ISKCON Sends Rs 100 Cr Defamation Notice To BJP MP Maneka Gandhi
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Friday sent a Rs 100 crore defamation notice to BJP MP Maneka Gandhi over her statement claiming that the Hindu religious organisation sells cows for slaughter.
“Today, we have sent a Rs 100-crore defamation notice to Maneka Gandhi @Manekagandhibjp for levelling completely unfounded allegations against ISKCON. The worldwide community of ISKCON devotees, supporters, and well-wishers are deeply pained by these defamatory, slanderous, and malicious accusations. We will not leave any stone unturned in our pursuit of justice against the fallacious propaganda against ISKCON,” said Radharamn Das, Vice-President, ISKCON Kolkata.
‘Sell cows to butchers’
Earlier, a video showing BJP leader Maneka Gandhi got wide circulation wherein she was seen accusing ISKCON of being the “biggest cheat in the country and selling cows from its gaushalas to butchers”. The claim was vehemently denied by ISKCON, who termed it as “unsubstantiated and false.”
The undated video by the BJP leader claimed, “ISKCON establishes gaushalas and reaps significant benefits from the government, including vast land holdings.” She further claimed that the organisation is selling all its cows to butchers, a practice no one engages in more than them.
In the purported video, Maneka Gandhi, who is an animal rights activist too, also stated that despite their public display of devotion through chants like ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ and their professed dependence on milk, they are involved in this activity.”
The BJP leader also alleged that she recently visited ISKCON’s Anantapur Gaushala in Andhra Pradesh and did not find even a single cow in good condition. She also allegedly claimed there were no calves in their cowshed indicating all of them were sold off.
ISKCON statement
“ISKCON runs more than 60 goshalas in India protecting hundreds of sacred cows and bulls and providing personalized care for their entire lifetime. Many of the cows presently served in ISKCON’s goshalas were brought to us after being found abandoned, injured, or rescued from being slaughtered,” ISKCON said in a statement.