The Madras High Court has taken a dig at the practices promoted by Sadhguru. This is after the father of two women has claimed that his daughters were “brainwashed” to stay at Sadhguru’s centre.
What did the court say? What allegations is Sadhguru facing? Here’s a detailed picture.
Where It All Started
Jaggi Vasudev, commonly known as Sadhguru, has been questioned by the Madras High Court, as to why he is promoting a hermit lifestyle for women and asking them to tonsure their heads when his daughters are married and well-settled.
The policies promoted by Sadhguru, founder of the Isha Foundation, came under scrutiny when a retired professor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, S Kamaraj, claimed that his two well-educated daughters were “brainwashed” to reside permanently at the Isha Yoga Centre, Coimbatore.
The former professor alleged that some medicines or food were being given to his daughters, causing them to lose their cognitive abilities. His elder daughter completed her M.Tech (Master of Technology) from a university in the United Kingdom and worked in the same institution, earning Rs 1 lakh as remuneration in 2004. She began attending yoga classes at the centre after her divorce in 2008. Her younger sister followed suit and joined her to stay at the centre.
Read More: Sadhguru’s Cauvery Campaign Gets Controversial After Leonardo DiCaprio Was Asked To Withdraw Support, By ESG
The Verbatim Of The Court:
The bench of justices, which included Justices SM Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam, highlighted the “freedom and wisdom” all adults possess to choose their respective paths.
“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,” Justice Sivagnanam commented on this habeas corpus petition.
Kamraj’s daughters, aged 42 and 39, appeared in court on Monday, September 30, 2024. They said they were living at Isha Foundation of their own will and were not detained or forced to stay there.
Addressing the women, the bench said, “You claim to be on the path of spirituality. Don’t you think that neglecting your parents is a sin? ‘Love all and hate none’ is the principle of devotion but we could see so much hatred in you for your parents. You are not even addressing them respectfully.”
Isha Foundation said it could not understand the court’s concern when two independent adults chose that particular lifestyle and settled in the centre.
“We believe that adult individuals have the freedom and wisdom to choose their paths. We do not impose marriage or monkhood, as these are personal choices. The Isha Yoga Centre accommodates thousands who are not monks, alongside a few who have embraced Brahmacharya or monkhood,” the foundation said.
To which Justice Subramaniam replied, “You will not understand because you are appearing for a particular party. But this court is neither for nor against anybody. We only want to do justice to the litigants.”
The judges ordered further investigation into the case and mandated the police to compile all cases against Isha Foundation.
Sources: Hindustan Times, Mint, Moneycontrol
This post is tagged under: Sadhguru, Isha Foundation, habeas corpus, police, court, Madras High Court, Jaggi Vasudev, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, S Kamaraj, professor, United Kingdom, Coimbatore, M.Tech, Justice SM Subramaniam, Justice V Sivagnanam, hermit, tonsure
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