The hunger strike launched by Osho sannyasin Anthony Durrell aka Swami Dhyan Viral, against the Osho Commune allegedly instituting a life ban on him entered the 7th day yesterday. However, the official spokesperson of Osho Commune claimed that no prohibition has been imposed on Durrell.

Still at it: Durrell launched his hunger strike, claiming the commune had placed a ban on him for taking a stroll on Hotel Sunderban’s lawn one evening. File Pic

In a written conversation with this reporter, the Aussie said that he was hydrating himself with cups of coffee, ginger tea and fruit juices, and had not had any food since January 21.

Durrell claimed that his doctor had given him approval to continue the hunger strike, and that his morning dynamic meditation was providing him with the much-needed boost to continue on his chosen path.

The Osho disciple launched his hunger strike, claiming the Commune had placed a ban on him for taking a stroll on Hotel Sunderban’s lawn one evening. He said that he had been banned previously too for insisting on wearing a mala and was allowed to enter the commune at the time only after tendering an apology.

When MiD DAY contacted Ma Amrit Sadhana, official spokesperson of Osho Commune, she insisted that there was no ban on Swami Dhyan Viral.

“Yes, we have certain rules, but they were laid down by Osho, and we are just following them. How can we ban a person for not adhering to our rules when he was on someone else’s premises?” she asked. She added that Durrell’s claims that a management member had roughed him up were baseless. “We are sannyasins.