Newark falls for Nithyananda scam, signs 'Sister City' agreement with fake country

The US city of Newark, New Jersey has reportedly admitted that it was scammed into becoming a “Sister City” of a country that doesn’t exist. The country in question is the United States of Kailasa which is controlled by the self-proclaimed godman Swami Nityananda. The head of the so-called Hindu nation has been accused of rape and sexual assault and somehow managed to flee India. According to CBS, the American city found out about the scam only after the authorities held an official ceremony for it. 

Earlier this year, the city hosted delegations from the so-called country. At the event, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka invited the Kailasa delegation for a cultural trade agreement. However, all these agreements would eventually turn out to be fake. According to CBS, the Newark official asserted that the alleged “sister city” agreement lasted for only six days and was eventually rendered “baseless and void”. The officials also made it clear that no money was exchanged in the ceremony. “Although this was a regrettable incident, the city of Newark remains committed to partnering with people from diverse cultures in order to enrich each other with connectivity, support, and mutual respect,” a city spokesperson said. What makes the whole ordeal more embarrassing is the fact that the city of Newark is New Jersey’s largest city. 

What is the 'Sister City' Program

The 'Sister City' Program which was established after World War II, refers to a form of legal and social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities, for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. A relationship between the two entities is established and officially recognized after the highest elected or appointed official from both countries signs off an agreement to become a sister city. The US city of Newark has many such sister cities. According to the local government website, some of the sister cities include Aveiro (Portugal), Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), etc.

On January 12, during the signing ceremony,  Newark Mayor Ras Baraka told the reporters that he prayed for stronger ties between the city and the so-called country. “I pray that our relationship helps us to understand cultural, social, and political development and improves the lives of everybody in both places,” the Mayor told the reporters. The news also came as an embarrassment to the Newark residents. “No one in City Hall, not one person did a Google search, so maybe we need a transformation of City Hall because not one person said, ‘Let me go and Google and figure out this was a fake city,'” resident Shakee Merritt told CBS. 

Kailasa’s efforts to be recognised as a country continues

The Indian fugitive and con artist who claimed to have supernatural powers has been on a run from rape and child abduction charges since 2019. Earlier this month, his fictional country attended the United Nations conference in Geneva. The two representatives of the fictional country even went ahead and spoke during the general discussion on Sustainable Development held by the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR). However, the country is not among the 193 countries recognised by the United Nations. Following the incident, the fictional country’s so-called Supreme Pontiff, Nithyananda Paramashivam, even went on to boast about the incident on Twitter.

USK at UN Geneva: Inputs on the Achievement of Sustainability. Participation of the United States of Kailasa in a discussion on the General Comment on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and Sustainable Development at the United Nations in Geneva. The Economic, Social, and…,” Nithyananda wrote on Twitter. With the news of the Sister City scam, this is the second time this year that the fictional entity attempted to get recognized as a nation. 

USK at UN Geneva: Inputs on the Achievement of Sustainability

Participation of the United States of KAILASA in a discussion on the General Comment on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and Sustainable Development at the United Nations in Geneva

The Economic, Social, and… pic.twitter.com/pNoAkWOas8

— KAILASA's SPH Nithyananda (@SriNithyananda) February 25, 2023