Lend Me Your Ears Again
BY: MAHAVIDYA DAS (ACBSP)
Sep 27, 2010 — UK (SUN) —
In 1971, HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada wrote the following letters…
"On the whole our account should be kept very nicely because we are dealing with the public's money".
SPL to Jayapataka Maharaja July 28th.
And again on Oct 9th to Karandhara…
"You can advise to all the branches that such accounts should be kept very nicely so that the public may know that we are very clear in our dealings".
And yet again Oct 16th to Ksirodakasayi…
"My only point is that we are dealing with the public. They are paying us money and we should handle them so carefully so that they may think of us as spotless".
There are many more such instructions to be found in Siksamrta Vol. 3, 'Temple management, accounting'.
In early December 2008, an ISKCON UK director (Viswambhara das) approached me with allegations of financial discrepancies.
He was so disturbed he wanted some direction on what to do.
He even wanted to take the matter to the police.
On at least two separate occasions he repeated his story of at least £50,000 cash being kept in the Treasury on behalf of Prana bhandu das (See Not Wanted).
The problem was that the then Temple President, Gauri das, did NOT know about it.
And…
when it was brought to Gauri das's attention by Visvambhara das, he (Visvambhara das) was told to keep it quiet by Gauri das.
At that time Visvambhara das was insistent and wanted to go to the police, so I knew I couldn't go empty handed, and that under pressure from ISKCON management, Viswambhara das would either deny everything or "back peddle".
I encouraged him to tell at least the GBC, Praghosa das.
The following conversation was recorded for the benefit of the police, who still have an original copy: Audio MP3 or Zip file with .amr format audio file (download, unzip and open with Quicktime player).
Of course... when the police requested an interview with the Manor accountant, it was refused.
I heard that this incident did go to the GBC in Mayapur but not so strangely, nothing else was heard about it.
Well not quite...
On the 1st of April 2009 I received my exclusion letter.
Included in it were the following lines justifying my expulsion:
"Reporting Bhaktivedanta Manor to the police fraud office about alleged accounting malpractice"
Yet... to date, almost 18 months later, not one member of ISKCON UK management has ever asked in any way, shape or form, any information relating to or regarding "my" allegations.
To date… I have never heard of any report from the GBC,
the same key players in this little drama are all in their same respective positions (except for Gauri das, who has been moved sideways).
As a footnote may I add these words, included on my expulsion order from Bhaktivedanta Manor:
"It is important to note that although non of the above actions were successful in their aims, each one in it's own right would be enough for us to request you to find another place to worship. We now feel we have been collectively remiss in not taking action sooner. This behaviour is unacceptable and we have no option but to take steps to protect the temple."
And so it goes on.
Another point of interest
is that several of the key players,
Pranabhandu das and Shyamasundara das, are
the signatories of that letter
