New Delhi: BJP MP Maneka Gandhi has called the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) the “biggest cheat” in the country as it sells cows from its gaushalas (cowsheds) to butchers. “ISKCON is the biggest cheat in the country. It maintains gaushalas and gets benefits from the government, including vast lands,” she said in a video that has gone viral.
ISKCON rejected the allegations as “unsubstantiated and false”.
In the video, she recalls her visit to ISKCON’s Anantpur Gaushala in Andhra Pradesh, where she couldn’t find any cow that doesn’t give milk or calves. “There was no dry cow in the entire dairy. Not a single calf was there. It means all were sold.”
“ISKCON is selling all its cows to the butchers. No one else does this as much they do. And they go on and sing ‘Hare Ram Hare Krishna’ on the roads. Then they say their entire life is dependent on milk. Probably, no one has sold as many cattle to the butchers as they did,” she alleges.
What is the view of BJP’s Bosses about this statement of Ms Maneka?
BJPs Maneka Gandhi says ISKCON biggest cheat sells cows to butchers https://t.co/NMqZocwRL0 via @indiatoday
— ARUN KUMAR GUPTA (@ARUN_290352) September 27, 2023
Rejecting the allegations, ISKCON’s national spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das said the religious body has been at the forefront of cow and bull protection and care not just in India but globally. “The cows and bulls are served for their life not sold to butchers as alleged,” he said.
ISKCON has pioneered cow protection in many parts of the world where beef is a staple diet, said an ISKCON statement shared by him. “Smt. Gandhi is a well-known animal rights activist and well-wisher of ISKCON hence we are surprised by these statements,” said the statement.
Response to the unsubstantiated and false statements of Smt Maneka Gandhi.
ISKCON has been at the forefront of cow and bull protection and care not just in India but globally.
The cows and bulls are served for their life not sold to butchers as alleged. pic.twitter.com/GRLAe5B2n6
— Yudhistir Govinda Das (@yudhistirGD) September 26, 2023
