Commune to PPS: Charges don’t stick

PUNE, Feb 25: Refuting the claim by Patit Pavan Sanghatana at a press conference yesterday that the Pune Municipal Corporation has done n...

PUNE, Feb 25: Refuting the claim by Patit Pavan Sanghatana at a press conference yesterday that the Pune Municipal Corporation has done nothing about the allegedly illegal constructions within the Osho commune in Koregaon, commune spokesman Swami Chaitanya Keerti today said that the matter was sub judice.

The PPS alleged that there are illegal constructions within the commune properties and that the PMC has not done anything,’ says Chaitanya Keerti in a statement. “This is not true. Two years ago PMC issued a notice for certain temporary structures and this matter is currently before the courts”.

He adds: “The PPS claims that the Charity Commissioner’s office has not followed up on its complaints regarding the activities of the trusts. This is not true. The Joint Charity Commissioner’s office has twice issued notices and has sought information regarding the trusts and its activities. On each occasion the trusties provided all the necessary information regarding the trusts and its activities. After reviewing all the information and investigating these allegations the Charity Commissioner’s office confirmed that all the activities of the trusts were completely legal and satisfied all the requirements of the law.”

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“It is also a baseless allegation that the Indian trustees have no power and foreigners control all the trusts. I am also a trustee on one of the trusts and I know this is untrue,” Chaitanya Keerti said.

He claimed that the trusts have been contributing large sums of money into the Public Trust Fund for the last eight years and in fact this comprised the largest contribution in Pune.

About the foreign exchange irregularities,’ the commune spokesman said that that the Bank of India, Koregaon road branch, Andhra Bank and Trade Wings have an extension counter within the premises to provide all the foreign exchange services.

On illegal’ stay of foreigners, he emphasised that the commune was “the only place in the whole of India where every foreigner must produce a valid and current visa before entry.”

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Allegations that any illegal activities discovered in the Koregaon Park area are in some way the responsibility of the commune is absurd,’ he added. “There are many people, including foreigners who live in Koregaon Park and who have absolutely nothing to do with the commune”.

As for drug related activities, he asserted that anyone even suspected of using drugs is prevented from entry.“This may be the only place in India that enforces such a strict code of conduct in this matter”.

The allegation that the commune earns Rs 100 to 400 crore per year was dismissed by him as simply imagination’.

As admitted by the PPS, the commune’s AIDS policy is very thoroughly administered, he argued. “This same thoroughness and attention to detail is also applied to all the other issues raised”.