this, a social media post by N. Muthuramalingam has gained widespread attention. In his viral post, Muthuramalingam questions how Mahavishnu, previously unknown, has suddenly gained widespread fame across Tamil Nadu. He wonders if the teachers who organized the event at both schools and the CEOs and DEOs who granted permission were unaware of who Mahavishnu was and his discourse. He points out the logistical oddity of a blind teacher travelling from Saidapet to Ashoknagar, four kilometres away. Muthuramalingam questions whether this Mahavishnu speech spectacle was a deliberate setup to create controversy, generate publicity and please minorities.
He suggests that this Mahavishnu situation might be part of a larger strategy by Dravidanists and its affiliated organizations, potentially used as a political tool to placate disgruntled minorities by leveraging events like the Murugan conference and the Karunanidhi coin release program. Muthuramalingam notes the presence of Mahavishnu in photos with several DMK ministers. He implies that such associations are suspicious, questioning whether a genuine supporter of Hinduism would align with those opposed to it.
Muthuramalingam also speculates about the ulterior motives behind promoting the speaker. He suggests that the missionaries might be using Mahavishnu as part of a long-term plan to discredit Hinduism, potentially leading to further controversies or legal troubles for him. His post, along with close-up photos of Mahavishnu with DMK ministers like Anbil Mahesh, Mano Thangaraj, M. Subramanian, and DMK leader I. Leoni is circulating widely on social media.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.