ABC Nightline - Prison Interviews (1985)

  This page is under construction --Sugit (talk) 07:23, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Footage from one or several interviews by Ted Koppel, ABC Nightline, with Osho in prison. At least one on 29 Oct 1985, the day after his arrest.

(The material should be transcribed , text is not part of the CD-ROM.)

A description by Osho Film Festival :

Live from Mecklenburg County Jail, Charlotte, North Carolina

A Buddha in chains: a mirror of our times

This event will probably one day be mentioned in history books with the same importance for the spiritual evolution of mankind as the crucifixion in Palestine.

The only real non violent man of our epoch, one of the wisest men in the history of mankind, is being put into chains and forced into imprisonment by a corrupt government because of his teachings and his criticisms against vested interests and power structures.

The intention of the Reagan administration was clear: Osho should be remonstrated, humiliated publicly and silenced.

However, Osho's kidnapping came as such a surprise for all involved that the supervision personnel in the first detention institute had not quite understood exactly who had been put in chains there.

Stemming from this ignorance and also against the state’s intention of silencing Osho, Sheriff C W. Kidd, head of Mecklenburg County Jail in Charlotte/North Carolina authorized interviews with Osho in prison on 29th October 1985 with television teams from ABC and Channel 6.

A decision which probably did not help further his career in government.

Strangely fascinating photographs developed:

The man who had had hundreds of thousands of people at his feet, letting his wisdom inspire them, suddenly sat like a criminal in prison uniform in a state prison.

Completely surprised by the kidnapping which took place without concrete reproach or an arrest warrant, Osho expressed his indignation of the US authorities.

For 30 years he had attacked all religions and all powerful and state leaders in India but he had never been confronted with such national arbitrariness against his human rights.

At this time, those at the commune still hoped Osho would soon return and it was clear to him that he would leave the USA afterwards.

language: English

released: 1985

length: 23min

ABC Nightline - Prison Interviews (1985)

see also

Navigation menu