New information 25 years after the Rajneesh
By Oregon Christian Post
New information about the Rajneesh reveals more information about what occurred in the commune in rural Oregon. Twenty-five years later new interviews show that the Rajneeshes stalked the state attorney general, the Wasco County commissioner and even tried to murder some of their own followers. The Rajneesh contaminated salad bars at restaurants in The Dalles, spread dangerous bacteria at a grocery store, public building and a political rally. The Rajneesh leaders considered flying a bomb-laden plane into the county courthouse in The Dalles and tried to set fire to Dan Durow’s office, the Wasco County Planner, whose enforcement actions slowed or stopped construction at the commune.
Power struggles within the Rajneesh leadership spawned plans to try to murder some of their own. In the end, Sheela, the guru’s chief of staff, couldn’t take the exhaustion and isolation, quit her post and fled to Europe. Many of her allies also quit the commune and fled to Europe. Some struck deals to send Sheela to prison. The guru tried to escape the country but was caught and deported back to India as a convicted criminal.
Five interesting points from the Oregonian article:
1. Many of Rajneesh’s followers say that Rajneesh knew little or next to nothing about the happenings at the ranch.
2. Many of the ranch’s day to day operations were handled by his chief of state, Sheela.
3. Retaliation was petty: tripping a state deputy attorney general or putting a nail in the tire of a Wasco County planner’s car.
4. Many of the murder and arson attempts were spared by simple mistakes.
5. The crimes committed were in rebellion against government regulations on land-use law for their commune.
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