The Bhaktivedanta Manor is Leaving ISKCON,
Part 2
BY: MR. PATEL
Aug 19, WATFORD, ENGLAND (SUN) — Respected devotees of Lord Shree Krshna! Please accept my Namaste, All glories to you, your family and His Divine Grace. Today I submit some more pertinent documents regarding the regime of fear that rules the Bhaktivedanta Manor with an iron fist. Again, I must remain anonymous in fear for my family.
Sincerely,
Mr. Patel
This should form the basis of discussions tomorrow (I can only join at 9.30PM).
I would suggest that we ask for modification in the decision based on the above
clause of either 1. reduction in the duration (which I think is unlikely to succeed) or
2. Removal of the point 2 from the decision (re classes and kirtan).
We then go to appeal.
Ashok prabhu's point about getting a written apology from GBC is a very valid one because they have to take the responsibilty of the consequences of this decision. We cannot and should not be left to bear the consequences alone.
I know you have more pressing work to do for the next 24 hours but I want to raise this now so people get enough time to ponder over this.
Any one except local community, TP, local GBC can put our case forward: ? HH SRS, GBC chair etc (see the clause above)
We as a group have to always stick together and we will.
I remain really privileged to be part of this elite, highly intelligent group of individuals
ys
Mr.Sanjiv Agarwal, M.S., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.(Urol.)
Consultant Urologist, Hammersmith, Charing Cross and St.Mary's Hospitals,
Hon.Senior Lecturer Imperial College School of Medicine.
2. Investigation
It is rather sad affairs. You should have now known on weakness of the process and the system. I read the manuals .The CPO, I do not doubt ability of devotees who tirelessly render services for CPO. My issue is with the process itself. If anybody is found guilty after due process then the person should pay adequate penalty and awards to victim.
Reading the email from CPO to Gauridasa, I feel that all these meeting, long hours and pain is wasted. The manual states the circumstances one can appeal. We should have demanded as I suggested as trustee of the Manor not as supporter of Gauridasa the opportunity to examine the process. I do not accept the arguments like it is power by GBC and nobody can question. You as a trustee have public interest to ensure and maintain Tone of The Tops. Hiring and firing is part of this.
The million $ question is how one know that the process is followed through and could be measured against some standards.
I suggested in my previous email that some of you should pay visit here and see the evidence in person and then decide objectively. I was happy to pay the expenses of this end. I guess I may be in minority to think like this. You're trustee. It is your responsibilities to ensure to maintain the integrity and tone of the top. It has nothing do with personalities. Remember, Manor enjoy great deal of tax break of the donations. You're representing public interest. Your rule of thumb must be persuasiveness rather then convincing. Neither have I known what quality control system CPO has nor standard to measure against off. Some of you find this difficult to understand but let me write some standards in plain English. The entire investigation should be measure against following standards I developed using my professional expertise in this field. I do not wish to bore you with lengthy verbiage but I hope you would get feel of it. One day we may provide training on this.
General Standard:
- Training: what type of training is provided to investigators? How competent investigators are? What professional qualifications do they possess? What investigation undertaken outside ISKCON?
- Independence: Are investigators are independent of victims, plaintiff, defendant, body or organization? Whom they report? How they remunerated? Who pays them? Has any of them work or associated with any victim or defendant in past?
- Professional Due Care: Is investigator failed to do that ordinary prudent person do based on evidence? Any bias? Any misrepresentation of material fact? Reckless disregard of truth?
Field Work Standard:
- Planning: How the investigation was planned? Was time line and budget set? How and whom notice was served? How nature, timing and extent of investigation were determined? Who determined that? Was adequate resource afforded in terms of time and money?
- Control: What controls like policies and procedure is used to base this investigation? In another words, if one can not have policies and procedure then one can not determine the effectiveness of control. The investigation is like an assurance whether the control is working or not.
- Evidence: Must be both competent and sufficient to afford an opinion.
Competent means it must be relevant to objective. Personal observation has higher weighting then hearsay. On other hand 3rd party evidence has higher weighting than hearsay.
Sufficient means enough to afford opinion based on persuasiveness rather than convincing.
