John might be thinking that if he implies that he has gotten a lot of opposition and criticism from ex-premies that it makes it seem that his "apology" is more courageous, more difficult, and hence worth more to Rawat, who will then "forgive" him by taking his money and leaving him alone.

In that sense, I can't help but feel a little bit like we are being used in more ways than one. 

I haven't emailed John at all since his apology, one way or the other.  I just have a hard time believing that he got 40 "angry" emails from ex-premies. 

I just have this feeling that John is acting on a stage in which we are just props (or maybe part of the stage floor), to help him do....whatever it is he is trying to do, which I for the life of me cannot figure out.

The key for me is that nobody has talked about John on this forum for weeks, and John suddenly appears, as if under the burden of so much scrutiny and criticism.  Doesn't add up at all.