Mid Day – Mumbai, 8 August 2012

In the coming weeks more is going to be heard of the storm brewing at the Osho ashram in Pune’s Koregaon park where according to insiders ‘ a handful of loyalists are intent on destroying the sanctity of Osho’s Samadhi for their own avarice.’ Media reports had alerted readers to the news of huge acres of prime property that belonged to the ashram being donated to the ‘ Darshan Trust’. 

At stake is the circular marble floored, marble walled bedroom of the master and its majestic circular chandelier; recognized as Osho’s Samadhi where His followers were allowed to meditate silently. According to the reports, the Osho International Foundation (OIF), which controls all of Osho’s properties, has been taking gradual steps to erase the significance of the Samadhi for his devotees over the last few years. Given the past acrimonious skirmishes that had broken out amongst his followers and the amount at stake, you can be sure that the issue is not going to go away in hurry. Incidentally, we have seen the bedroom and it is the magnificent sight. We were particularly impressed by the state - of - the- art futuristic looking dentist’s equipment and chair in the corner. Apparently, the master had his teeth attended to in private!

http://www.mid-day.com/columnists/2012/aug/080812-opinion-Iftaar-celebrations.htm 

Published: Tuesday, Aug 7, 2012, 17:35 IST 

By DNA Correspondent | Place: Pune | Agency: DNA 

In its affidavit filed before the charity commissioner dated July 16, the Osho International Foundation (OIF) had denied the existence of any samadhi of Osho in the commune at Koregaon Park. The OIF has now refused to answer any further questions on the issue. Spokesperson of the Osho Commune, Amrit Sadhana, in a terse communiqué to DNA, said, “As this matter is sub judice, we can only say that the affidavit speaks for itself.”

DNA had reported on August 2 about the affidavit in which the OIF said, “First of all there was never any samadhi of Osho as he himself was opposed to any personal worship. The board which was mistakenly put was removed 12 long years ago as it was realised that it was an error by the management of the trust (sic). Osho had never told to create his samadhi and had expressed his desire that people can come and meditate.”

http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/report_osho-commune-mum-on-samadhi_1725057 

Published: Thursday, Aug 2, 2012, 13:55 IST 

The ongoing dispute between the Osho International Foundation (OIF), the trust which controls the day-to-day activity of the Osho Commune, in Koregaon Park and the some of the disciples of the controversial mystic Osho Rajneesh, seemed to have taken an interesting turn, with the OIF denying the existence of any ‘samadhi’ of Osho.

This claim was made by OIF and Neo Sanyas Foundation (NSF), in an affidavit before the charity commissioner in Mumbai in response to an affidavit filed by Yogesh Thakkar and others challenging the decision of the OIF to transfer land of the commune.

The affidavit which was filed on July 16, states “First of all there was never any Samadhi of Osho as he himself was opposed to any personal worship. The board which was mistakenly put was removed 12 long years ago as it was realised that it was an error by the management (sic) the trust. Osho had never told to create his Samadhi and had expressed his desire (sic) that people can come and mediate..”

The samadhi referred in the affidavit is the Chang Tzu hall of the commune, which is supposed to house the ashes of Osho. Disciples of Osho, talk how after the demise of the mystic, it was decided to enshrine the ashes in the Chang Tzu hall, which during the lifetime of Osho, served as the bedroom and darshan hall of the master.

Swami Chaitanya Keerti of Osho Nisarg (a meditation centre) recollected that how six weeks before his demise, Osho himself had directed his disciples to do so. “The writing on the marble plaque ‘Osh Never Born Never Died’ was also dictated by Osho himself. As the room houses the ashes of Osho, that has to be the samadhi,” he said.

Similar were the experience of Yogesh Thakkar, another disciple, who remembered that on January 20, 1990, a day after the demise of Osho, it was Swami Amrito (John Andrews) had held a meeting in the Buddha Hall of the commune and announced how “Samadhi of the master would be created in Chang Tzu hall as per the directions of the master.”

The affidavit has created quite a ruffle amongst the Osho disciples, who term is as incorrect and wrong. DNA had sent an email to the spokesperson of the commune Ma Amrit Sadhna, asking for the commune’s reaction, but she did not respond.

http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/report_no-samadhi-at-osho-commune_1723122 

Abhay Vaidya | Sunday, January 15, 2012

DNA

As the battle against corruption in India is not Anna Hazare’s personal battle, but concerns each one of us; the neglect of the spiritual guru, Osho’s Samadhi, by his own followers in Pune is also not their internal affair, but concerns the rich spiritual heritage of India.

Also known as Acharya and Bhagwan Rajneesh, Osho’

s wholistic work and contribution constitute an important part of India’s spiritual tradition. Almost all extraordinary spiritual leaders were rebels of their age and so was Osho.

Those who don’t know Osho know nothing about his extraordinary commentaries on the Buddha and Buddhism, Mahavir and Jainism, the Bhagvad Gita, Kabir, Gorakhnath and scores of spiritual leaders from different religions of the world.

Live every moment, says Osho’s philosophy; celebrate life, meditate and find your own way, do not get trapped in the crap of religious dogma, do not suppress your sexuality and pursue your passion. Yes, he had revolutionary ideas about sex, but he was no “sex guru”, as the Indian and western media had dubbed him to sell their newspapers and magazines.

After Osho died in Pune on Jan 19, 1990, he was cremated, and as per his wishes, his ashes were interred in his bedroom at his residence ‘Lao Tzu’ on the Osho Commune premises.

This marble floored and marble-walled bedroom has a majestic circular chandelier and is recognised as Osho’s samadhi where his followers were allowed to meditate silently.

However, over the last two decades, the Osho International Foundation (OIF), which controls all of Osho’s properties, has been taking gradual steps to erase the significance of the samadhi for his followers.

The OIF spokesperson admitted in a conversation with this journalist that it was a mistake on their part to use the term ‘samadhi’ in the first place.

As Amrit Sadhana had stated in an interview, “We do not call it a samadhi. It is called Chuang Tzu (hall) where Osho (then Rajneesh) gave his first lectures after arriving in Pune in 1974. As per Osho’s wishes, his ashes were put in an urn and buried there.”

The management has made it extremely cumbersome — almost impossible — for the common man to visit the samadhi. Should the access not be free for everyone? Should one agree with the management when they say that it was a ‘mistake’ to call it a samadhi in the first place?

