ISKCON Bangalore/ISKCON Mumbai Mediation Talks Going on Today
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Pratyatosa
Apr 30, 2015, 3:57:54 PM4/30/15
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From <https://www.facebook.com/notes/basu-ghosh-das/bangalore-timeline-the-court-case-how-it-evolved/944650848929213>:
Bangalore timeline -- the court case -- how it evolved
April 28, 2015 at 8:23am [by Basu Ghosh Das]
About a week ago, a devotee wrote on her Facebook page asking about the status of ISKCON at Bangalore. She was unaware of the history of the goings on there. What I wrote herein below was for her benefit (I have done some editing on what I wrote her).
Tomorrow, April 29, 2015 [delayed a day due to travel problems], at ISKCON Juhu there will be another mediation between ISKCON GBC members and ISKCON India's legal advisor, with Madhu Pandit Das, an ISKCON rebel who propagates the posthumous initiation concept known nowadays as "ritvikism". He is also the branch manager -- by court order -- of ISKCON at Bangalore, Hare Krishna Hill, Rajajinagar. ISKCON seeks to remove and replace him with someone loyal to the ISKCON institutional policies.
1. A branch of ISKCON was begun at Bangalore during 1977 with Shankhabhrit Das, a Tamilian who was initiated by Srila Prabhupada, as branch manager/temple president. Unfortunately he was/is not an honest person. By 1980 he cheated local life members in a scam and ran away.
2. In 1978, after the disappearance of Prabhupada, Jayapataka Maharaj became the GBC for South India.
3. In the early 1980s, ISKCON preaching in South India was overseen by then Swami Bhakti Ananda Swarup, who was working under Jayapataka Maharaj. Under him ex Swami Mahashriga (now Das), Tattva Darshan Das, and others were running the center at Bangalore.
4. Madhu Pandit Das and three other students (Dayaram Das, Mahasundar Das, and Radhacharan Das), newly graduated from IIT Powai, Bombay, joined ISKCON during 1981, and were thereafter initiated by Jayapataka Maharaj, whom they met at Mayapur.
5. Of these four, two of them settled at Bangalore, one of them being Madhu Pandit Das. By 1984,Madhu Pandit Das became the Temple President/branch manager of ISKCON Bangalore.
6. Property to construct an ISKCON temple at Bangalore was obtained with the help of then Karnataka Chief Minister Ramkrishna Hegde (He was the CM from 1983-1985, then again from 1985 until 1988). The property he sanctioned for ISKCON is theHare Krishna Hill property at Rajajinagar, where Madhu Pandit Das is still"branch manager" (aka Temple President). Thereafter sanction to construct the temple was obtained, and construction begun. Design was provided by Jagat Chandra Das, an architect disciple of Jayapataka Swami, who resides at Kerala.
7. Upon completion of the construction, during June 1997, a grand temple on this property was opened by the late, then President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma. Madhu Pandit Das basked in much glory for having overseen the grand project. He became the General Secretary of the ISKCON India legal body, the Governing Bureau (not sure of the exact date of this, but around this time). Also, he was annually submitting the ISKCON Bangalore accounts for consolidation (as every branch of ISKCON in India does annually) to the ISKCON India head office at Juhu, Bombay (this was done from 1985 until 2000).
8. At the time of Sri Krishna Janmastami/Prabhupada Vyasa Puja in August 1998, Madhu Pandit Das in his Vyasa Puja offering to Prabhupada declared that he was actually Prabhupada's disciple, and not Jayapataka Maharaj's disciple. He had never met Prabhupada. He declared that he was now an adherent of what is known as the "ritvik system of initiation ideology" that teaches that Prabhupada can still give initiation, even after he has passed away. (posthumous initiation concept). He this way he considers himself a direct disciple of Prabhupada, thus going against vaishnav tradition regarding initiation and guruship, as well as disregarding the tradition of respect and regard for elders/senior devotees.
9. ISKCON Calcutta (then/at that time – he was later on removed) Temple President Adridharana Das similarly declared himself an adherent of the "ritvik system of initiation" -- the same ideology that Madhu Pandit Das adopted as above (the difference being that Adridharana Das had received initiation directly from Srila Prabhupada).
Both these men formally presented this ideology to the GBC (Governing Body Commission) at Mayapur during the annual GBC meeting (AGM) of 1999. The GBC body rejected their views (then and now). Negotiations between them and the GBC went on for a year, until during the 2000 GBC AGM (annual general meeting) these views are declared banned in ISKCON.
10. Madhu Pandit Das went to the court and obtained a stay order in the Karnataka High Court -- the highest court in the (South Indian) State of Karnataka -- against ISKCON registered at Bombay, from removing him as branch president of ISKCON Bangalore, during 2001.
His claim is that he was never part of ISKCON registered at Bombay, but belongs to a separate society, ISKCON of Karnataka.
This order could not be vacated until a case filed by him against ISKCON was heard by the local, city court, and then afterwards, district court, and then in the Karnataka High Court. To make a long story short, Madhu Pandit Das lost the case in the city court, won in the district court, and lost in the Karnataka High Court. The KHC ruled in May of 2011 -- after 10years of litigation -- that ISKCON of Bangalore was a branch of ISKCON registered at Bombay (in an 80 page decision).
