A police officer said that they had to use force to control the man, who is a foreign national. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)
More than 250 followers of the late spiritual guru Osho Rajneesh, wearing ‘sanyas mala’ (rosaries), on Wednesday forced their way into the Osho Ashram here in protest against the management’s reported plans to sell some of the Ashram land.

Tensions had been brewing between a group of Osho followers and the Osho International Foundation (OIF) management, which manages the Ashram in Koregaon area, since Tuesday.

Amrit Sadhana, spokesperson for the Osho International Meditation Resort, said they were preparing for the Enlightenment Day celebrations and not for any kind of ‘war’ with the rebels.
EVEN AS Osho followers across the country have started to descend in Pune to celebrate Osho’s 70th ‘Enlightenment Day’ on March 21, the rebel Osho group has sought police support for taking part in the celebrations. The Osho International Meditation Resort has said they have ‘no quarrel with the rebel sannyasins and that they will be welcomed with open hearts’. In such a case, the rebel group said the resort should allow their entry by ‘wearing mala’ and without paying Rs 970 entry fee.

Will welcome ‘rebel group’ with open heart, claims Osho Resort

THE Osho “rebel” group has alleged that over 200 pages related to their spiritual guru on Facebook have been removed on instructions of the management of Pune-based Osho International Foundation (which works under Switzerland’s Osho International Foundation) so that information about such celebrations does not reach all Osho’s disciples as it did before. The Osho International Meditation Resort refused to comment on the allegations.