It is always the disciples of the master who betray him in the end. Is something similar happening in the case of Osho?

Who will explain the controversial ‘gifting’ of prime property of the Osho Commune worth crores of rupees to the unknown Darshan Trust in Delhi?

What about the fact that there are clear links between the existing and former trustees of the OIF, and this unknown entity called Darshan Trust?

Clearly, Osho’s Samadhi needs to be rescued from the clutches of his betrayers, and it needs to be restored to the people of India.

The problem is that we Indians are too tolerant and too slow to act and react — whether it is in regard to corruption or something else. But there’s no easy way out. The British or the Americans won’t fight your battles; you have to fight your own...and win.

http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column_india-must-protect-oshos-samadhi_1637877 

October 18, 2011 11:34 AM

Vinita Deshmukh

Pune’s Osho Commune is embroiled in controversy since the past few days regarding its petition in the Charity Commissioner’s office in Mumbai to “gift’’ a part of its property to an obscure trust. Is it just a property deal or an attempt to shut shop?

When the Osho International Foundation, which runs the internationally-acclaimed Osho Commune in Pune applied last week to the Charity Commissioner’s office in Mumbai, for permission to “gift’’ its 6,600 sq ft prime property in Lane No 1 of Koregaon Park, Pune, it was more than just a magnanimous property deal. At stake is the Osho legacy and the spiritual heritage belonging to the nation, as it represents the life & times and the colossal philosophical work of one of the greatest—though controversial— spiritual mystiques of the 20th century, Osho, earlier known as Acharya Rajneesh.

What’s scandalous is that, while prominent Osho Management team member Ma Sadhana admitted that another part of the property has been recently mortgaged to facilitate running the commune (is it broke?), suddenly you have the management wanting to “gift” another part of its property and that too to an obscure ‘Darshan Trust’ which does not seem to have official credibility. The natural question is: Why such magnanimity?

While the suspicion that the Osho Commune, run by three foreigners, steered by Swami Jayesh alias Michael O Byrne, erstwhile real-estate agent of Edmonton, US—(the other two being Swami Amrito alias George Meredith, Osho’s personal physician and Swami Yogendra alias Darcy O’ Byrne)—who has re-christened the commune as the ‘Osho International Meditation Resort’ with a stark commercial flavour a few years after Osho died in 1990, might be ultimately sold off and the commune shifted somewhere outside the country, has some bearing, though very speculative at this stage.

The Osho Commune management has deliberately undertaken various measures since the past few years to convert this Ashram meant for spiritual seekers who flocked here from around the world, into a luxurious resort by eliminating the Master’s presence in the form of photographs, which otherwise studded the Commune. What was shocking was that Osho’s ‘Samadhi’ was replaced by what is now called as ‘Osho Chuang Tzu’. At that time, former Osho spokesperson Swami Chaitanya Keerti who walked out of the Commune in early 2000, had stated that, “many of us are suspicious of the resort’s motives in discarding the term ‘Samadhi’. I think this is a long-term strategy to break the emotional link we sanyasins have with Osho’s Samadhi and sell or lease Pune property in the future. The prime properties of this Commune do not belong to the handful of inner-circle members, but to all the Osho followers from all over India and the world, who have made contributions when Osho was alive.” Is Keerti’s prophecy coming true now?

The Commune management also audaciously demolished the legendary ‘Buddha Hall’ where Osho gave most of his world-famous spiritual discourses, bedecked in royal robes and seated on an equally royal & luxuriant chair. During the days when he was ailing, he arrived from his room just 500 meters away in a Rolls-Royce. The huge mosquito net that covered the Buddha Hall was said to be the largest, fit enough to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. When that was dismantled a few years back, Keerti had stated it was an “outrage to Osho’s memory and the death of a spiritual heritage place of the country”. That was another act of reducing Osho’s legacy into nothingness. Was that also a part of a strategy to facilitate future sale of property?

The Commune—particularly after the construction of the one lakh square foot Osho Meditation Resort built opposite the main gate, represents what you can call the ‘five-star’ culture. It has transformed into a five-star resort by jacking up entry fees and food prices, and discouraging Indian sanyasins from patronising it by way of humiliation, banning ‘seva’ (voluntary work to run various departments of the Commune and instead appointing an international professional housekeeping company by paying several lakhs per month) and banning those who speak against the highhandedness of the Commune administration.

For example, the entry fees for one day are Rs480 for Indians and Rs960 for Westerners. This is beside the food which would on average cost Rs500 per person for two meals. Thus, even Westerners find it exorbitant to go there—this is confirmed by the assessment that visitors have dipped by nearly 80 percent. Swami Prem Geet (Yogesh Thakkar), one of the two petitioners who have filed an objection in the Charity Commissioner’s office in Mumbai against the Osho Commune’s representation, and because of whom the issue surfaced in the public arena, states, “Until a couple of years back, round 1,000 foreigners would visit the Commune in the peak period of December to February. Last year, there were around 200-odd only. They don’t want visitors anymore—they have sinister plans and have therefore also transferred registration of the trusts from Pune’s Charity Commissioner’s office to Mumbai. However, we got a whiff that they wanted to give away part of the spiritual heritage of the Commune and so we rushed to Mumbai and filed our objection in good time.” Details of the objection petition as well as the Commune’s application before the Charity Commissioner, Mumbai, are available at www.oshowork.org

The Osho International Foundation (OIF) also tried to make the word ‘Osho’ as its trademark. However, it lost the case in 2009 in the US, against a complaint filed by ‘Osho Friends International’ in 1999 steered by Keerti. The Trademark and Trial Appeal Board in the US where the case was filed concluded, “The term ‘Osho’ is generic for the meditations devised by the mystic Osho and the meditation and religious movement arising from there. As a result, defendant OIF cannot foreclose others from utilising the term OSHO to describe their own goods and services based upon such meditations and movements.”

After the German Bakery blast in 2010, the tourists’ tour through the Osho Commune has been stopped for security reasons as it has come under the radar of terrorists, and rightly so. Only, this has become another reason for curbs on people visiting it.

When Moneylife contacted Ma Sadhana, she brushed off the issue of gifting away part of the property, thus—“It is a storm in a teacup. We are all happy here, alive and kicking. We have no problems. There is no petition filed with the Charity Commissioner.”

