Will you probe allegation of fund raising against Isha Foundation by projecting 'Cauvery Calling' as govt venture? Karnataka High Court to State

The Karnataka High Court on Monday asked the State government whether or not it was willing to conduct an inquiry to find out whether any money was collected by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation by projecting "Cauvery Calling" project as a government venture..The Court was prompted to seek this clarification after the counsel appearing for the State government submitted that Cauvery Calling is a project of Isha foundation/ Isha Outreach and that it was not a project of the Government of Karnataka.The Government of Karnataka is not funding this project or providing government land/private land for the project, the government counsel made it clear.."Now are you willing to hold an inquiry to ascertain whether any money was collected by projecting that this is a project of the Government of Karnataka? Are you willing to hold an inquiry?" a Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty asked..When State responded that it has already issued a clarification stating Cauvery Calling is not its project, the Bench said,"Now you have done it...when the state government after so many orders passed has taken a stand, they (Respondents) also have taken a stand belatedly that the project is not of the state government. Now you make a statement and put an end to the petition. Appoint an officer and hold an inquiry whether at any stage either by respondent 2 or respondent 3 collected money from public by projecting it as a project of the state government.".The Bench proceeded to direct the registry to record the affidavit filed by the State government giving its clarification in the matter..The Court was hearing a plea seeking directions to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation to not collect funds from the public for its Cauvery Calling project..The project involves steps to to revitalize the dried up rivers..The petition alleged that as part of the project, Isha Foundation was planting saplings on government land and collecting money for the same from the public..The plea raised the issue of government allowing its land to be used by a private organisation for planting saplings, without studying the pros and cons of the project..The petitioner further argued that the “collection of money from public is disturbing” as Isha Foundation is expected to collect a massive ₹10,626 crore as donation..During the previous hearing, the Court had opined that an inquiry might be necessary to ascertain whether or not Isha Foundation collected funds from public by projecting "Cauvery Calling" as a government venture..The case will be heard next on March 24.