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"I saw fingers going into my stomach and blood coming out," said former Karnataka home minister P G R Sindhia, a chronic diabetic. "I am yet to experience any benefit, though."
Sindhia, a Janata Dal politician, was recalling his experience at the hands of alleged psychic surgeon Alex Orbito a couple of days ago. Several Karnataka MLAs, who were in town for the assembly session, experienced 'psychic healing' in the chambers of Speaker M V Venkatappa, just before a Bangalore civil court banned Orbito from practising in the city.
Orbito was in Bangalore for 'healing sessions' organised by some local doctors. The court order said he should not conduct any more of his "so-called spiritual psychic bio-healing sessions within any area of the Bangalore Urban Agglomeration".
The order was passed in response to a suit filed by some residents of Bangalore, led by Jagadish V Sadam, against Dr Ramesh M Tambat and other alleged organisers of an event in which Orbito participated.
As soon as the order was passed, Orbito flew out of Bangalore, leaving behind a lot of indignant patients who said they had paid a lot of money to the organisers for appointments with him.
A close associate of Orbito claimed that he had returned home because his healing powers had been reduced by the negative energy released by "impatient patients in Bangalore".
Dr A C Sreeram, president of the Indian Medical Association, said, "Such so-called psychic surgery wastes money and causes tremendous psychological harm by promoting false hope and preventing people from seeking valuable health care." He quoted the National Council Against Health Fraud in the United Kingdom in support of his stand.
Dr Sreeram, who saw a film about the 'psychic' doctor's 'healing' exploits in the city two days ago, insisted that it was "just a complete fraud".
Just before the controversy broke out, however, several political bigwigs and other celebrities had experienced the 'psychic' surgeon's touch in Venkatappa's chambers in the Vidhana Soudha. Amongst them were ministers Motamma and M M Nanaiah, Sindhia and even former CBI director D R Karthikeyan. Venkatappa's family was also present.
Interestingly, Kannada film star Rajakumar's entire family, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna's right-hand man and Urban Development Minister D K Shivakumar, and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Allum Veerabhadrappa were among the patients who had asked Orbito for healing sessions.
While the ministers themselves were silent about their experiences, a couple of other legislators were outspoken. "I have not felt any changes in my body or health condition yet," said Bharatiya Janata Party MLA S Suresh Kumar. "One of my friends mentioned that I suffer from spondylitis and so he touched my neck. He also touched my head, shoulders and stomach. But I understand that this was just a small blessing, and that actual healing will be done elsewhere, if required."
Janata Dal-United MLA K Srinivasa Gowda reported that he too had felt no change so far. "I told him I have diabetes. He touched my stomach, neck and face," he said.
The court had handed over the lawsuit to an additional city civil judge for adjudication. Meanwhile, Dr Sreeram urged Orbito to return to Bangalore and perform his surgeries "in front of medically qualified observers".
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