Shortly after this, Immigration and Naturalization Service denied Rajneesh’s application for permanent citizenship. He had applied as a religious worker. He also claimed that his diabetes, back problems, and persistent allergies needed medical treatment that could only be found in the U.S. When it denied his application, the INS used his own reasons against him. They noted that due to his health, he couldn’t perform his religious worker duties.
He didn’t let this little setback stop him. In July 1983 he scheduled another world festival, as planned. He invited everyone and anyone who wanted to come and worship with him. Over 4,000 tents were pitched to accommodate sannyasins.
On July 29, someone bombed the Hotel Rajneesh in Portland. The bombing caused Rajneesh to become a bit paranoid. By September 1983, he directed that all visitors to the compound be searched and have their photos taken. Police dogs sniffed the cars of anyone who entered. Everyone had to wear identification bracelets and be checked against a master list. Rajneesh directed his closest lieutenants to shred documents, including the ranch phone directory. Workers who cleaned the trailers acted as spies for Sheela. Rajneeshi equipped two helicopter reconnaissance teams and 150 security guards. Rajneeshpuram’s private police force acquired semi-automatic weapons, revolvers, assault rifles, tear gas grenades, barricade-penetrating shells for police riot guns, and $25,000 worth of ammunition. Planes landing at the airport had to identify themselves before landing; if they did not respond, Rajneesh sent chase planes after them.
In the fall of 1984, the commune was starting to suffer from a lack of money. Something was needed to encourage new membership. Rajneesh decided to invite the homeless from all over the U.S. to come and stay for free. They called this their "Share a Home" program. They even gave return bus tickets for those who did not want to stay.
By October, 2,000 homeless people had arrived, which alarmed the locals because these people included undesirable derelicts, curiosity seekers, hitchhikers, drunks, bums, and petty criminals, all of whom could be dangerous and at minimum, a tax burden to the county. The foundation spent over a $1 million, hoping to make it back plus some, in monetary contributions. Besides refilling the coffers, the foundation hoped to "persuade" these people to fulfill the residency requirements and become registered voters in the county.
Some of the street people later claimed they were drugged at the commune. James Brooks said he received an injection by a medical worker that caused him to be hospitalized for psychiatric observation. Doctors found traces of a tranquilizer called benzodiazepine in his blood. William Allen was found in the snow outside Government Camp, dead from a combination of alcohol and an overdose of Elavil, a mood altering drug that he got by prescription from at the Rajneesh medical corporation. The street people said the Rajneeshis were always checking on them and that they were trying to brainwash them. Others said that the Rajneeshis got threatening if you didn’t register to vote. They even threatened to deprive them of food, clothing, and bedding unless they registered.
For more, see Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Expelled
SOURCES:
"Roadside History of Oregon," Bill Gulick, Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula, MT, 1991.
"Great Moments in Oregon History," Win McCormack and Dick Pintarich, ed., excerpted from Oregon Magazine, Portland: New Oregon Publishers, Inc., 1987.
Oregonian (Portland, OR), June 30-July 16, 1985.
Elizabeth Gibson - My name is Elizabeth Gibson. I live in Washington State. My career has always been related to the writing and publishing field in some ...