Pune’s Osho Commune is a national heritage as Osho has an international following, the like not seen for any other Indian spiritual master. While his philosophy of ‘Sex to super-consciousness’ had come under bitter criticism when he propagated it in the early 1970s, today his books, audio & video cassettes are widely sold in practically every country. He has brought about a unique spiritual innovation that has been accepted beyond India.

It is time that leading followers of Osho who walked away from the Commune and started their own centres in different parts of the country and were erstwhile faces of the Commune like Ma Yoga Neelam (Osho’s secretary), Swami Tathagat (Osho Commune’s administration-in-charge), Swami Satya Vedant (former chancellor, Osho Multi-Varsity) and Swami Chaitanya Keerti come forward to launch a mass campaign against any demolition or alleged closure of the Osho Commune. They need to give strong support to Swami Premgeet (Yogesh Thakkar) and Swami Prem Anadi (Kishor Raval) who are presently opposing the Commune’s recent move in the Charity Commissioner’s office in Mumbai.

 

Simultaneously, it is time the state and Central governments suo motu come forward to preserve this national heritage.

(Vinita Deshmukh is consulting editor of Moneylife. She is also an RTI activist and convener of the Pune Metro Jagruti Abhiyaan. She can be reached This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

 

Published: Saturday, Nov 12, 2011, 11:38 IST 

By Rajesh Rao | Place: Pune | Agency: DNA 

After making a controversial application to the charity commissioner, Mumbai, to “gift” valuable property valued at more than Rs8 crore to an obscure trust in Delhi, representatives of Osho International Foundation (OIF) have failed to show up at two hearings conducted by the charity commissioner’s office.

Although hearings were scheduled on October 7 and 20, in connection with objections raised to the gift proposal, OIF representatives skipped them. The spokesperson for the trust, Amrit Sadhana, declined to give details and sent a cryptic message, “The matter is sub-judice.”

As reported extensively by DNA in October, while Osho followers Yogesh Thakkar (Swami Prem Geet) and Kishor Raval (Swami Prem Anadi) have challenged the OIF application to the charity commissioner, another disciple, Nitin Phulphagar (Swami Nitin Bharati), has joined them in challenging various activities of the OIF.

All three have questioned the OIF’s gift deed application moved by OIF trustee, Mukesh Sarda, under section 36(1)(a) of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950. The application proposes to gift “six units” in Little Woods Co-op Housing Society, plot number 22 in Koregaon Park, to New Delhi-based Darshan Trust, with its registered office at A-34, Defence Colony.

The property is named ‘Osho Sanai’ with single-storey bungalows in Lane 1.

The OIF application states that the gift was being proposed after a request was made by trustees of Darshan Trust, whose objectives were similar to that of the OIF. The OIF decided that the 6,611-square-foot property in Koregaon Park was “excess space”, which was not required by the OIF to fulfill its 

objectives.

Therefore it decided unanimously to donate the property to Darshan Trust. The aims and objectives of Darshan Trust were stated as education, teaching of yoga, meditation and philosophy and medical relief, among other 

activities of public utility.

The OIF controls the Osho International Meditation Resort, formerly the Osho Commune, and related activities spread over nearly 35 acres in Koregaon Park.

Meanwhile, the property dispute around the Osho International Meditation Resort has triggered an online networking buzz among Osho’s followers. The petitioners against the OIF, Yogesh Thakkar and Kishore Raval have formed ‘Osho Team Poona’ and started an online campaign “Save Osho Premises”, a forum for interaction, posting documents and their voices on a website, www.oshowork.org. This has triggered a buzz among the sanyasins.

“We are getting support from across the world. Followers from Germany, Thailand, UK, Japan and other countries are in touch with us and are extending their support to our campaign to save the Osho premises in Pune. This is for the first time that someone has challenged the functioning of the commune trust on legal grounds with supporting proof,” said Thakkar.

The questions that are circulating through various postings on networking sites are: Who has the rights to the estimated Rs1,000-crore Osho Commune property in Koregaon Park? Is it not time for sanyasins to ask for financial transparency about the workings of this temple of meditation? Does the secular government of India not have any responsibility towards spiritual heritage places such as this?

Questions are also being asked by followers if this is the first step towards winding it up: Is the Commune broke? Is it just a property deal, or an attempt to shut shop? Why such magnanimity of gifting commune property?

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_osho-foundation-skips-dates-with-charity-commissioner_1611360 

The Tribune

Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, October 15

Osho Rajneesh’s 35-acre commune in Pune's upmarket Koregaon Park area is once again in the eye of the storm. This time, a section of the spiritual mystic’s followers have accused the trustees running the organisation, mainly foreigners, of attempting to sell the Rs 1,000-crore property to a Pune-base

d developer linked to a top Maharashtra-based politician.

Popular among foreigners and the rich set still enamored with the mystique of Rajneesh, the sprawling commune -- now renamed as the Osho International Meditation Resort -- attracts hundreds of people every day. Entrance fees cost as much as Rs 1,000 with other facilities like food and beverages charged extra.

Trustees who run the ashram have also filed an application before the Charity Commissioner seeking the incorporation of a private limited company to manage the affairs of the organisation. This has rankled a section of Osho’s followers, who have filed a petition challenging the plan.

In their petition, Yogesh Thakkar, alias Swami Prem Geet, and Kishore Raval, alias Swami Prem Anandi sought a stay on any attempt to sell the property. "The Pune properties of the commune were established by Osho's followers, who spent their hard labour, time, money and dedication in order to teach Osho's philosophy," the petition stated.

The petitioners went on to say that the Osho Foundation was controlled by three individuals — Michael O'Byrne alias Swami Jayesh, George Meredith alias Swami Amrito, and Darcy O'Byrne alias Swami Yogendra, who took over the organisation after the death of Rajneesh on January 19, 1990.

"We would like the Osho Foundation to function in a more democratic manner. There should be more of Osho's followers in the body and they should have a say in the Foundation’s decisions," Thakkar said.

However, the Osho International Foundation has denied that attempts are afoot to sell off the property to any builder. "There is no move to sell the property to any builder. We run meditation centres and spread the philosophy of Osho," said Amrit Sadhana, a spokeswoman of the body.

Meanwhile, a section of Osho's followers have begun an online campaign to protect the Pune ashram.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111016/main7.htm 

Jagran City

15 October 2011

WHEN THE RUMOURS OF THE ERSTWHILE SALE OF THE OSHO INTERNATIONAL MEDITATION RESORT, ESTIMATED AT Rs. 1,000 CRORE SPREAD OVER AN AREA OF 28 ACRES, IT CREATED RIPPLES AMONGST THE RESIDENTS OF KOREGAON PARK.

