Chennai: The Hon’ble High Court of Madras dismissed a frivolous petition challenging the conferrement of Padma Vibhushan award to Sadhguru. The Hon’ble Court stated that the petitioner is clearly targeting an individual and that it is not filed in the larger public interest.
The Additional Solicitor General appearing for the Union of India stated that all good work of Sadhguru over all these decades has been recognized and all due process were followed while recommending Sadhguru for Padma Vibhushan and there was nothing adverse against Sadhguru.
The so-called public interest litigation was filed by a vested interest group which has been filing cases against Isha Foundation under the guise of public interest. In one of the other cases filed by the same set of vested interests before the Hon’ble Madras High Court, the Court observed that they seemed to have an ulterior motive.
Isha Foundation welcomes the Hon’ble Madras High Court’s decision, which reaffirms the integrity of the award process and highlights its commitment to the public good despite recurring attacks from vested interests.
Last month, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition by Dr. S. Kamaraj, a retired professor, who alleged that his two adult daughters, Maa Mathi (42) and Maa Mayu (39), were being held against their will at the Isha Foundation. The Supreme Court dismissed this claim, emphasizing that the women had chosen to live at the Foundation “voluntarily and without any coercion”. “These proceedings cannot be to malign people and malign institutions,” Chief Justice DY Chandrachud remarked during the hearing.