Spiritual head accused of beating up children

[Guest guest]

Spiritual head accused of beating up children

Sajeda Momin

 

Tuesday, November 14, 2006 22:13 IST

 

LONDON: Britain’s first state-funded Hindu school has hit yet another obstacle with the spiritual head of the school’s affairs accused of using corporal punishment against children. The president of the Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford — the biggest International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple in Britain — Gauri Dasa is believed to have hit children when he was teaching at an ashram in India.

 

Leading the campaign against Dasa is another Hindu group called the Hindu Human Rights. “We have received e-mails for a while now, expressing concerns about allegations that Gauri Dasa used to beat children,” said Arjun Malik, spokesman for HHR. “Parents will obviously not feel safe sending their children to a school where such a man is involved,” he added.

 

Corporal punishment in schools was banned in British school in the 1970s and since then teachers who hit children can find themselves in court. Gauri Dasa defended himself arguing that “corporal punishment was part of the disciplinary plans of ISKCON in the 1970s and ’80s in schools in India and the US.”

 

“It was stopped over a decade ago. We run a very successful school as part of the Bhaktivedanta temple,” said Dasa.

 

“None of the allegations against Gauri Dasa have been proven, but ISKCON has a poor reputation when it come to the child-abuse lawsuits filed in the US,” said Jay Dilip Lakhani, coordinator of Vivekananda Centre.

 

Harrow Council in Middlesex, which has one of the largest Hindu populations in the country, has received £9.8 million from the government to build the first Hindu school. Hindu charity I-Foundation is setting up the school for the Council is waiting for permission before it begins building the primary school on five and half acres of playing fields in Edgware in 2008.

 

This too has come under fire with locals in the area vowing to stop construction because it would mean the loss of pitches used by amateur football club Belmont FC. They have formed the William Ellis Action Group and have asked Sir Trevor Brooking, the Football Association chief and England football legend for support. The Action Group also argues that traffic congestion, pollution and noise will all lead to a fall in the value of houses in the area.

 

Nitish Gor, director of I-Foundation argued that the opposition was simply racist. “There have been paedophilia charges against the Roman Catholic Church as well, but that doesn’t mean the entire institution must be boycotted,” added Gor.

 

(Source: www dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1064111)

 

See www harekrsna.com/sun/news/11-06/news823.htm for a picture of the accused.

[Guruvani]

this is old news and we have already read about on the news sites.

 

this is supposed to be a section of the forum for "spiritual discussions".

 

I don't consider this kind of gossip as spiritual discussion.

 

Take the issue up with the authorities.

it's just tabloid news as far as I am concerned.

[tackleberry]

Sajeda Momin

 

Tuesday, November 14, 2006 22:13 IST

 

Leading the campaign against Dasa is another Hindu group called the Hindu can find themselves in court. Gauri Dasa defended himself arguing that “corporal punishment was part of the disciplinary plans of ISKCON in the 1970s and ’80s in schools in India and the US.”

 

“]

 

Well, the allegations have been made by a Muslim and its veracity cannot be proved.However,if he is guilty he should be excommunicated for life!

[Guest guest]

"corporal punishment was part of the disciplinary plans of ISKCON in the 1970s and ’80s in schools in India and the US.”

 

That was decades ago and it does not justify continued abuse of children in the 21st century. This kind of policy will do nothing to encourage modern day parents to send their children to the new school. ISKCON authorities should carefully review their policy.

[stonehearted]

I agree with Ksamabiddhi; this is just old gossip, and this is not the forum for it. Gauri das made this assertion:

 

“corporal punishment was part of the disciplinary plans of ISKCON in the 1970s and ’80s in schools in India and the US.”

I was headmaster of the gurukula in Honolulu, Hawaii from 1978-84, and corporal punishment was not part of our disciplinary plan, nor was it so in Los Angeles gurukula, as far as I could see. I taught for two or three years at the Bhaktivedanta Village gurukula in California after that, and corporal punishment was not part of the porgram there, either. When a teacher did physically punish a kid, it caused outrage in the community.

