Pune, November 30: Osho disciples and the friends of Osho Meditation Centres on Friday urged Vinod Khanna, Union minister of state for tourism and cultural affairs and also an Osho disciple, to inquire into the activities of the Zurichbased Osho International Foundation and protect the Dhyan mandir at the commune.
Over a hundred Osho disciples, led by Ma Yoga Neelam and Swami Chaitanya Keerti, submitted a memorandum to Khanna in the evening when he was on his way to inaugurate the Pune International Film Festival.
Khanna stopped his car on the road leading to the Osho commune and accepted the memorandum saying that he was all for an inquiry into the happenings at the commune. Khanna reportedly told the delegation that their demands were just and understandable as the master's samadhi was at the commune.
The memorandum said that Osho disciples were seeking Khanna's help for restoration of the Zen style pagoda temple (Osho Dhyan mandir) that existed on the marble podium of Buddha Hall at the commune.
"The beautiful marble walls and a glass door from where Osho used to enter the Buddha auditorium have been pulled down by the commune authorities without informing the PMC," it said, adding the Dhyan mandir was a sacred place for Osho disciples.
The memorandum pointed out that the Dhyan mandir was not anybody's personal property but belonged to the entire humanity as this was where Osho gave many of his daily discourses on varied topics.
"The 'destruction' work is being done at the instance of an organisation called Osho International Foundation registered in Zurich and operating from New York. The organisation has five members - Michael O'Brian (Canada), John Andrew (UK), Klaus Steeg (German) and Mukesh Sarda (India) - the memorandum said.
It pointed out that it was the same organisation which claims that it operates the Osho Commune in Pune and has registered the words of Osho and his meditations in the US and other countries.
