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K. A. Paul

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Anand Kilari
K. A. Paul in 2004
Born (1963-09-25) 25 September 1963 (age 61)
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
Other namesKilari Anand Paul
EducationIntermediate, 1981
OccupationEvangelist
Political partyPraja Shanti Party
SpouseMary Kilari
Children3
FatherBarnabas Kilari

Kilari Anand Paul (born September 10, 1963) is an Indian Christian evangelist, humanitarian and Indian politician. He is the founder of the US-based organizations Global Peace Initiative (GPI) and Gospel to the Unreached Millions (GUM) and has operated orphanages, including Charity City in Hyderabad. About 331 acres of 1000 acres land acquired by Paul and his brother for the Charity City was alleged to have been on assigned land and was being investigated.[1] He was joined by Manoj Malla alias Bala Yesu in 2008, and started the Praja Shanti party that same year.[2]

Personal life

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Kilari Anand Paul was born in the village of Chittivalasa, Andhra Pradesh, India.[3] His parents were Barnabas and Santhosamma.[4][5] His parents converted to Christianity in 1966, and Paul became a Christian in March 1971, at age eight. Paul stated that he traveled with his evangelist father to hundreds of villages in India sharing the gospel and, at age 19, he entered full-time ministry.[6]

Paul has three children with his wife Mary Kilari.[7] His mother died while undergoing treatment in Visakhapatnam on 12 Feb 2019.[5]

He passed the Intermediate examination in 1981 and discontinued pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree from Anakapalli Merchants’ Association Lingamurthy(AMAL) College, Anakapalli in his second year of studies.[8] Paul was granted honorary degree from Living Word Bible College in Swan River, Manitoba, Canada.[9] Living Word Bible College has chosen to be accredited through Transworld Accrediting Commission International which is featured in GetEducated's List of Accreditation Agencies Used By Fake Colleges.

Career

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Paul has travelled to many countries and met numerous world leaders in his role as a Christian evangelist.[10][11][12] Paul was the religious leader of convicted war criminal and former President of Liberia Charles Taylor. A month prior to Charles' resignation, in an interview with Somini Sengupta and Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times, Charles offered to step down after holding prayers in the presence of Paul.[13] In 2006, Paul authored the book Al-Qaeda Winning–America Losing.[14] Paul duped politician and convicted felon Dennis Hastert into meeting him, pretending to be a supporter. Paul later claimed that he had urged Hestert to resign which was refuted by Hastert's spokesperson.[15][16]

In an article in The New Republic, Michelle Cottle compared him with Billy Graham and Jimmy Carter, writing that "Focused as he is on Third World hunger and other apolitical issues that don’t get you on “Crossfire,” Dr. Paul simply may never fit the American image of a Spiritual Leader. But such challenges simply make the indefatigable peace crusader even more determined to try." The same article in The New Republic, states that "By all accounts, Dr. Paul’s overseas peace rallies are sights to behold. Most take place in Africa or India, where villagers stream in from around the countryside to see, as one Indian paper put it, “the mesmerizing evangelist,” who has become a minor celebrity across much of both continents. A “small” rally is defined as an audience of 10,000 or 20,000. Large rallies stretch upward of a million.[17] Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who traveled to India with Paul in January 2002, stated "But there were maybe seventy-five thousand, a hundred thousand," Huckabee says of the rally he attended. "I'm not sure I ever saw that many people except at a major football game."

In 2005, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability terminated the membership of Paul's organization, Gospel to the Unreached Millions, for failing to meet financial accountability and governance standards.[18]

Global Peace One

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Paul walking off Global Peace One on 2 March 2004, on a humanitarian mission to Haiti

Through charitable contributions to his organization, Paul's backers provided funds to purchase a Boeing 747SP airplane that Paul named "Global Peace Ambassadors", which flew under the name "Global Peace One".[19] The airplane was formerly flown by China Airlines; it was the aircraft in the China Airlines Flight 006 accident. The airplane was used for missions to Third World countries, delivering disaster aid. A former crew member described it as a "flying death trap". The volunteer pilot, first officer, and flight engineer all quit in 2010 because of concerns over maintenance and non-payment of debts. The FAA eventually suspended the plane's operating certificate due to insufficient maintenance.[20] The aircraft is parked at Tijuana International Airport in Tijuana, Baja California, and is reported to be in poor condition. The airplane's registration N4522V was cancelled by Federal Aviation Administration on March 14, 2018 due to expiration.[21]

Murder Charges

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He was arrested in the murder conspiracy case of his own brother K. David Raju in 2012.[3][22][23] A non-bailable warrant was issued against him in 2019.[3][24] Though there were multiple reports that police dropped charges against him due to lack of evidence,[25][26] as of March 2023, the case is still ongoing as he petitioned for a stay against his arrest in the Supreme Court of India.[27] Earlier, his criminal petition 4830 of 2023 in the Telangana High Court was dismissed by Justice Madhavi Devi who directed him to participate in the trail.[28]

