Memoirs of ex-aide of Amma sparks debate in social media

With the memoirs of a former disciple of Mata Amritanandamayi sparking a row, police have registered a case against those who posted adverse comments in the social media based on the content of the book against the spiritual leader, who commands a large following worldwide.
The case was registered under the IT Act by the police at Karunagapally, close Amritanandamayi's headquarters Amritapuri at Vallikkavu in the district, based on complaints lodged by a group of her devotees, police sources said today.
The case is likely to be referred to the Cyber Cell of the state police for an investigation and follow-up action on the complaint, sources said.

Asked about the issue, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the case was taken up on a complaint but the government need not bother about the content of the book.
"When there is a complaint against the postings in social networking sites, police have to take a case and conduct probe under the cyber laws. But the Government need not bother about the content of the book.," Chennithala told reporters in Kochi.
The ashram, however, has refrained from making any official rejoinder or clarification on allegations levelled by a former disciple of Amritanandamayi, popularly known as "Amma" (the mother) and said Australia-born Gail Tredwell in her book "Holy hell-- a memoir of faith, devotion and pure madness."

When contacted, the reaction of the ashram sources was that "we have nothing to say."

Tredwell claims in the book that she had been a close disciple of Amma for several years and lived in the ashram before she escaped from there after fed up with some bitter experiences.
While some writers and politicians made individual comments about the book in a section of media social networking sites, mainstream political parties in the state remained silent on the issue.
Though a posting appeared in a site in the name of a senior CPI(M) leader from Kannur on the subject yesterday, he later denied it having made such a posting.