Mehbooba Mufti Seeks Govt Intervention Over ‘Tantra In Silence’ Retreat Advertised In Gurez, Mirwaiz Backs Call For Action

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NEWS AGENCY KASHMIR NEWS TRUST #KNT

Srinagar, Sep 19, KNT: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government and police to intervene over an advertised four-day “Tantra in Silence” retreat scheduled to be held in Gurez Valley from September 24 to 27.

Mehbooba Mufti shared a promotional poster for the programme on social media and tagged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, seeking immediate intervention. The poster describes the event as “Tantra in Silence – A Journey Within” and lists Gurez Valley as the venue.

According to the poster, the programme is being promoted under the name “Rajneesh Tantra Temple” and identifies Swami Dhyan Sumit as the facilitator. It advertises accommodation, food and retreat sessions at ₹11,995 per person and mentions meditation, sound healing, “love & awareness”, conscious living and inner transformation.

Mufti referred to a similar Tantra programme associated with Swami Dhyan Sumit that was cancelled in Goa in 2025 after its promotional material triggered objections and police intervention. She urged the J&K authorities to examine the proposed Gurez programme and take appropriate action.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq subsequently reposted Mufti’s statement and said the concern she had raised deserved immediate attention. He said such a programme being allowed in Gurez was unacceptable and urged the concerned authorities to take note and stop what he described as exploitation.

The Goa episode referred to by the two leaders can be independently traced to November 2025, when Goa Police directed organisers of an event titled “Tales of Kamasutra and Christmas Celebration” not to proceed and ordered removal of its promotional material from social media. The event had been scheduled for December 25 to 28 and was advertised under the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Foundation, with Swami Dhyan Sumit identified as facilitator.

The organisers at the time said the programme was intended as a Tantra-based meditation retreat and maintained that the promotional material had been misunderstood. Swami Dhyan Sumit said the event was cancelled after the authorities contacted the organisers.

The organisation’s current website describes Swami Dhyan Sumit as a Rajneesh meditation teacher and says its activities include meditation camps, spiritual retreats and awareness programmes. Its material describes Tantra in the context of meditation, consciousness, love and inner transformation.

Gurez, in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, is a border valley that has increasingly been promoted as a tourism destination. The proposed programme has therefore drawn attention not only because of its advertised theme but also because of the earlier controversy surrounding a programme associated with the same facilitator. [KNT]