‘OIF is commercialising Osho Ashram in city’
Reporter, Sakal Times, Thursday, 12 January 2012 – 11:59 AM IST
PUNE: The Osho International Foundation (OIF) is gradually commercialising the Osho International Meditation Resort (popularly known as Osho Ashram) at Koregaon Park, two former trustees of the foundation have alleged.
They added that OIF has already obtained permission from Charity Commissioner Mumbai, for ‘gifting’ Ashram’s land measuring 5, 387 sq m worth Rs 35-40 crore to a mysterious Darshan Trust, New Delhi, whose officials are two former trustees of OIF.
The former trustees, Yogesh Thakar and Kishore Raval, told media here on Wednesday that they have raised objections with the Charity Commissioner Mumbai, about the ‘gift’.
“The OIF is in the process of gifting the land on Lane no 1, in a dubious manner. There was no declaration or public notice made by the trustees of OIF. This is a well-known legal manoeuvre designed to sidestep any local publicity about such a move in order to avoid public detection and possible objection. They are in the process of gifting another piece of land worth crores to the same trust,” they said.
“The reason given for gifting the land was that it had been lying unused, and that they were finding it difficult to pay taxes to the civic body,” Thakar said..
OIF’s trustees, managers and administrators should clearly understand that they are not the owners, but rather the custodians of Osho’s legacy, he added. “We believe that foreigners Michael Byrne alias Swami Jayesh and Dr John Andrews alias Swami Amrito, who are the chairman and vice chairman respectively of Osho’s Inner circle, are influencing the OIF.”
To save the land transfer, Thakkar and Raval have started a website (www.oshowork.org) and also a toll-free number (080-49311193), They have appealed to people to give a missed call as a form of support.
When Sakal Times contacted OIF trustee Maa Sadhana, who is also a member of Osho International Meditation Resort management, she refused to comment, saying the matter is ‘sub-judice’.
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