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Isha Foundation was founded by Sadhguru to impart yoga and spirituality to people, the statement said. (Shutterstock)
“The petitioner wanted the monks to be produced before the Court and the monks have presented themselves before the court. They have clearly stated that they are staying in Isha Yoga Center out of their own volition. Now that the matter is seized by the court, we hope truth will prevail and there is an end to all the unnecessary controversies created,” the foundation said
As the Madras High Court pulled up spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev or Sadhguru of Isha Foundation and asked him why he was encouraging young women to live like hermits, the foundation, in its statement, said they “do not ask people to get married or take up monkhood”.
A bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam posed the question after S Kamaraj, 69, a retired professor alleged that his two daughters, aged 39 and 42, had been “brainwashed” into permanently staying at the Isha Yoga Centre. The two daughters, however, appeared before the court and claimed to be residing at the centre out of their own choice. “We want to know why a person who had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life is encouraging the daughters of others to tonsure their heads and live the life of a hermitess,” wondered Justice Sivagnanam.
“Isha Foundation was founded by Sadhguru to impart yoga and spirituality to people. We believe that adult individual human beings have the freedom and the wisdom to choose their path. We do not ask people to get married or take up monkhood as these are individual choices. Isha Yoga Center is home to thousands who are not monks and a few who have taken Brahmacharya or Monkhood,” the foundation’s statement said.
“Despite this, the petitioner wanted the monks to be produced before the Court and the monks have presented themselves before the court. They have clearly stated that they are staying in Isha Yoga Center out of their own volition. Now that the matter is seized by the court, we hope truth will prevail and there is an end to all the unnecessary controversies created,” it added.
“Previously, this very petitioner along with others, tried trespassing into our premises on the false pretext of being a fact finding committee to enquire about the facts surrounding the crematorium being constructed by Isha Foundation and then filed a criminal complaint against the people of Isha Yoga Center. Against this, the Hon’ble High court of Madras has granted a stay on submission of the final report by the police. Apart from this, there is no other criminal case against the Foundation. Whoever indulges in spreading false information against the foundation will be strictly dealt with as per the law of the land,” it said.