Twenty three-years after his death, the surfacing of an alleged will of Osho has his followers worried. While a group of his followers, including Swami Prem Geet (Yogesh Thakkar), has moved courts challenging the will, many have claimed they never heard Osho or anyone else talk about it during his lifetime.
Osho’s long-time secretary Ma Yoga Neelam said she never heard about the will in the past. Neelam, who was one of the 21 disciples appointed by Osho to be part of the inner circle to run the commune, asked why the will was produced 23-years after his demise?
“Members of the inner circle used to extensively discuss every topic but the question of his will never came up. What I do not understand is that if Swami Amrito knew about the will, why did he not talk about it all these years?” she asked. Newsline reported about the controversy on Thursday. The will had bequeathed the “the rights and titles” to Neo Sannyas International Foundation, a Swiss Charitable Institution. Swami Anand Jayesh (Micheal O’Byrne) had been named as the executor of the will, while Swami Amrito (John Andrews) and Swami Prem Niren (Philip Toolkes) had their signatures as witnesses on it.
Neelam, who was a part of the inner circle till 2000, said her relations with Amrito, Jayesh and Niren were excellent.
Another old time disciple of Osho, Ma DharmaKirti, who was associated with Osho since 1968, said she had never heard Osho talk about the will. “He cannot make such a will, it does not reflect him,” she said.
Swami Satya Vedant, an erstwhile member of the inner circle, expressed dismay . “It is highly unlikely, that any will made by Osho will be entrusted on them,” he asked.
A further article with video from IBN: Osho’s ‘will’ surfaces 23 years after his death