'We Don't Ask People...': Isha Foundation After Madras HC Order On Two Girls 'Being Kept Captive'

The court had asked as to why a man like Sadhguru alias Jaggi Vasudev, who himself has married off his only daughter, encouraging young women to renounce their worldly life and live the life of a "hermitess".

Meanwhile, the plea filed by one Dr S Kamaraj had alleged that his daughters were kept captive inside the Isha Foundation, adding that they were being brainwashed and converted into monks, not allowing even parents and relatives to meet them.

Issuing a statement for the spiritual space and its founder, Isha Foundation said that Sadhguru founded it 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."

The foundation noted that Isha Yoga Center houses thousands of those who are not monks, saying that there a few who have taken Brahmacharya or Monkhood.

Kamaraj, in his Habeas corpus petition, had sought a direction from the High Court to the police to produce his two daughters, whom he alleged were held captive inside the Foundation, before the court and set them at liberty.

The High Court had noted that the petitioner's elder daughter had called him over the phone on June 15, informing him that the younger sibling was fasting unto death till he gave up the legal protest and case against Isha Yoga Center.

Isha Foundation further in its statement noted that despite the Center being home to non-monks as well, "the Petitioner wanted the monks to be produced before the Court and the monks have presented themselves before the court".

The foundation noted that the monks 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 necessary controversies created," the Foundation added.

Further, Isha Foundation alleged Kamaraj himself, along with others, tried trespassing into their premises on a fake pretext of being a fact finding committee to enquire about the crematorium being constructed by the 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," Isha Foundation said in its statement.