Osho International Foundation (OIF) was dragged into yet another controversy because of the petition filed by Yogesh Thakk

er and Kishore Raval before the Charity Commissioner at Mumbai alleging that OIF was making an attempt to sell the trust premises to politically influenced persons from Pune and Mumbai. Ma Amrit Sadhana, spokesperson of OIF, talking to Cityplus stated that no application was made to sell property of the meditation resort. 

On digging further into the matter, Cityplus found that there had indeed been an application (number 87/11) filed by trustee of Osho International Foundation (OIF) Mukesh Sarda at the office of the Honorable Charity Commissioner at Mumbai, dated September 19, 2011. This application is filed by OIF to transfer the portion of trust property by way of gift to Darshan Trust, a public Charitable trust situated in New Delhi under Section 36 of Public Charitable Trust Act 1950. When questioned about Darshan Trust, Ma Sadhana in an elusive reply said, “it is one of the trusts who is helping us” and did not give any further information.

Cityplus found that the trust is registered at A-34, Defence Colony, New Delhi and carried the name plate of B V Taneja. A phone call to the Darshan Trust was answered by a lady who claimed that she had never heard of the trust and then the phone was put on hold. The second person who came on the line confirmed that it was the registered office of Darshan Trust and identified herself to be Ramni Taneja. She said that she was a lawyer and that she was just the postal address for the trust and that the trustees were based in Pune. She asked Cityplus to “speak to one of the trustees, Mukesh Sarda who is in Pune.” Mukesh Sarda incidentally happens to also be a trustee of OIF who has filed an application on behalf of OIF wanting to gift gifts of Six (6) Units in Little Woods Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. admeasuring total area of approximately 6,611.82 sq ft situated at Plot No. 22, Koregaon Park, Pune 411001 to Darshan Trust, a Public Charitable Trust having its registered office at A-34, Defence Colony, New Delhi-110 024. Meanwhile the petitioners Yogesh Thakkar alias Swami Prem Geet and Kishor Raval alias Swami Prem Anadi, have appealed to OIF not to create or cause to create any third party interests in the properties by the way of sell, gift lease, easement, endowment or otherwise. “These properties and its benefit factors belong to Osho followers who have created it in the presence of Osho with their time, money and dedication. This objection includes all the infrastructure developments which have taken place in the said trusts premises,” the appeal says.

When Cityplus spoke to Ma Sadhana, she labeled the allegations of the sale as just rumours and that few individuals (Sunyasins) outside the resort were trying to influence media. She clarified that there has been no application made to sell the property of the meditation resort and “with the permission of the Charity Commissioner our property No. 9, has a mortgage against a small bank loan for renovations and upgrades that have occurred over the last three years including substantial costs to implement a world class security system,” When Cityplus spoke to Kishor Raval, he said that the application for gifting part of Osho Ashram was in contradiction of the statements made by Ma Amrit Sadhana. “Our question is that if they are mortgaging ashram property No. 9 to raise funds for renovation and upgradation, then why this generous act of gifting is required?” The Objectors explained that the followers of Osho have been witnessing, changes happening within the Meditation Resort. “People in the resort have suddenly become secretive; they indiscriminately banned people entering the meditation resort on basis of asking too many questions, the entry fee, etc.

The Objectors had mentioned Michael O Byrne, alias Swami Jayesh, George Meredith, alias Swami Amrito, and Darcy O Byrne, alias Swami Yogendra, as leaders of the Osho faction that took full control of the Osho trusts after the mystic’s controversial death at his Pune commune on January 19, 1990 whereupon, Ma Sadhana, justified these three people were personally appointed as Chariman and Deputy Chairman of the Inner Circle by Osho. Replying to this, Raval said, “We heartily appreciate presence and contributions of Swami Jayesh, Amrito and Yogendra. Respectively, we would like to have list of Inner Circle members and period of their tenure holding membership of Osho’s Inner Circle since its inception.”

Raval added that the resort needed to end commercialization and monopolization of Osho’s premises, articles and intellectual property rights. He said that in their application to the Charity Commissioner, they had mentioned that “The said foundation (OIF) is mismanaged and there are efforts of conversion of the same into a private resort company for private benefits, the said trustees have established a company named Osho Multimedia and Resorts Pvt. Ltd, wherein the trustees are the directors of the said company established for commercial gains.”

“Our contention is that all development in the OIF property is done by thousands of Osho disciples from around the world by contributing their time, money, labor and dedication to Osho during and after Osho,” Raval said. He also stressed upon the fact that the Foundation should declare income and expenditure accounts in respect of earning of Osho’s intellectual property rights. Section 36 of the BPT Act, 1950, states that ‘presanction of charity commissioner for sale/mortgage of immovable property of public trust is must irrespective of whatever is mentioned in the bye-laws of the trust.

The Objectioners petition stated that the Pune properties of the Osho Foundation represented a spiritual home for the Osho community worldwide and if such sale/gifting was allowed by the charity commissioner then, it would cause a great loss to Osho’s legacy which he had left for the mankind.

—SANGEETA JAIN

PRACH BARI

RENUKA SURYAVANSHI

http://cityplus.jagran.com/city-news/-gifting-lands-oif-on-murky-grounds_1318680189.html 

Source: Abhay Vaidya, DNA | Last Updated 08:51(15/10/11)

Share29| 

Pune: Once again, disturbing facts have come to light with regard to the Osho International Foundation (OIF), which controls valuable assets, including an estimated Rs 1,000 crore worth of prime property, and which conducts its affairs in high secrecy.

The government and the citizens need to decide whether there is need to demand greater transparency from OIF, whether Osho's samadhi in Koregaon Park needs to be opened to the public, and whether the properties of this trust should be nationalised to safeguard the interests of Osho's followers.

Ever since the spiritual mystic, Osho Rajneesh, died in Pune on January 19, 1990, one controversy after another has been dogging the OIF. First, Osho's followers split into two factions, with one group (led by three foreigners) taking full control of the OIF properties. The other group, comprising mainly Indians, left the commune on their own or were forced to do so.

The two factions clashed bitterly over OIF's attempt to copyright Osho meditations and intellectual property, but this was rejected by a US court.

