The recent controversy surrounding the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore has come to an end following the intervention of the Supreme Court.
To summarize, a man named Kamaraj filed a complaint, claiming that his two daughters, aged 42 and 36, one a professor and the other an engineering graduate, were being held against their will at the Isha Center, despite their saying that they were staying there out of their own choice. This led to a prolonged dispute, which eventually reached the Madras High Court. Kamaraj had filed a habeas corpus petition, asking the court to ensure their release.
The issue became complicated when the judges expressed skepticism about how women could pursue spiritual renunciation if they disregarded their parents’ wishes. They even questioned Jaggi Vasudev (Sadhguru), asking how he could guide other people’s daughters toward spiritual paths when he had arranged a marriage for his own daughter. Additionally, the petitioner claimed that the women might have been influenced through drugs, which prompted the court to allow the police to investigate the Isha Center.
As the police entered the center, the case escalated, and the Isha Foundation approached the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court examined the matter strictly based on legal principles, highlighting that according to Indian law, women above the age of 21 have the right to make decisions about their own lives. Consequently, the court halted the police investigation into the center.
The Supreme Court also held a video conference to speak with the women, verifying that they were staying at the center of their own free will. The police were then instructed to withdraw from the case, and the matter was adjourned until October 18 for further hearings. However, it is expected that the court will uphold the women’s legal right to stay at the center, as per the law.
Several key points stand out here:
- The deployment of 500 police officers for such a case seems unnecessary, especially in a state with more pressing issues like crimes, terrorism, and drug trafficking.
- Indian law gives every adult woman the right to make her own choices once she reaches 21 years of age. It’s unclear why the court raised concerns about women not honoring their parents’ wishes.
- The mention of Sadhguru arranging his daughter’s marriage seemed irrelevant, as marriage and renunciation are both personal choices.
- The petitioner claimed that the women were being brainwashed, yet there are daily instances of religious conversions in the state without similar interventions from the court.
Finally, many Hindus seek spiritual guidance from Isha, and some even convert back to Hinduism from other religions, which may be a reason why the center faces opposition from certain groups. Regardless, the Isha Foundation seems to have weathered the controversy, and the Supreme Court’s involvement ensures that legal rights are upheld.
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