 

Moreover, at a headmasters' conference in 1981, Jagadish, then the GBC education minister and much reviled of late, told us all in no uncertain terms that we were not to strike or otherwise physically punish the children. He conceded that some slapping or other coporal punishment would no doubt be inflicted from time to time, but he made it clear that this was to be an anomaly. The official default was no corporal punishment. So Gauri das' claim that he was simply following some policy that prescribed hitting kids is simply nonsense.

[Bhakta Harry]

 

I agree with Ksamabiddhi; this is just old gossip, and this is not the forum for it. Gauri das made this assertion:

 

I was headmaster of the gurukula in Honolulu, Hawaii from 1978-84, and corporal punishment was not part of our disciplinary plan, nor was it so in Los Angeles gurukula, as far as I could see. I taught for two or three years at the Bhaktivedanta Village gurukula in California after that, and corporal punishment was not part of the porgram there, either. When a teacher did physically punish a kid, it caused outrage in the community.

 

Moreover, at a headmasters' conference in 1981, Jagadish, then the GBC education minister and much reviled of late, told us all in no uncertain terms that we were not to strike or otherwise physically punish the children. He conceded that some slapping or other coporal punishment would no doubt be inflicted from time to time, but he made it clear that this was to be an anomaly. The official default was no corporal punishment. So Gauri das' claim that he was simply following some policy that prescribed hitting kids is simply nonsense.

 

Furthermore Gauri dasa wasn't in the Vrndavana Gurukula where the alleged offences took place until about 1994!

Get this, he was alleged to have been beating the kids from about 1994 - 2002. He doesn't deny these allegations but instead tells us

 

 

"corporal punishment was part of the disciplinary plans of ISKCON in the 1970s and ’80s in schools in India and the US.”

 

Ok, but why was he still beating the hell out of them until the year 2002?

What makes this situation so farsical is that he is being presented to the Hindus & the UK government as the spiritual head of the proposed school. Is this typical ISKCON or what? Maybe they will make him a guru now also?

The Hindus are just finding out about his past behaviour and are justifiably concerned.

[Hari Bhakta dasa]

This is NOT a spiritual topic and perhaps Admin would be so kind as to move it to the News section for those inclined to discuss such topics whether old or new. It shows a lack of consideration and proper behavior to put such mundane talk in this section.

[Guest guest]

London, Nov 27 (IANS) Plans to set up Britain's first state-funded Hindu school are mired in controversy following allegations of racism, threat to environment in Harrow and child abuse against a key member of an affiliated body.

 

The Department of Education and Skills had announced the faith school in November 2005 and earmarked 10 million pounds for the project. Britain has many faith schools for Muslims and Sikhs.

 

The Hindu faith school is to be set up in the London borough of Harrow, which has a 20 percent Hindu population. To be called the 'Krishna Avanti Primary School', it was expected to open in 2010.

 

However, initial plans have been marred by allegations of child abuse against Gauri Dasa, who will be the 'spiritual head' of the school.

 

He is currently the president of the Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford - a large temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISCKON).

 

The school is to be opened by I-Foundation, a charity associated with ISCKON. I-Foundation is reported to be awaiting approval from the School Organisations Committee before beginning construction of the school in Edgware.

 

Das is alleged to have beaten children while running an ashram in India years ago.

 

According to Arjun Malik, spokesman of Hindu Human Rights: "We have received email for a while, expressing concerns about allegations that Gauri Dasa used to beat children.

 

"We do not wish to defame any organisation, but parents will obviously not feel safe sending their children to a school which has such a man involved."

 

Dasa, however, claimed that corporal punishment was part of the disciplinary structure of ISKCON schools in 1970s and 80s.

 

He said: "All these allegations stem from an anonymous email sent out to some website. Its contents are full of half-truths.

 

"In the 1970s and 1980s corporal punishment was part of the disciplinary plans of ISKCON schools in India and the US. It was stopped over a decade ago."

 

Jay Dilip Lakhani, coordinator of the Vivekananda Centre, said: "None of the allegations against Gauri Dasa have been proven but ISKCON has a poor reputation due to the child-abuse lawsuits filed against it in the past."

 

But Ramesh Kallidai, secretary-general of the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) and described as an initiated member of ISKCON, said: "Gauri Dasa is our spiritual ambassador. We are yet to see any hard evidence against him. We are glad ISKCON is associated with the first faith school."