While the OIF has certainly beautified the premises and transformed it into an international meditation resort, not all are happy with the changes. Access to the premises is highly restricted, daily entry fee has been increased sharply and many traditions discontinued.

OIF's latest bid to gift a valuable property of nearly Rs 8 crore to an obscure Darshan Trust in New Delhi has not only been challenged by Osho's followers, but has also revealed links between OIF and this trust.

Clearly, someone needs to move the government or the courts to protect what belongs to the community of Osho's followers before it is too late.

Published: Saturday, Oct 15, 2011, 8:00 IST | Updated: Saturday, Oct 15, 2011, 1:38 IST 

By Aditya Kaul | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Who is Mukesh Sarda and what exactly is his role in the Pune-based Osho International Foundation’s proposal to gift Rs8 crore worth of prime property to the obscure, New Delhi-based Darshan Trust?

In a series of exclusive reports si

nce October 9, DNA has brought to light how Osho International Foundation’s (OIF) trustee Mukesh Sarda has filed a controversial application before the charity commissioner, Mumbai, seeking permission to “gift” “six units” (6,611 sqft) of prime property to New Delhi-based Darshan Trust. This property, Osho Sanai, is located in Little Woods Co-op Housing Society, plot number 22, Koregaon Park.

The application records Darshan Trust’s registered office address as A-34, Defence Colony, New Delhi. But a visit to A-34, Defence Colony by this reporter revealed that it is neither the property of Darshan Trust, nor does the trust have its office there. The property — a plush two-storey residential compound — belongs to the father of Darshan Trust’s lawyer and Supreme Court advocate Ramni Taneja.

Speaking to DNA on Friday, Ramni Taneja said, “Under law you are allowed to give the address of your lawyer for any correspondence. Their office is in Pune. This is my office and residence.”

Taneja said she was not aware of DNA’s report about the controversy pertaining to the Rs8 crore “gift” her client was in the process of receiving. Instead, she offered to give the phone number of the Trust’s contact person, who turned out to be Mukesh Sarda.

When told that Sarda is a prominent trustee in OIF, Taneja explained, “He represents both Darshan Trust and OIF.” When asked how it was possible for Sarda to represent both OIF and Darshan Trust at the same time, she said, “I don’t know, you will have to ask him only.”

When asked about her status with respect to the two trusts, Taneja said, “I represent Darshan Trust and Osho International Foundation also. I take care of OIF’s Delhi region matters.”

Taneja, however, was unwilling to give Darshan’s Trust’s Pune address and said, “You will have to ask Mukesh Sarda only.”

When Sarda was asked to reveal the address of the Darshan Trust office in Pune, he said it was located “at the same place where the OIF has its office.”

When asked specifically, “And you represent both Darshan Trust and OIF?” Sarda paused and responded. “Yes I do.”

He, however, refused to elaborate on the matter and from here on said, “The matter is sub judice and I cannot tell you anything.”

Two minutes later, Sarda called up this correspondent to correct himself and said, “I am not representing Darshan Trust. The trust has its trustees who are representing it.”

Published: Friday, Oct 14, 2011, 8:00 IST 

By Abhay Vaidya | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

In a move that has triggered a raging controversy among 

followers of Osho Rajneesh, the Osho International Foundation (OIF) has applied to Mumbai’s charity commissioner seeking permission to gift prime property estimated at Rs8 crore to an unknown trust in Delhi.

This has agitated a large section of the followers who have accused the OIF of surreptitiously trying to dispose of valuable real estate meant for the propagation of Osho’s philosophy. The OIF controls the Osho International Meditation Resort, formerly the Osho Commune, and related activities spread over nearly 30-35 acres of land at Koregaon Park.

Two Osho followers, Yogesh Thakkar (Swami Prem Geet) and Kishor Raval (Swami Prem Anadi), have challenged the OIF application in the charity commissionerate. Another disciple, Nitin Phulphagar (Swami Nitin Bharati), has joined them in challenging various activities of the OIF.

All three have questioned the gift deed application at a time when the OIF spokesperson Amrit Sadhana has admitted to mortgaging property No. 9 against a bank loan to raise funds for renovation.

The application, signed by OIF trustee Mukesh Sarda dated September 19, 2011, has been made under Section 36(1)(a) of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950. It proposes to gift “six units” in Little Woods Co-op Housing Society, plot number 22, Koregaon Park to New Delhi-based Darshan Trust with its registered office at A-34, Defence Colony.

The property, named Osho Sanai, is a single-storied bungalow in Lane number 1.

The OIF application states that the trustees of Darshan Trust with its office in Delhi had approached the OIF “with a request for some space to accommodate the teachers and participants of its activities in Pune”.

Since the objectives of the Darshan Trust and the OIF are similar, the matter was discussed in detail at a meeting of the trustees on August 14, 2011, the application states.

At that meeting, OIF trustee Mukesh Sarda informed that the 6,611 sq ft property at Koregaon Park plot No. 22 was “excess space” which was not required by the OIF to fulfil its objectives. Also, that the OIF was incurring expenses to maintain and repair this property without deriving any income from it.

It was decided unanimously at this meeting that the property would be donated to Darshan Trust, subject to the approval and sanction of the charity commissioner and provided that the stamp duty, registration and other expenses towards the alienation of the property was borne by Darshan Trust.

According to the application, in 1997, this property comprising six units in Little Woods Co-op Housing Society Ltd was received as a gift by six different foundations.

The 10 page application states that a number of trusts were amalgamated in the OIF at various points of time in previous years, “for better administration and management and carrying out the common activities of the trusts…”

When asked by DNA to provide details of Darshan Trust, OIF’s spokesperson Amrit Sadhana said, “The trustees said that the matter is sub-judice, therefore we cannot comment on it.”

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_osho-foundation-out-to-gift-rs8crore-property-to-delhi-trust_1598586 

Today, many sannyasins responded to a statement given by Ma Amrit Sadhana of the Osho International Meditation Resort management team in reaction to a news item carried by DNA newspaper (http://epaper.dnaindia.com/) yesterday, October 9, 2011.

Here is a selection: 

This is a pitiable self-congratulatory cover up effort of all that has n

ot been done by this team of three individuals controlling the Indians in the Pune Osho Commune. While we refer to the place as Osho Commune it may be noted that the very reason for changing the name from commune to resort could have been to de-link the place and property from a commune or ashram to a private holding. This way it would make it easier for the trio (Jayesh, Amrito and Jayesh’ brother Yogendra) to be able to sell off the assets of the Osho Commune. 

