Allegations of Animal Slaughter at Iskcon Murari Sevaka

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna dasi wrote in COM 2725563:

>I have recently heard troubling allegations of cow slaughter at one of

ISKCON's North

>American farms. I felt that the most effective way of getting to the truth

>of the matter, resolving the situation, and preventing similar problems in the

future was

>to present what I have heard - from sources which I consider reliable

She then lists a series of serious allegations about devotees at Murari Sevak

and their

GBC, H.H. Bir Krsna Mja.

I found it astonishing that such allegations were presented without any

suggestion that

due process has been followed as set out in the GBC-approved Cow Standards

listed

on the CHAKRA website.

I have no way to know if the allegations are true or not. However, by admission

they are

simply allegations. Has Hare Krsna dasi tried to follow the protocols as set

down

below? Has the Minister of Agriculture been consulted and an Investigation Team

formed? Has she been deputed by the Min. of Ag. to make such allegations

public?

The rules set out in the cow standards are as follows:

XV INVESTIGATION TEAM (IT)

Recommended:

fi.. 1) Selection of IT The Ministry will collect a world-wide list of devotees

to act as a

resource pool. Such devotees will be knowledgeable of the standards and have

agricultural experience. From this list the Ministry will select an appropriate

IT.

fj.. 2) Travel To defray travel expense, members of the list who live closest

to the

problem in question will be chosen first. Members are encouraged to provide

travel

expense. A fund can eventually be set up to help with travel expense.

fk.. 3) Membership of IT The IT should consist of 2 or more devotees not

involved in the

management of the program being investigated and a professional suited to the

particular situation selected by the IT. The professional should not be

currently

employed by the farm under investigation.

fl.. 4) Duties of IT The IT will arrange for group meetings and individual

interviews with

parties concerned and is responsible for the compilation of reports given to

all GBC

concerned (Local Commissioner, Global Secretary, Justice and Cow Protection

Ministries).

How many times has Hkdd written on this forum taking GBC members to task for

not

following these rules? Many times, to say the least. What if these allegations

prove to

be false can H.Kdd ensure that everyone who read her allegations will read

her

retraction?

 

On top of the matajis do-good, passionate statements one can easily see the

ridiculousness of these standards as an enforcement document. Firstly, at the

first

provocation, one of the main proponents of them seriously disregards their

tenets. If

any notice was to be made at all (and probably shouldn't have been), shouldn't

it have

been done by the honorable minister? But in fact, no announcement should have

been

made. What purpose can it serve if an IT has not been sent in place other than

grand-

standing.

I haven't read the whole standards but another section that seem to have

relevance to

this situation are:

fc.. 2) Investigation of Abuses When a GBC receives reports of cow abuse in

his/her

locale, the complaint must be investigated by the GBC and if found true, the

situation

must be corrected by consultation with local Farm Council and the Ministry.

fd.. 3) Follow-up by Investigation Team. Where no action has been initiated

after one

week following investigation or if the Ministry deems the action insufficient,

the Ministry

will appoint an investigation team to create a report specifying actions needed

to correct

the situation.

fe.. 4) ISKCON's Ministry of Justice Involvement. If corrections are not

initiated within

one month following the initial abuse report, the problem will be referred to

ISKCON's

Ministry of Justice for further action to protect the cows.

Have any of these processes been put into action? If not, why not and why is

one

individual sanctimoniously "blowing the whistle" when she is not even following

the

standards that she has helped draw up.

In the long term, the fact of the matter is that these standards have no real

teeth. I have

a long experience in organic farm inspection field. The Iskcon cow standards

are

modeled after the organic standards so feel that I know a little of what I

speak.

If I were to hold back a recommendation for organic certification there is a

serious

financial setback and for the producer/processor well-established protocols to

appeal

my decision. In this situation, the judge and jury seem to have publicly made

their

decision while cowardly labeling them allegations.

Finally, where was the H.K.dd's indignation in regards to the allegations made

by

Balabhadra, minister of agriculture, in regards to the situation in New

Vrindavana. The

quantity of animals involved at Murari Sevak is minute in comparison to the

loss of life

at New Vrindavana.

Respectfully,

Vyapaka dasa