 

Nitesh Gor, spokesman for I-Foundation, said: "As for child abuse allegations against ISKCON in the US, there have been child abuse charges against the Roman Catholic Church as well but that doesn't mean the entire institution must be boycotted."

 

Meanwhile, residents around the proposed site have opposed the school due to the threat it posed to environment and the increase in traffic it would bring. Anonymous leaflets have been circulating in the area.

 

Residents have warned that the school could also generate racial tension. Recently, councillor Chris Mote faced tough questions at a public meeting to discuss plans to locate the school in the William Ellis playing fields.

 

Ravi Saran, who lives near the playing fields, told the local media: "I am not against a Hindu school. I have been living in this area for 40 years and enjoy a happy life but we Asians have already started getting dirty looks from white people.

 

"I fear what is going to happen when the bulldozers start. Does the council want to have riots? Why is Harrow Council ... destroying the environment and segregating the community?"

 

However, Yuvraj Rana, who supports the school, said: "Everyone has come in here with their own concept and ideas. This was a process by which local residents are involved before it even goes to planning.

 

"Quite frankly, I think this is racism. These people are very greedy and they should be ashamed of themselves. We are being given the chance to have the first Hindu school in the whole country and they want a better view from their back garden."

 

Dilip Patel, who is opposed to the school, said: "Already the thought of the school is causing tension in the community but because it is called a Hindu school it is a target for resentment. I think the community is strong enough to overcome it.

 

"The consequences of the development are more noise and more pollution. The first thing our religion teaches about is to protect the environment we live in."

 

--By Prasun Sonwalkar

[Guest guest]

Prabhupada said, "Your children are your Deities". So I don't think that talking about what is in the best interest of children at a Hindu school is useless mundane talk or prajalpa, because according to Srila Prabhupada children are actually our Deities. Also Prabhupada said, "Show them the stick but do not use it" in regards to corporal punishment of children. So I believe that it is vitally important to openly discuss such things, in the same way that BVT and ACBSP were always very eager to openly expose the bogey-yogis: even though some people would always say, "Awwwh, gee silly wabbit: dat's not vair-wee spear-witch-you-all of a discussion to quit-i-size other goo-woos." I say let's openly say, "That is bogus!" and "You are a fool, a rascal, and a demon!" just like Prabhupada would say. I say spell it out directly to all of the Putanas and Hiranyakasipus who have no qualms about telling the world that they think this is a good program to hurt children, our Deities, and misrepresent Prabhupada by saying that it was part of the original vision and mission statement of the founder acharya of ISKCON. And let's spell it out for all of those who can't bother their pwetty wittle bwains to even fink about it.

[stonehearted]

 

I say let's openly say, "That is bogus!" and "You are a fool, a rascal, and a demon!" just like Prabhupada would say.

 

Oh, how bold you are, hiding behined anonymous "guest"hood! (I thought we were rid of this bull pucky.)

[Guest guest]

 

Oh, how bold you are, hiding behined anonymous "guest"hood! (I thought we were rid of this bull pucky.)

 

Er, this is from the anonymous "stonehearted" - pot, kettle, black?

 

Since when has child abuse in the name of Srila Prabhupada ("corporal punishment was PART of ISKCON's DISCIPLINARY plans in the 1970s and 80s" - LIES!) been a topic we should keep quiet about?

 

The children are our Deities, as SP said, and we will not remain silent when children have been abused because some dork thinks it is a "mundane topic".

[Guest guest]

I would like to share that if a person has PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, or PDD Prolonged Duress DIsorder, and they were one of say 400 children who now are adults and now have this psychological disorder for the rest of their life due to the abuse received at a boarding school, then it is entirely possible that for them when they read comments like,

 

"This is old news as far as I am concerned...this is not a spiritual discussion...this is gossip...tabloid news..." and "[the minister of education] conceded that some slapping would take place from time to time..."

 

for a person who is now lifelong sufferer of PTSD to read this, then what happens to the individual is comments such as these create flashbacks of the initial abuse suffered. When the abuse was first administered, first the heart started racing due to the ephinepherine/ norephinephrine fight or flight syndrome. Then after the heart rate increases a flashbulb moment memory or "snap shot" is taken by the part of the brain that rules emotions. The purpose of taking a snapshot in that part of the brain that rules emotions is so that if the organism is ever in a similar situation they know to seek help and get out of danger immediately.