A civil dispute is ongoing between Paul and his brother's wife Kilari Esther Rani[28] (on behalf of Gospel to the Unreached Million Society and The Ancient Pattern Pentecostal Church Society) over the management of properties of these two societies. In an appeal proceedings related this dispute in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice Ravi Nath Tilhari directed him to appoint an advocate to represent him after he referred to a Judge as "mad" while appearing as a Party in person. Despite the warning in the previous hearing, he filed a fresh application seeking to quash the previous orders issued to him which directed him to utilise the services of an advocate. The Judge threatened to initiate Contempt of court proceedings against him if he again appeared in person in the case.[29]

Politics

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In a defamation suit (CS (OS) 1161 of 2007) filed in the Delhi High Court, Paul accused senior Indian National Congress political leaders Natwar Singh, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Pranab Mukherjee of defamation and preventing a five nation "Global Peace Tour" led by former Prime Minister of India H. D. Deve Gowda that he had organised to advocate for a permanent seat for India in the United Nations Security Council.[30] Paul accused former Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy of seeking a $5 million bribe towards electoral expenses in the presence of then Minister of Housing Botsa Satyanarayana. He further claimed that YSR had prevented Sonia Gandhi from visiting an orphanage that he was running.[31][32] Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy was also accused by opposition party leaders of using state resources to promote his daughter Y. S. Sharmila's husband and evangelist Anil Kumar in a bid to counter and suppress Paul. Paul launched the Praja Shanti Party in the midst of his spat with Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.[33][34] He stated, "The purpose of starting the Praja Shanti Party is to redeem people from slavery, promote equality among all people and all faiths and all castes and establish true democracy."[35]

Paul said in January 2019 that his party would contest the 2019 elections in Andhra Pradesh.[36] His party's slogan was "Save Secular India". He stated that both central and state governments reneged on their election promises and deceived the people.[37] He contested unsuccessfully from Narasapuram as a Lok Sabha candidate for 2019, securing 3,037 votes out of 1,325,028 cast.[38][39] His nomination for 2019 Bhimavaram Assembly constituency was rejected by the returning officer as he reached the place after the deadline.[40]

In 2022, he was attacked at Jakkapur village bordering Siddipet Assembly constituency and Sircilla Assembly constituency by Bharat Rashtra Samithi activists while he was enroute to Sircilla to meet farmers who had incurred losses due to sudden rainfall.[41] A case of cheating was booked against him for collecting money in exchange for nominating a person on behalf of his party for the Lal Bahadur Nagar Assembly constituency in the 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election. However, different newspapers have reported different monetary values in the case.[42][43][44] He contested unsuccessfully from Visakhapatnam as a Lok Sabha candidate for 2024, securing 7,529 votes out of 1,366,795 cast with Mathukumilli Bharat emerging victorious.[45][46]

In the United States, Paul backed Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election due to Obama's opposition to the War in Iraq.[47] Paul then endorsed Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.[48][49]

