Bollywood actress and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kangana Ranaut came out in support of spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev, popularly known as Sadhguru, after he was accused of encouraging women to tonsure their heads and renounce worldly lives to live like hermits. It all started after a retired professor, Kamaraj, alleged that his two well-educated daughters were "brainwashed" into permanently staying at Sadhguru's Isha Yoga Centre.
However, the women appeared in court and maintained that they were staying at the Isha Foundation out of their own will.
Kangana Ranaut defends Sadhguru
On Wednesday (October 2), Kangana said the accusation against Sadhguru is 'bizarre' and claimed that he is never against marriages.
Taking to her Instagram story, Kangana reacted to a news report about the Madras High Court questioning Sadhguru following the allegations.
"We want to know why Jaggi Vasudev who had given his daughter in marriage and made her settle well in life is encouraging the daughters of others to tonsure their heads and live the life of a hermitess," Madhras HC stated.
To this Kangana said, "What bizarre accusation, @sadhguru ji has never been against marriages, there are proper marriage rituals in the Aashram temples, many people get married there, most volunteers who live in the aashram prefer to marry."
In another story, the actress-turned-politician shared a YouTube video of the two women whose father accused Sadhguru of 'kidnapping' them. She stated that the DMK government in Tamil Nadu is 'harassing' Isha Foundation.
Kangana wrote, "These are the two Brahamcharinis who decided to renounce worldly life and dedicate their life to Sadhana more than a decade ago, their father had filed a criminal case on Sadhguru ji for kidnapping his daughters but when girls were asked to go back to their house they refused to go back and happily living in the Aashram and now suddenly DMK government is harassing the foundation on this case as if its something new. Shame."
Police hold inquiry at Isha Foundation
On October 1, a contingent of 150 police personnel reached Isha Foundation to investigate after the Madras High Court sought a report from the Tamil Nadu government on all criminal cases registered against Sadhguru.
In his petition, Kamaraj alleged his two daughters were "brainwashed to reside at the Isha Yoga Centre" and that the foundation did not allow them to maintain any contact with their families.
In response, Isha Foundation denied allegations that it advocated monkhood.
Their official statement read, "Isha Foundation was founded by Sadhguru to impart yoga and spirituality to people. We believe that adult individual human beings have the freedom and the wisdom to choose their path. They (daughters of the complainant) have clearly stated that they are staying in Isha Yoga Center on their own volition. Now that the matter is seized by the court, we hope that truth will prevail and there is an end to all unnecessary controversies."