 

So on one hand when a person with PTSD reads posts such as these then their heart starts racing and all they know is this situation of putting our head in the sand must never, ever happen again. On the other hand if it has never happened to you or if you were a co-dependent enabler of it then perhaps it is like "Ho-hum" that one would consider a discussion about this to be on the level of Britney Spears and K Fed.

 

Similarly if one shares that they chose to remain in an organization in which the minister of education said that slapping "would not doubt be inflicted from time to time" perhaps that person has no idea of the repeated traumas that flood the mind of a past victim as flashbacks continually reoccur repeatedly. For a victim to read such comments seems beyond callous and inhuman and surely "stonehearted" in the very worst sense of the word on can possibly imagine.

 

So there are two sides to every story. Some people who have never suffered from PTSD/ PDD inflicted by institutionalized cover-ups by ecclesiatical spiritual authorities perhaps have no idea the agony they are inflicting unawares by stating that "this is of no interest to me" or "of course even though some schools throught the history of humanity have had zero tolerance for corporal punishment I chose not to be in those ranks; I chose to align myself with a school that no doubt would inflict this from time to time".

 

I don't think that name-calling is helpful or tit for tat; I also have no problem with such a topic being moved to World Review. Just some information on how the human brain is wired to work in the case of traumatized individuals.

[Guest guest]

Guest cried: "Er, this is from the anonymous "stonehearted" - pot, kettle, black?"

 

Fer yer info, Sriman Stonehearted is probably the least anonymous person using this forum. He is an open book, always very confidential with his revelations about himself.

 

"guest" has no name, no stake at all. Others who have valid signatures have revealed themselves according to the principles of NOI. Fer instance, we know stonehearted's birth name, his initiated name, where he served, his military history, his present occupation, his favored peers, etc.

 

So your point is not well taken. Im a guest now, too, but I am mahaksadasa, and my life is revealed clearly for ten years on the net.

 

So, instead of defending your indefensible position of anonymity, just ramble on. Maybe come out of your closet and stand behind your words as well.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[stonehearted]

 

Er, this is from the anonymous "stonehearted" - pot, kettle, black?

Nothing anonymous about me. When I first came to this forum several years ago, I watched for a while to see what the culture was like, hoping to act appropriately. It appeared to me at the time that everyone adopted usernames (nics, or whatever), so that's what I did. However, it was never a secret who I am. Anyone who has been on this forum for any time can tell you my name, where I live, where I joined ISKCON, what I've done for a living, maybe even the ages of my kids. So this is not a pot-and-kettle thing, my friend.

 

I have complained repeatedly about anonymous "guests" coming to take pot shots without accepting any responsibility for what they say. It has, I believe, been a detriment to this forum that anyone can come here and say anything without having to stand behind their words. I thought I saw something from the Admin a few weeks ago indicating that this would no longer be the practice here. Apparently, I was mistaken.

 

With regard to discussion of the abuse of ISKCON's children, as a father of two gurukula alumnae and a former gurukula headmaster and teacher, I'm at least as outraged as anyone about the abuse, and I think some discussion may be useful. But I'm not sure what any of us gain by rehashing the same old stories. The important thing is what we do to protect children in ISKCON and other missions from these sociopaths and predators. I've been characterized by some as rather hard-hearted because I have advocated banishing child abusers from Vaishnava sangas, period. One reason for my intransigience is that too many kids who were too close to my family were abused by their teachers and/or fathers. OUr first priority should be to protect the kids. Let their abusers reform their hearts in the company of those who like them, but away from children.

 

Babhru das

[Guest guest]

That is correct. The settings were changed to only allow registered member to post. However, within just a few days, the activity dropped to a very low level. I suspect that is the reason the settings were changed again to allow anonymous posters.

 

All said, I'm glad though that the admins are deleting or locking out most of the nonsensical threads being started by the ritviks.

 

 

I thought I saw something from the Admin a few weeks ago indicating that this would no longer be the practice here. Apparently, I was mistaken.

 

Babhru das