June 21, 2000, The Indian Express
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
PUNE, JUNE 20: Ma Yoga Neelam, the high profile Oshoite who spoke out yesterday against the ‘dictatorial attitude’ of Osho commune bosses, was prevented from entering the commune this morning within hours of the publications of her statement.
”I was asked to take a break,” Neelam, Osho’s secretary in India, told The Indian Express, ”when I went for my usual silent meditation at Osho’s Samadhi early this morning.”
Neelam said she reached the commune at 7.10 a.m. for the silent meditation that begins at the Samadhi at 7.30 a.m. At the welcome centre, where she sought the sticker on her I-card for day’s entry in the commune on payment, she was asked by the sannyasin at the desk to contact the ‘management team’.
She spoke to Swami Satya Vedant, the management team member on the intercom. Vedant, according to her, said she needed a break and she need not enter. ”How does my not doing silent meditation at Osho’s samadhi help the commune and myself,” she asked. ”Am I being banned?”
Vedant, she said, replied that she was not being banned and her I-card was not being withdrawn, but reiterated that she needed a break.
Without further argument, Neelam returned to her flat in Koregaon Park.
The commune’s version was sought, as the present system goes, by an e-mail message to Swami Satya Vedant, the press office and the management team. There was no response.
Meanwhile, Swami Chaitanya Keerti, till recently the Osho Commune International spokesperson and now out of the commune and camping in New Delhi said through an e-mail message that he would ”organise a protest celebration at our Osho Rajyoga Center (in New Delhi) against this ban.”
”I have her picture with Osho (walking hand in hand) in my own website homepage: www.meditate-celebrate.com,” he added. ”Sannyasins here (in Delhi) did not like that Neelam was denied entry in Commune. She used to live in a room next to Osho Samadhi. It was given to her by Osho. Sannyasins all over the country will protest this stupid behaviour of management team, which I know that it is not their decision. Again, it is Amrito and Jayesh and Anando doing this – the team has to carry out all these decisions.”
”I am happy I don’t have to be the spokesperson in such a situation.”