*

It is noteworthy that since the establishment of Shree Rajneesh Ashram in 1974, huge amounts of resources have been pooled into the place by hundreds of Osho’s disciples. The question is, who has the right to own these assets? Obviously each and every sannyasin of Osho who has given his /her complete blood and sweat to the place, those who devoted their lives to Osho’s work and vision. And those who with their love and dedication for the master transformed this place into a temple of meditation. For hundreds of thousands of disciples from around the world this place is a gurudwara where they meditated together with the master. It is a dhyan mandir. 

“I am against any kind of organization because every organization has proved an enemy of truth, a murderer of love.

I trust in the individual.

Each and every sannyasin, alone, is my medium.

Each and every sannyasin is connected to me directly.

There is no organization between me and you. 

There is no priesthood between me and you.”

Osho, The Osho Upanishad, Ch 43, Q 5

“Each sannyasin has to be my successor, has to be me. There is no need for anybody to dominate. There is nobody for anybody to dictate to. They are on their own. If they want to be together they can be together. Out of their own freedom, it is their choice and their decision.”

Osho, The Last Testament, Vol-2, Chapter-14

This gang of three aided by an Indian called Mukesh Sarda have been claiming to own the spiritual legacy of Osho. OIF has been making false claims to trademarks of the name Osho and the meditations given by him, in addition to copyrights of all the public discourses given by Osho, totaling to about 9000 hours in Hindi and English. They were squarely defeated in a ten year long lawsuit by Osho Friends International (www.oshofriendsinternational.com) in the USA and have now been challenged similarly in Europe by the Osho Cologne centre. 

*

The workings of the Pune commune have been questioned by a majority of Osho’s disciples throughout the world. Senior sannyasins have been doubting the intentions of three westerners controlling this place of worship and converting it into a private property. How three foreigners have come to control all the public trusts and societies of the commune is a question mark for disciples. Dummy (benami) names of Indians have been used in the trusts and societies. 

The 35 acres of prime property is owned by not one but several trusts and societies, each having benami names of Indians. The strategy now seems to be to change ownership from the trusts to the private limited company OIMR, where it will be possible to have foreign directors and shareholders. As a company for profit with the objectives of managing resorts and media they would be able to take dividends and shareholdings out of India. 

Hence the application to the Charity Commissioner for sale of the property. With the involvement of powerful politicians of Maharastra it may be easy to influence the Charity Commissioner. For all we know the sale may actually take place outside of India and the proceeds will then also remain outside of India. Indians are familiar with such transactions happening offshore and proceeds going to the favoured country – Switzerland. 

It is wonderful to hear that Indian sannyasins in Pune have taken the initiative to oppose this move to sell properties. Efforts to sell properties of the commune have been in the air on and off and friends have often been talking about big real estate agents scouting for customers in Mumbai and Pune. Fortunately potential customers have be

en wise not to entrust their money to three foreigners with doubtful credibility. Business organizations would think twice before buying properties of religious trusts as this may become a very hot potato with all the opposition from the followers. 

In India this can happen only with political clout. The media reports in Pune and Mumbai have raised the question if politicians are eyeing this property worth more than 200 million US dollars. No wonder the government of Maharashtra has not yet taken any action against the move of these three westerners who obviously enjoy political protection. 

Is there no law in India to check foreigners controlling huge amounts of religious assets without proper legalities? 

- First of all, there has been no application made to sell property of the meditation resort. 

Time will tell if the spokesperson, Ma Sadhana, needs to eat her words. The copy of the application is not yet on the net yet but hopefully sannyasins opposing the sale will come up with a copy soon for all of us to see. OIF may not initially want to sell the properties directly to an outside party. Their biggest hurdle is the Charity Commissioner who controls all the trusts of Maharashtra. They would want to get out of this control and so transferring the properties to some other entities out of Charity Commissioner’s purview would be logically the first step. 

- Secondly, with the permission of the Charity Commissioner, our property #9 has a mortgage against a small bank loan for renovations and upgrades that have occurred over the last three years including substantial costs to implement a world class security system. This loan practice is in the ordinary course of business, is current and in good standing and falls within our standard operating model. 

Did anyone speak about any mortgage or loans? What is this about? 

- For your information, in terms of operations Osho International entered into a Joint Venture with Godrej Properties in order to carry out the construction of the Osho Guest House and the world famous, Osho Auditorium with a construction cost of 32 crores. 65 % of the construction cost of 32 crores came to the foundation from sales profits.

Congratulations, can we please have some accounts of the 30 crores profit made on the auditorium? Let’s remember that the property is owned by a trust. What was done with that money? 

This brings us to an important issue of financial transparency about the financial management of the place. There is different guesswork floating in the air, facts and rumours all mixed together creating an aroma so pleasant to gossip.The workings of the place have been completely hushed up and are known only to Jayesh or to his helper, Mukesh Sarda.

Is it not time that sannyasins ask for financial transparency about the workings of this temple of meditation? 

Does the secular government of India not have any responsibility of spiritual heritage places such as this? 

Why are they not concerned when three foreigners come to plunder their most precious heritage of spirituality, whereas all these political leaders of India never tire of boasting about the great religious legacy of this country?

- Over the 20 years since Osho left his body, 110,000 square feet of developed space has been created for use. When Osho left his body there was a total of 15,000 useable square feet, so in effect we have increased useable square feet by seven times!

Well done. Great figure work like that of a Mumbai builder’s salesperson. 

Sannyasins would like to know what has the management done to this temple. This used to be a commune bustling with energy and full of meditation activities; thousands of people from all over the world converged here for years and today a pitiful number of less than 100 somedays just a handful are seen during meditations. That’s where the management has a problem, being more real estate developers and money makers than facilitators for Osho’s work. Love is gone over these 20 years.

- In addition, in this time we have added the front road development and the award winning Osho Teerth Park. 

Good work doing the road. And thanks for the park. 

- Regarding the people named in the article, Jayesh, Amrito and Yogendra, it should be noted that Jayesh and Amrito were respectively personally appointed Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Inner Circle by Osho. 

