ISKCON turns gaushalas into cash cows? Row triggers debate

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru/New Delhi: The recent controversy between BJP MP Maneka Gandhi and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has led to uncomfortable questions whether the prospect of monetary benefit trumps religious fervour in some cases.

Gandhi made the comments to the news website The Tatva on Wednesday, claiming she had found circumstantial evidence to suggest that ISKCON was selling cows to abattoirs.

She alleged that when she went to the organisation’s gaushala in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, she could only find milch cows, suggesting the rest were sold.

This had elicited a furious rebuttal from ISKCON.

“The biggest deceivers of the nation are ISKCON. They set up ‘gaushalas’ (cow sheds) and they get immense benefits from the government. They get quite a lot of land to run these gaushalas. I had visited their Anantpur Gaushala. They only had milch cows, not one of them was dry so to speak. There wasn’t a single calf there. Meaning all of them had been sold. ISKCON is selling all its cows to the butchers. No one does it on the scale they do it,” Maneka said.

“They go on the street and chant ‘hare Ram, hare Krishna’ and have made milk their slogan. They have sold more cows to butchers than probably anyone else. If they do it, then think of what others might do,” she added.

Rs 100 crore case filed against MP

ISKCON hit back against Gandhi by sending her a Rs 100 crore defamation suit. ISKCON Kolkata Vice-President Radharaman Das confirmed the same.

”Maneka Gandhi’s comments were unfortunate. Our devotees from around the world were hurt. Today, we have taken legal action and have sent her a Rs 100 crore defamation notice. She is an MP and has even been a Cabinet minister. How can she lie about such a big society and not provide any proof ?” he told ANI.

The organisation’s spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das even implied that Gandhi hadn’t visited their Anantpur cow shed.

“While Smt Gandhi has stated to have visited the Goshala, none of the workers or staff recollect seeing / meeting her,” he said, adding that there had indeed been non-milch cows at their cowsheds.

“The Goshalas serves 76 bulls and 246 non-milking cows alongside milking cows,” Das said. The spokesperson provided letters by a veterinarian stating that their Anantapur facility took good care of the cattle.

Among those giving the organization their vote of confidence were Anantapur MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy, Anantapur MP Talari Rangaiah and Singamala MLA Jonnalagadda Padmavathy.

‘False information’

ISKCON also posted a press release, denying the claims.

“A video of Smt Maneka Gandhi has come to our notice wherein unsubstantiated and false information regarding ISKCON and its cow care standards have been presented,” the statement read.

“ISKCON has pioneered cow protection in many parts of the world where beef is a staple diet. Within India, ISKCON runs more than 60 Goshalas 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,” it added.

Unproductive cattle sold

It is to be noted that a cow that has stopped giving milk can sell for around Rs 50,000 while water buffaloes go for Rs 20,000.

Selling unproductive cattle can be a life-saving measure for farmers, especially those who are under distress.

However, 20 Indian states have anti-cattle slaughter laws, some of which are quite stringent and hinder under duress farmers from selling cattle and getting monetary relief.

However, anyone who is in possession of “rescued” cattle may in principle be able to sell them secretly.