Following allegations made by parents of two girls against Isha Foundation, the foundation has responded stating that that all the allegations are false.
In a press release, they stated, “We would like to clearly state on record that all the above allegations of holding captives, brainwashing, and forcing individuals into sanyas or brahmacharya- are absolutely false."
Isha Foundation also stated that 1500 full-time volunteers, including about 200 brahmacharis and 640 married people, reside at the Yoga Centre. "Every one of them is here by their own choice and is free to leave any time they may wish to do so," they said.
Talking to the reporters on Wednesday, professor S. Kamaraj, father of the two girls, Geetha (34) and Latha (31), had claimed that both his daughters were kept as ‘bonded labourers’ in the foundation. “Since past one year, I have not been able to meet my younger daughter. They keep saying she is busy working and the elder daughter also won’t stay long with us to talk,” he said.
He also added that his elder daughter was crying and asking them to take both of them back.
The mother, Satijyothi also blamed the organization for similar reasons. “They have taught my daughters that they will get ‘moksh’ (salvation) only if they live there. My daughters were asked to go bald saying that their parents won’t force them to get married after that. They are not even allowed to eat the food that we give them, they distribute it to others. They only eat food twice in a day. They are not allowed to come outside at all,” she told reporters.
After the parents submitted a petition to the Superintendent of Police and Collector, enquiry was carried out by the police with inmates of Isha Foundation.
The foundation also stated in a statement, “We would like to clarify that the duo, like other full-time volunteers, have been staying here on their own. We understand that their decision may have caused pain to their parents, which is not our intention at all. We have respectfully requested the parents to reconcile with the decisions they have made as well-educated adults and refrain from making baseless allegations against the Foundation and its founder."
Kamaraj has also filed a petiton at the Chief Minister's cell on Friday.
(With PTI inputs)