References

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  1. ^ "'Charity City' may be on assigned land". The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. 10 June 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ ""The 8th wonder of the world K a Paul" in Oslo – NORWAY NEWS – latest news, breaking stories and comment – NORWAY NEWS".
  3. ^ a b c Sukumar, C. R. (22 May 2012). "Evangelist KA Paul arrested for murder conspiracy by Andhra Pradesh police". The Economic Times.
  4. ^ "K.A. Paul's father condemns arrest". The Hindu. 11 July 2016 [2015-05-25].{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b Reddy, Srikanth (12 February 2019). "KA Paul Bereaved". The Hans India.
  6. ^ "Gospel to the Unreached Millions". ministrywatch.org. Archived from the original on 21 November 2003. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  7. ^ Dooley, Tara; Kilday, Anne Marie (29 January 2005). "Evangelist K.A. Paul moves spirits worldwide". The Houston Chronicle. Hearst. Retrieved 11 June 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Election Affidavit by Kilari Anand for Vishakapatnam Parliament Constituency 2024  – via Wikisource.
  9. ^ Sethurupan, Nadarajah (17 May 2004). ""Foreign Minister" in The New Republic". The New Republic.
  10. ^ "Dr. K.A. Paul, President of Global Peace Initiative Advises President Donald Trump to Lift Sudan Sanctions" (Press release).
  11. ^ "K.A. Paul: Indian, Evangelical, Pro-Israel International Man of Mystery".
  12. ^ Finnegan, William (24 August 2003). "The Persuader". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  13. ^ Sengupta, Somini; Goodstein, Laurie (23 July 2003) [2003-07-23]. "Liberian Says He'll Leave in 10 Days; Fighting Eases". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 June 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ K. A. Paul (2006). Al-Qaeda Winning--America Losing. Global Peace Initiative. ISBN 978-0-9789284-1-4.
  15. ^ Sweet, Lynn (29 May 2015). "Hastert duped into letting stranger inside". Chicago Sun Times.
  16. ^ Olsen, Ted (12 October 2006). "K.A. Paul Gets Attention After Hastert Meeting". Christianity Today. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  17. ^ "From The Tnr Archives: World's Most Popular Evangelist". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  18. ^ Hernandez, Nathaniel; Johnson, Carla K (10 October 2006). "Hastert Meets With Critic Over Scandal". The Washington Post. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  19. ^ Tommy Morgren (10 June 2010). "End is near for Global Peace One". 747sp.com.
  20. ^ Craig Malisow (8 June 2006). "The Plane Truth". HoustonPress. Retrieved 8 June 2006.
  21. ^ "N4522V is Deregistered (N-Number Inquiry)". FAA Registry. Federal Aviation Administration, United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Evangelist arrested in AP for plotting brother's murder". The Deccan Herald. The Printers Mysore. 12 May 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Noted evangelist KA Paul's brother found dead in Andhra Pradesh". The Daily News and Analysis. Indiadotcom Digital. 31 January 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ Mayabrahma, Roja (19 August 2019). "Non-bailable warrant issued against KA Paul". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  25. ^ Sukumar, C. R. (11 November 2020). "Police drop murder charge against evangelist KA Paul". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  26. ^ "Police drop murder charge against evangelist". The Times of India. 9 November 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  27. ^ Telugu, 10TV; Thiru, Narender (1 March 2023). "KA Paul: సోదరుడి హత్య కేసులో సుప్రీం కోర్టుకు కేఏ పాల్.. తనను అరెస్టు చేయకుండా స్టే విధించాలని పిటిషన్". 10TV Telugu (in Telugu). Retrieved 14 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ a b Kilari Anand Paul v. The State of Telangana (January 9, 2024) ("In view of the same, this Court is not inclined to grant any relief to the petitioner at this stage. The petitioner is therefore directed to participate in the trial before the trial Court and cooperate with the Court for early disposal of the case."), Text.
  29. ^ Huma, Fareedunnisa (12 September 2024). "AP High Court Reprimands Dr KA Paul For Calling Judge 'Mad' While Appearing In-Person, Warns Of Contempt Proceedings If He Doesn't Appoint Lawyer". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  30. ^ Dr. K.A. Paul v. K Natwar Singh (The Delhi High Court 2009-08-12), Text.
  31. ^ "Evangelist drops bombshell". The Times of India. 9 June 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ "Reddy demanded bribe, says preacher". News18. Network18 Media and Investments. 9 June 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ Janyala, Sreenivas (9 February 2009). "YSR's evangelist son-in-law triggers 'war of words'". The Indian Express.
  34. ^ Siddique, Mohammed (15 December 2008). "Andhra CM son-in-law's mammoth religious meet draws flak". Rediff.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ "Evangelist K A Paul launches Praja Shanti Party in AP". The News Wire. 5 October 2008.
  36. ^ "Praja Shanti will contest 2019 polls, says KA Paul". The Times of India. 8 January 2019.
  37. ^ "Save secular India is PSP agenda: Paul". The Hans India. 7 January 2019.
  38. ^ "Jagan has 31 cases pending, Naidu one". Deccan Herald. 24 March 2019.
  39. ^ "Narsapuram Lok Sabha Election Results 2019 Live: Narsapuram Constituency Election Results, News, Candidates, Vote Paercentage". News18.
  40. ^ "KA Paul's Nomination For Bhimavaram Rejected". Sakshipost. 25 March 2019.
  41. ^ "TRS activists attack Praja Shanthi Party chief K A Paul". The Hindu. 2 May 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  42. ^ "Hyderabad Police Book KA Paul for Cheating". www.deccanchronicle.com. 18 May 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  43. ^ Harsha, P. N. Sree (18 May 2024). "Hyderabad: Praja Shanti Party chief KA Paul booked in cheating case". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  44. ^ Puppala, Anusha (17 May 2024). "Rs 50 lakh for MLA ticket: Hyderabad police book Praja Shanti Party president KA Paul for cheating". www.newstap.in. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  45. ^ "General Election to Parliamentary Constituencies: Trends & Results June-2024 Parliamentary Constituency 4 - Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)". Election Commission of India Results.
  46. ^ "Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Lok Sabha Election Results 2024 Highlights: Sribharat Mathukumili Wins by 504247 Votes". India Today. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  47. ^ Jacob Kamaras (29 January 2016). "K.A. Paul: Indian, evangelical, pro-Israel international man of mystery". Jewish News Syndicate. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  48. ^ Paul, Kilari Anand (29 February 2016). "Seven Reasons Why Dr. KA Paul, World's Most Popular Evangelist Is Backing Donald Trump for America's President" (Press release). PR Newswire.
  49. ^ Mani, CDS (2 December 2016). "Indian priest preached Donald Trump gospel". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
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