Reporting Standards:
- Opinion: Is it based on evidence or circumstantial evidence? How the sentence is determined? Any guidelines on sentencing? Is any peer review exists before an opinion? What is qualification of peer reviewer? How the work papers maintained? What is the process of access and rights of work papers?
- Disclosures: Are all the facts in totality disclosed? What are the guidelines on disclosure?
Can injured party sue the entity or body on defamation of character?
- Consistency: What quality control system CPO has so it renders opinion with same consistency in all case without any exception.
Reading the main body of the text from CPO director, two types of appeal is sited. I think one which is to do with process appears to be the correct ground. Regrettably I did not read in the ground of appeal by Gauridasa.
To summarize, the TP must meet the highest standards in all respect and provide leadership to lead effective team at Manor. The person must pass through all due diligence and standards. Any stakeholder could initiate an investigation but Manor should have 110% confidence in the investigators that they would meet, at minimum, aforementioned standards. Otherwise people life would be ruined. I can not support by any way or means if there are serious shortcomings by either of these two. Otherwise, 110% unflinching support not sure what is worth of.
Patron Council Meeting Minutes
05 June 2008
@K.C.'s
Attendees: Gauri, Pranabandhu, Srutidharma, Nila Madhava, Syamasundara, Rameswara, Harivamsa, Vinay, Kamlesh, Vinod Krsna, KC, Sanjay Gadhvi, Hitu, Dr Sanjiv, Dilip prabhus
1. New Gokul
a. Gopal Rajas - increased from 59 to 73. Quota for increase was 38.
b. Discussion to take place regarding the financial maintenance and upkeep of New Gokul
c. Quotas for forthcoming period: NMD - 1, PBD/SDD - 5, Rameswara - 3, Vinay - 1, Kamlesh - 1, Vinod Krsna - 1, KC - 2, Sanjay - 1, Syamasundara - 1, Hitu - 1, Sanjiv - 0, Dilip - 1, Gauri Pr - 2, Harivamsa - 1.
d. ISKCON Goshalla Ltd is beinf formed. 99% owned by ISKCON, 1% in trust for ISKCON. Syamasundara Pr to meet with accountants and Rameswara and discuss implications/practicalities.
e. Substantial donors should receive a special exclusive gift
f. Bhumi Puja - keynote speech from UK Chief Inspector of Schools - Mrs Gilbert, Navin Krsna - i-foundation, Naina Parmar - headmaster, Peter Hamilton - governor. Mechanics of event are underway.
2. School update - presented by Rameswara
3. Frank Ward's book
a. Sanjay Gadhvi, Radha Mohan, Nainesh and Hitu to meet Frank Ward and discuss marketing.
4. Finance Committee Meetings
a. Concern by Ashok raised that finance committee meetings are not happening according to his understanding of nature and frequency
b. PBD -apologises for not providing sufficient notice prior to meetings
c. PBD - Feels it is not necessary for all departments to be present at meetings. The major departments should meet, it is not necessary for smaller departments to be there. Smaller department heads should be called in as required.
d. PBD observes that required members have been abroad on important business in previous sessions contributing to lower than expected attendance
e. Finance committee should formulate a policy and present it to the PC for ratification
f. Financial monitoring is nevertheless much better than in the past, with monthly scrutiny by Rameswara & Kamlesh, and monthly finance reports being produced by PBD and team for scrutiny.
g. April finance and YTD figures presented to PC. Proper system being established so that gift aid claims can be made on cash donations.
5. Janmashtami new layout
a. Entrance to be moved to the Goshalla - between barns
b. Main tent to be moved to the adjacent field
c. Construction work will be continuing
d. Generators will power the main tent etc so excessive load is not placed on the Manor's main supply.
e. Vegetarianism and climate change are big themes at the moment and should be incorporated in Janmashtami presentations
6. Warehouse
a. Keys to be obtained on 16th June
b. Running costs, charity rates to be assessed
c. Mezzanine floor required
i. List of offices to move
ii. Barn storage includes Janmashtami & theatre storage which will need to be housed
iii. Senior Management to identify which areas can move
iv. Evaluation of when Central can move
v. On 16th - senior managers and temple devotees to conduct puja ceremony.
vi. 8pm Wed 25th June Dhirubhai and Pritesh to be invited to the warehouse to assess construction possibilities
Next PC - Wed 2nd July, location to be confirmed
