Chinese actress deletes post promoting 'controversial Indian spiritual courses'

A popular Chinese actress from Taiwan removed her post promoting "controversial Indian spiritual courses" after authorities warned the public that some of the spiritual schools are "mired in sexual assault cases", a state media report said Thursday.

Annie Yi, 49, whose Chinese name is Yi Nengjing, removed the post after warnings from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and China Anti-Cult Association (CACA) led to a heated exchange among Chinese netizens on the popular social media account Sina Weibo, Global Times reported.

Annie, who lives in Taiwan but is popular in China, has over 1.78 crore followers on Weibo.

She posted a message on Weibo on Monday, promoting lessons of Indian spiritual teachers 'Amma and Sri Bhagavan', founders of the 'Oneness University' in Chennai.

The actress deleted her post promoting "controversial Indian spiritual courses", after heated exchanges on Chinese social media over suspected religious cult, the report said.

The post sparked heated discussions on Weibo after the CACA referred to a case of a so-called Indian religious master named Singh who was reportedly arrested for imprisoning and raping nearly 200 female believers in December 2017.

Sri Bhagavan is reportedly popular among several people in China and many of them visit his spiritual centre in India.

There was no immediate reaction from the university, the Global Times said.

Annie, meanwhile, defended herself on the social media, saying she promoted the Indian spiritual lessons because she understands more about family and parents after attending similar lessons.

She denied being involved in selling the lesson or knowing that the lesson could be against the Chinese law.

The ruling Communist Party of China has been cracking down on spiritual and cult-based organisations since 1999 after the Falun Gang movement, a Chinese religious spiritual practice combining meditation exercises, became immensely popular with millions taking part in it.