Maneka Gandhi, BJP’s Loksabha MP from Sultanpur, has accused ISKCON of being the “biggest cheat” in India, alleging that they establish gaushalas (cow shelters) to receive government benefits but sell their cows to butchers. However, ISKCON rejected the allegations as “unsubstantiated and false”. However, media and social media activists could not highlight Maneka Gandhi’s strong advocacy to shut down all slaughterhouses in India. 

Sudipto Das | HENB | New Delhi | Sept 27, 2023:: A video of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  MP Maneka Gandhi saying the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is the “biggest cheat in the country and it sells cows from its gaushalas (cowsheds) to the butchers” is going viral. Maneka Gandhi is now a sitting Member of Parliament (Loksabha) from Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur.

In the video, widely shared on the internet, the former Union Minister and chairperson of ‘People for Animals’ is heard saying, “ISKCON establishes gaushalas and earns unlimited benefits for the same from the government, in the form of huge lands.”

In a scathing attack on the religious organisation, Maneka Gandhi said, “I recently visited their Anantapur Gaushala (in Andhra Pradesh) and did not find even a single cow in good condition there.” As per the lallantop website, Maneka Gandhi visited the Gaushala at a time before August this year and she gave an interview captioned “Maa ka Doodh” which was published on Youtube on Aug 18, 2023.  In the same interview, Maneka Gandhi strongly advocated  shutting down all the slaughterhouses in India by saying, “If Yogi ji done it in Uttar Pradesh, why not in other states?” But, a lobby may be active against Maneka Gandhi which is active to support the ‘Pink Revolution’ in India to retain its World No. 1 position for beef export.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmERQ84fIBg

See 5.25 m to 6.19 m in the above video. for her comment against ISKCON and 7.58 m to 8,01 m for her claim, “If Yogiji can shut down all slaughterhouses, why not others can do it?” But there are many things controversial against the Sanatan Hindu concept in the video including her genuine passion to save all animals against cruelty. She also raised the issues of fraudulent, barbaric, and absurd insemination and milk growth programme of the government in a revealing way in the video.

“There were no calves in the Gaushala, which means all of them were sold off,” Maneka Gandhi alleged.

“ISKCON is selling all its cows to the butchers and no one else does this more than them. They are the ones who roam on the road chanting ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ and say their entire life is dependent on milk,” Maneka Gandhi was heard saying in the video.

Here’s what Maneka Gandhi said on ISKCON’s selling of cows to the butchers –

However, ISKCON rejected Maneka Gandhi’s allegations as “unsubstantiated and false” and said they were “surprised” by the statements of the former Union Minister.

“ISKCON has pioneered cow protection in many parts of the world where beef is a staple diet,” ISKCON’s national spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das said in the statement.

“Many of the cows presently served in ISKCON’s goshalas were brought to us after being abandoned, injured, or rescued from being slaughtered,” the statement added.

The ISKCON’s National spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das also posted many testimonials in favour of the Organisation’s dedication to cow protection on his X handle.

However, all the testimonials were procured from the different designated persons in February 2023 (18/02/23, 21/02/2023, and 22/02/2023) which created suspicion over the collection of such certificates and documents in a crafty way.

Later, in a video, ISKCON Public Relations Officer (PRO) Radharaman Das released a video, wherein he condemned Maneka Gandhi for her remarks and demanded proof supporting her statements.

The ISKCON PRO also claimed that Maneka Gandhi did not visit the Anantapur Gaushala as the staff working there said they did not have information about her visit.

Further, the ISKCON PRO also urged Maneka Gandhi to present a video of the Gaushala she claims to be in a miserable state.

Here’s what Radharaman Das said in the defense of ISKCON –

Taking his X handle ISKCON PRO Radharaman Das said. “She is a cranky lady speaking all lies. We will sue her if she does not apologize for her wrong statements. Her son has been already kicked out from the BJP & looks like she is also on her way out. It has become a fashion to target Sanatani organization to get quick entry in parties which are anti-Sanatan Dharm. We will not allow her to use ISKCON as a stepping stone for her political ambitions. Request  @BJP4Indiato take action against her.“

This row against ISKCON has created much confusion about the nature of the Organization towards cow protection as their low rate of rearing the Bos Indicus (Indigenous Cows), adopting artificial and painful insemination methods, and lack of a definite policy on old and aged cows including their proper cremation without polluting the nature etc. A large section of people condemn ISKCON’s corporate structure and the lavish lifestyles of its monks and the devotees in its huge networks. All these clouds must be cleared.

Earlier, ISKCON did not recognize itself with the  Hindu identity, but under Hindutva proliferation, some of its key persons made link of the Organisation with Sanatan – Hindu as well, nowadays.

Above all in the disputed video, Maneka Gandhi demanded the shutting down of all the slaughterhouses in India like Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh, ISKCON must demand the same once at least.

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__Inputs from Indian Today and various links of X and Youtube.