The Inner Circle appointed by Osho has already been destroyed by Jayesh and Amrito. Please do not take refuge behind the Inner Circle. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman ensured that it does not work in the way as Osho had envisioned it. Spiritual inner circles can work only with inner harmony and love and meditativeness, not with intrigue, conspiracy and authoritarian attitude. 

What are the other credentials of these three people? There have been reports of criminal cases – one in Canada about Jayesh (Michael O’Byrne, who is now known merely as Michael Byrne), and reports of his younger brother Darcy O’Byrne having a pending FIR in Pune for rape, and the third faithful, Amrito, who appears to be inebriated every night, as witnessed by Koregaon Park’s residents; all of this is publically known, posted on the net. 

- All three have a major focus on International Media and making Osho available. To that end, Osho in now available in printed books in some 60 languages, and has been seen by some 19 million people on the Osho International YouTube Channel. Osho has a yearly digital reach of over 350 million digital impressions through, digital mediums including, osho.com, Facebook and Twitter. While it took almost 30 years to have Osho published in the mentioned 60 languages it has taken just two years to have Osho’s video talks translated to that same figure.

Brilliant performance results are being expertly rattled out and credit is given to those three individuals. Please be reminded that these results are simply commonplace in present day technology. What has not been mentioned is the policing that has been done on the net and over the meditation centres. 

It should be mentioned just how many Osho related websites have been pulled down. It should be mentioned how many of Osho’s discourses that were available on Youtube have been pulled down. It has not been mentioned how many Facebook pages that posted Osho quotes or videos were closed by actions of the management. Much of the internet presence that disciples created worldwide was attempted to be slashed by this policing.

And the management continues to charge royalties for all the books contracted out to world publishers, while entry charges to the Osho Commune have been increased. Osho’s discourses are being made available for profit but where does that profit go? 

This group has not been facilitating the growth of Osho’s work but killing sannyasins’ and Osho Centres initiatives by threats of legal actions.

Presumably it will be said that the accounts are filed with the Charity Commissioners of Mumbai or Pune, and whoever wants can go and look for them there. And just who will be able to do this?

- The trustees and management team will continue with best efforts to best support the Osho proposal. 

We would like to trust that the best efforts will prevail. But to what end? What is the Osho proposal? To all of Osho’s sannyasins’ best understanding of His proposal is of love and meditation, dance and celebration. But alas anyone visiting ‘the resort’ does not feel the love and meditation. 

So what is this proposal for which the best efforts will be made ? Presently it appears the efforts are to clean out the place and make it a resort focused on commercial activity. There is no love, there is no meditation. Yes, there are dance programs but there is no celebration. Love is gone, the essence is gone.

Also, all sannyasins would like to know who is meant when Trustees are mentioned. Are these the benami names of Indian sannyasins on the trust papers who don’t even know what is going on?

Osho International Meditation Resort, Pune

10/9/2011

In response to the article published in DNA on 9/9/2011.

Some highlights regarding expansion of the meditation resort over the years since Osho left his body. 

- First of all, there has been no application made to sell property of the meditation resort.
 

- Secondly, with the permission of the Charity Commissioner, our property #9 has a mortgage against a small bank loan for renovations and upgrades that have occurred over the last three years including substantial costs to implement a world class security system. This loan practice is in the ordinary course of business, is current and in good standing and falls within our standard operating model.
 

- The management committee has been in place for over 20 years as is the case for the Trustees and Directors

- For your information, in terms of operations Osho International entered into a Joint Venture with Godrej Properties in order to carry out the construction of the Osho Guest House and the world famous, Osho Auditorium with a construction cost of 32 crores. 65 % of the construction cost of 32 crores came to the foundation from sales profits.

- Over the 20 years since Osho left his body, 110,000 square feet of developed space has been created for use. When Osho left his body there was a total of 15,000 useable square feet, so in effect we have increased useable square feet by seven times!

- In addition, in this time we have added the front road development and the award winning Osho Teerth Park. 

- Regarding the people named in the article, Jayesh, Amrito and Yogendra, it should be noted that Jayesh and Amrito were respectively personally appointed Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Inner Circle by Osho. 

- All three have a major focus on International Media and making Osho available. To that end, Osho in now available in printed books in some 60 languages, and has been seen by some 19 million people on the Osho International YouTube Channel. Osho has a yearly digital reach of over 350 million digital impressions through, digital mediums including, osho.com, FaceBook and Twitter. While it took almost 30 years to have Osho published in the mentioned 60 languages it has taken just two years to have Osho video talks translated to that same figure.

The trustees and management team will continue with best efforts to best support the Osho proposal. 

Amrit Sadhana

Management Team

MIDDAY

By: Kaumudi Gurjar Date: 2011-10-10 Place: Pune

Suspecting irregularities, two prominent members to send application to Charity Commissioner's office for investigation

All is not well with the Osho commune. After rumours of the commune being handed over to a private trust got public, two prominent members have come forward 

and have raised questions on the funds managed by the trusts.

Yogesh Thakkar, alias Swami Premgeet, and Kishore Raval, alias Swami Prem Anadi, are in the process of filing an application to Mumbai's Charity Commissioner's office demanding an inquiry into alleged mismanagement of Osho International Foundation and Neo Sanyas Foundation the trusts which manage the Osho International in the city.

This comes after the two had filed an application last Wednesday demanding rejection of application number 87/11 P.T.R. number F14570 (M) filed under Section 36 of the Bombay Public Trusts Act of 1950, which states the pre-sanction of the Charity Commissioner for sale, mortgage or immovable property of a public trust is a must irrespective of what is mentioned in the bylaws of the trust.

Sources from the Osho commune said that the 35 acres of Osho commune estimated to be worth Rs 1,000 crore will be gifted to a certain Darshan Trust.

Sources also claim that after the commune is handed over to the Trust, it might be sold to a prominent real estate developer Atul Chordia of Panchil Property.

Asked about this, Chordia sounded surprised and said: "There is no such talk. We have not submitted any tender regarding this. This information is untrue."

Swami Premgeet said: "The application will be filed to protect the Osho commune. 

We suspect some of the Osho International Foundation trustee members have established a company called Osho Multimedia Resorts Private Ltd."

Swami Premgeet and Swami Prem Anadi allege that the Osho commune has been running in a commercial manner.

Online campaign

AN online campaign Save Osho Premises at Pune is getting support from across the world.

