Coimbatore: "Do not be under the impression that you are not bound by law because you are a spiritual organization", slammed Karnataka High Court on Isha Foundation for not filing additional affidavit disclosing the amount it has colllected in the Cauvery Calling Campaign.
Coimbatore: "Do not be under the impression that you are not bound by law because you are a spiritual organization", slammed Karnataka High Court on Isha Foundation for not filing additional affidavit disclosing the amount it has colllected in the Cauvery Calling Campaign.
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar of the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, pulled up Isha foundation headed by Jaggi Vasudev and directed to file an additional affidavit disclosing the amount it has colllected in the Cauvery Calling Campaign.
The Court also questioned the spiritual organisation for not specifying if the amounts were collected voluntarily.
The bench was hearing the petition filed by advocate A V Amarnathan seeking directions to the foundation not to collect any funds from the public for Cauvery Calling project.
Remarking that creating awareness for rejuvenation activity cannot be carried out by forcibly collecting funds, the bench also questioned the State government for not holding an inquiry on the allegations.
The State Counsel replied that no permission was accorded to the organisation to carry out rejuvenation nor have they received any official complaint on the same.
As per the petition, Isha Foundation is planning to plant 253 crores tree saplings across the 639 km stretch of Cauvery river bank by collecting RS. 42 for planting each tree which amounts to a whopping sum of over ₹10,000 Crore.
The petitioner argued that no private organization can be permitted to carryout any work, on government land, without seeking proper approvals.
The case has been adjourned to February 12.