DISPUTE

The Oshonomic Times

Haima Deshpande | 26 Jan, 2012

A bitter property battle over the Pune ashram of Rajneesh—whose Earth ‘visit’ ended in 1990

MUMBAI ~ Sanyasis in the Pune-based Osho commune, who once encouraged and practised displays of affection, are no longer doing it themselves. On the contrary, they are fighting among themselves over the property of the commune. Factions have formed. Hugging and kissing are no longer a priority.

At the centre of the bitter, two decade-long feud is the legacy of Osho Rajneesh, which includes properties movable and immovable, intellectual property rights (including digital versions) and the entire infrastructure supporting the Osho movement.

The man spearheading the latest battle against the trustees of the Osho International Foundation (OIF) is Swami Premgeet. The OIF has full control of the Pune commune.

“The trustees, managers and administrators should realise that they are not owners but custodians of Osho’s legacy,” says Premgeet. “The trustees of OIF are in the process of gifting a part of the Osho ashram in a dubious manner to a Darshan Trust from New Delhi. They have filed two applications before the Charity Commissioner (Mumbai) seeking permission to do so. How can they do so?”

According to Premgeet, the trustees have taken huge loans at high interest rates from various banks. They have also mortgaged some part of the set-up to meet financial demands. The warring group has demanded that the OIF cease creating or causing the creation of any third-party interests in the trust properties ‘by way of sale, gift, mortgage, lease, endowment, easement, or otherwise’. All the infrastructure and facilities are for the benefit of the Osho community at large.

They also want the entry fees to be brought down to Rs 100 without prejudice of cult, creed or nationality. Currently, Indians are charged Rs 480 while foreigners pay Rs 980. The high entry fees has resulted in fewer visitors.

Though Osho preached a calming of the mind through various meditation techniques, the followers he left behind on Earth seem far from peaceful these days.