Swami Premgeet and Swami Prem Anadi said followers from Thailand, Malaysia, the UK and the US were in touch with them and had extended their support to the campaign to save Osho premises in the city.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/oct/101011-Osho-members-want-inquiry-into-functioning-of-commune-trusts.htm 

Source: Abhay Vaidya, DNA | Last Updated 06:59(10/10/11)

Pune: The property dispute around the Osho International Meditation Resort's (erstwhile Osho Commune) estimated Rs 1,000-crore real estate in Pune has triggered a worldwide networking buzz among Osho's followers after an exclusive report by DNA on Sunday.

Many followers from across the country and abroad have expressed eagerness to protect the property from land sharks with strong political connections in Pune and Mumbai, in response to a petition filed by two Osho followers with the charity commissioner in Mumbai.

"We have been receiving calls and messages from Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai and even abroad, pledging support in our fight to protect the Osho trust properties in Pune," said Yogesh Thakkar (alias Swami Prem Geet), one of the petitioners against the application by the Osho International Foundation (OIF).

Thakkar, who was present — along with his co-petitioner, Kishore Raval (alias Swami Prem Anadi) — while speaking to DNA, said they felt overwhelmed by the support from Osho's followers to their initiative to demand transparency in the OIF activities in Pune.

As reported by DNA on Sunday, the two petitioners filed on Wednesday last raised serious objections to OIF's application No. 87/11 [P.T.R. No. F 14570 (M)] filed under section 36 of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950.

Section 36 of the BPT Act states that "pre-sanction of charity commissioner for sale or mortgage of immovable property of public trust is must, irrespective of whatever is mentioned in the by-laws of the trust".

Their petition states that three prominent trustees of the OIF, all foreigners, were attempting "to sell the trust premises in Pune to politically influenced persons from Pune and Mumbai".

These three individuals were identified in the petition as Michael O'Byrne (alias Swami Jayesh), George Meredith (alias Swami Amrito) and Darcy O'Byrne (Swami Yogendra), leaders of the Osho faction which took full control of the Osho trusts after the mystic's controversial death in his Pune commune on January 19, 1990.

Raising serious objections over the functioning of the Osho trusts Thakkar — who was initiated into sanyas personally by Osho Rajneesh in 1979 — told DNA that the entire decision making lies in the hands of just 3-4 individuals. "Just three foreigners are taking all the decisions and everyone else has been systematically deleted (sic)," he said.

While demanding that the decision-making in the Osho trusts be expanded and democratised, Thakkar and Raval alleged that the common man's access to the Osho Commune, renamed Osho International Meditation Resort, had been made difficult.

"There's an entry fee of Rs 1,000 per day for foreigners and Rs 480 for Indians. There's additional cost for food and other facilities," he said, while demanding that the Osho premises be available to the people at "a reasonable cost such as Rs 100 per day."

When asked by DNA, OIF spokesperson Amrit Sadhana acknowledged that spending a day at the Osho resort would cost about Rs 1,000 per person, which was comparable to lunch in a star hotel or a visit to a multiplex. "These charges include access to more than six meditations in the auditorium which is air-conditioned, besides other facilities," she said.

Thakkar also demanded that Osho's Samadhi, where his ashes have been buried in what was his bedroom at the time of his death, be called as such by the Osho trust authorities. He alleged that the word "samadhi" was being deliberately erased by the authorities to make it easy to sell the property in future or use it for other purposes.

The OIF spokesperson Sadhana vehemently denied this charge. "We do not say that he is dead and therefore we don't use the word samadhi," she said.

Spread over nearly 35 acres, the Osho International Meditation Resort in upmarket Koregaon Park bears special significance for Osho's followers as this was where he did his life's work and where his samadhi with his ashes is located.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-PUN-osho-followers-vow-to-protect-rs-1000-crore-property-in-pune-2491219.html 

Source: Abhay Vaidya, DNA | Last Updated 08:44(09/10/11)

Pune: A major property dispute is beginning to erupt over the lucrative Koregaon Park properties controlled by

 the Osho International Foundation (OIF), conservatively estimated at Rs 1,000 crore and spread over 35 acre.

On Wednesday, two followers of controversial mystic Osho, also known as Osho Rajneesh, petitioned to the charity commissioner, Mumbai, raising serious objections to OIF's application no 87/11 (P.T.R. No. F 14570 (M)) filed under section 36 of the Bombay Public Trusts (BPT) Act, 1950.

Section 36 of the BPT Act, 1950, states that 'pre-sanction of charity commissioner for sale/mortgage of immovable property of public trust is must irrespective of whatever is mentioned in the bye-laws of the trust'.

The petitioners -- Yogesh Thakkar, alias Swami Prem Geet, and Kishore Raval, alias Swami Prem Anandi -- prayed that 'the application to sell the property situated at Pune be rejected' as the Pune properties were established by Osho's followers 'with hard labour, time, money and dedication' for the purpose of teaching Osho's philosophy.

The petition stated that the activities of the OIF and its trustees were influenced mainly by three individuals 'in an attempt to sell the trust premises at Pune to politically influenced persons from Pune and Mumbai'.

These three individuals were identified as Michael O'Byrne, alias Swami Jayesh, George Meredith, alias Swami Amrito, and Darcy O'Byrne, alias Swami Yogendra, who are leaders of the Osho faction that took full control of the Osho trusts after the mystic's controversial death at his Pune commune on January 19, 1990.

The petition alleged that efforts were on to convert the activities of the foundation into a private limited company for which a company called "Osho Multimedia & Resorts Pvt Ltd." had been established wherein the trustees are directors of the said company.

This company, the petition said, was established for commercial gains that went against the basic principles of Osho and his philosophy.

The petition stated that the Pune properties of the Osho Foundation represented a spiritual home for the Osho community worldwide and if this sale was allowed by the charity commissioner then, it would cause a great loss to Osho's legacy which he had left for the mankind.

Incidentally, Osho's Samadhi with his ashes is located in the erstwhile Osho Commune that was later transformed into the Osho International Meditation Resort. Originally established on a five-acre plot after Osho moved base from Mumbai to Pune in the mid-1970s, the Commune gradually expanded to own 35 acres in Pune.

An online 'Save Osho Premises at Pune' campaign has already begun among Osho's followers worldwide to galvanise support for the impending battle against any plans to sell the Pune properties.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-PUN-are-politicians-eyeing-oshos-rs-1000-crore-property-in-pune-2488842.html