Nithyananda lives in 'Kailasa': Where is it? Is it a recognised country? All you need to know

Self-styled godman Nithyanand, accused of rape and kidnapping is back in the limelight again due to the place he resides in. His so-called country 'United States of Kailasa' (USK) became a topic of discussion after the controversial godman’s representatives were seen attending a UN meeting in February.

Nithyananda fled from India and suddenly emerged in 2020, claiming that he has built a new country which has his followers. However, there is no clarity on the actual existence of this country. His followers keep on posting videos on social media, further suggesting that there are developments going on in the country.

A BBC report showed that Nithyananda has established ‘Kailasa’ in an island off the coast of Ecuador. But there are no existing visuals of the place. The Ecuadorian government had refuted those claims by saying that Nithyananda did not live in the country then.

'Kailasa' is a movement ''founded and spearheaded by members of the Hindu Adi Shaivite minority community from Canada, the United States and other countries and is created for and offers a safe haven to all the world's practicing, aspiring or persecuted Hindus, irrespective of race, gender, sect, caste, or creed, where they can peacefully live and express their spirituality, arts, and culture free from denigration, interference and violence,” the website of the fictional country read.

USK’s Twitter handle on Thursday called for applications for e-visa for e-citizenship. The fictional country is said to have a flag, a constitution, an economic system, a passport, and an emblem too. USK also comes with several departments such as treasury, commerce, sovereign, housing, human services and more as mentioned on its website.

'Kailasa' terms itself the "home and refuge for the international Hindu diaspora".

On being a ‘recognised country’ Nithyananda is apparently facing a tough time getting ‘recognised’ as a country. Despite his followers trying to populate his presence on social media, the United Nations has not yet recognised 'Kailasa'.

As per the Montevideo Convention of 1933, accepted as part of customary international law, for a territory to be called a country, it must have a permanent population, a government, and a capacity to have relationships with other countries.

To get that recognition, the controversial godman sent his representatives to the UN. However, the submissions by Vijayapriya Nithyananda were termed as ‘irrelevant’ and the documents will not be taken into consideration in the final outcome drafts.

The UN human rights office on Thursday said any submissions made by representatives of the so-called "United States of Kailasa (USK)", founded by Indian fugitive Nithyananda, at its public meetings in Geneva last week were "irrelevant" and will not be considered in the final outcome drafts, news agency PTI reported.

"Registration for such public events is open to NGOs and the general public. Anyone can submit information to the treaty bodies, who will use their judgment to determine the credibility of the submissions received," PTI quoted OHCHR spokesperson as saying.

"On 24 February, at CESCR’s general discussion, when the floor was opened to the public, a USK representative spoke briefly. As the focus of the statement was tangential to the topic at hand, it will not be taken into consideration by the Committee in the formulation of the General Comment," the spokesperson added.

Being a ‘recognised country’ has several advantages as the country gets the key to many international forums, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

As per Encyclopaedia Britannica, if a territory doesn’t get the status of a country, it can be termed as a micronation which is basically a self-proclaimed entity claiming to be independent sovereign states but are not recognised by the international community or the UN.

Also Read: Nithyananda bans entry of Indian devotees into 'Kailasa' due to COVID-19

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