High Court Dismisses Petition Against Sadhguru’s Isha Yoga Centre
On Thursday, the High Court of Karnataka dismissed a public interest lawsuit brought against the Chikkaballapura, India-based Isha Yoga Center.
The petitioners have not come the court with clean hands, according to the division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi, and they have not disclosed the criminal matters they are facing.
The Yoga Center and the Adiyogi statue are located in Chikkaballapura’s Avalagurki hamlet. S Kyatappa from the village of Chamballi and others disputed this.
The Isha Yoga Centre’s senior attorney Uday Holla argued before the court that the petitioners had not mentioned the criminal cases brought against them.
M. Shivaprakash, the petitioners’ attorney, asserted that because the petitioners participated in pro-farmer agitations, they had bogus cases brought against them.
However, the court emphasised that it was essential to enter court with clean hands, reveal any cases brought against them, and give documentation for the same in a public interest lawsuit. According to the court, personal motives prevent PIL from being filed.
“If somebody is not disclosing material facts and then approaching the court that I am a whistleblower and action should be taken against Mr X because he is a wrong-doer, the court expects that if you are raising a finger to Mr X there are already two fingers raised to yourself, therefore you should be a person of such a character that he can say yes I am coming to court with clean hands and I have a right as a vigilant citizen and moral right to ask Mr X, don’t do this thing.” the Court said.
The petitioners quoted Mahatma Gandhi, and the court noted that Gandhi highlighted the importance of using pure means to accomplish good deeds.
Adiyogi’s 112-foot statue was unveiled on January 15 after receiving approval from the High Court.
The PIL received responses from 16 parties, including the Karnataka government, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore.
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