11. As per the ruling of the KHC, Madhu Pandit Das filed anSLP (special leave petition) in the Supreme Court of India challenging the order of the KHC. That case is still pending in the Supreme Court of India. During December of 2011, the Supreme Court (SC) order created an oversight committee to oversee the affairs of ISKCON Bangalore.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Raveendran was appointed as Chairman of the oversight committee, along with one representative each from Bombay and Bangalore. Justice Raveendran is a famous proponent of mediation, and he has organized several attempts at a mediated settlement of the case. But so far, without success. Another attempt at mediation --a meeting between some ISKCON GBCs, and Madhu Pandit Das and his secretaries is to be held on April 29, 2015.
12. Between the years 1999 and up to the present, ISKCON has opened three smaller centers in Bangalore, where those who are loyal to ISKCON congregate.
13. During these same years, Madhu Pandit Das has opened 20 centers in various cities of India, i.e. Chennai, Hyderabad, Vrindavan, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, etc. He runs the Akshaya Patra mid-day meals for school children charity in all of these places, with temples coming up in a several of them. Since he is acting on his own, outside of ISKCON, he has registered the centers in the name of "Hare Krishna movement". As I write this, nearby here, at Ahmedabad, they are opening their temple on a 10 acre plot of land, somewhat outside of the town. They have some good fund raisers, both in India and abroad. What we understand is that everyone in his organization is being paid a monthly salary.
14. Srila Prabhupada clearly desired that ISKCON devotees work unitedly under a Governing body. For this reason he did not appoint a successor acharya. After Prabhupada's disappearance during November 1977, there have arisen crises within ISKCON at certain times, and places. The actions of several leading members of ISKCON between 1978 and 1987 was errant, and at that time some of them left, and three were expelled.
However, through the years since Prabhupada disappeared, ISKCON has largely remained united, despite various trials, tribulations, and adversities and in fact, it has flourished, both in India and worldwide! The fall downs of leading devotees that was seen in the 1970s -- even in Prabhupada's presence -- and after his disappearance have diminished as ISKCON matured over the years.
In conclusion, Madhu Pandit Das is NOT a "team player". He wants total domination. In his breakaway group he is the absolute authority, and even Justrice Raveendran told him, "in your group, you are the "guru", even if you do not use the term/name"guru" to describe yourself! It’s clear to me that Madhu Pandit Das is using the concept of "ritvik system of initiation" as a smokescreen to establish his absolute control over his breakaway faction. This is the reality of the situation.
Additionally, neither side wants to make concessions that would be necessary for a mediated settlement of the present dispute. The ISKCON GBC, and the ISKCON India Governing Bureau have time and again refused to recognize in any way, shape, or form, the "ritvik system of initiation". That is Madhu Pandit Das's demand for handing over his assets to official ISKCON.
If the upcoming mediation on April 29 fails to bring about an agreement between the two parties, then a date has been fixed on July 18 in the Supreme Court of India to resume hearing the Madhu Pandit Das’s SLP. The SC already heard the case during two separate sittings/sessions, and after the hearings of the arguments of both sides are completed, they will issue a judgment. That judgment will be final and binding upon all the parties to the dispute.
We in ISKCON can only hope for the best. We are confident that we will prevail in the SC and that the SC will uphold the decision of the Karnataka High Court of May 23, 2011.
Bangalore timeline -- the court case -- how it evolved
April 28, 2015 at 8:23am [by Basu Ghosh Das]
About a week ago, a devotee wrote on her Facebook page asking about the status of ISKCON at Bangalore. She was unaware of the history of the goings on there. What I wrote herein below was for her benefit (I have done some editing on what I wrote her).
Tomorrow, April 29, 2015 [delayed a day due to travel problems], at ISKCON Juhu there will be another mediation between ISKCON GBC members and ISKCON India's legal advisor, with Madhu Pandit Das, an ISKCON rebel who propagates the posthumous initiation concept known nowadays as "ritvikism". He is also the branch manager -- by court order -- of ISKCON at Bangalore, Hare Krishna Hill, Rajajinagar. ISKCON seeks to remove and replace him with someone loyal to the ISKCON institutional policies.
1. A branch of ISKCON was begun at Bangalore during 1977 with Shankhabhrit Das, a Tamilian who was initiated by Srila Prabhupada, as branch manager/temple president. Unfortunately he was/is not an honest person. By 1980 he cheated local life members in a scam and ran away.
2. In 1978, after the disappearance of Prabhupada, Jayapataka Maharaj became the GBC for South India.
3. In the early 1980s, ISKCON preaching in South India was overseen by then Swami Bhakti Ananda Swarup, who was working under Jayapataka Maharaj. Under him ex Swami Mahashriga (now Das), Tattva Darshan Das, and others were running the center at Bangalore.
4. Madhu Pandit Das and three other students (Dayaram Das, Mahasundar Das, and Radhacharan Das), newly graduated from IIT Powai, Bombay, joined ISKCON during 1981, and were thereafter initiated by Jayapataka Maharaj, whom they met at Mayapur.
5. Of these four, two of them settled at Bangalore, one of them being Madhu Pandit Das. By 1984,Madhu Pandit Das became the Temple President/branch manager of ISKCON Bangalore.
6. Property to construct an ISKCON temple at Bangalore was obtained with the help of then Karnataka Chief Minister Ramkrishna Hegde (He was the CM from 1983-1985, then again from 1985 until 1988). The property he sanctioned for ISKCON is theHare Krishna Hill property at Rajajinagar, where Madhu Pandit Das is still"branch manager" (aka Temple President). Thereafter sanction to construct the temple was obtained, and construction begun. Design was provided by Jagat Chandra Das, an architect disciple of Jayapataka Swami, who resides at Kerala.
7. Upon completion of the construction, during June 1997, a grand temple on this property was opened by the late, then President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma. Madhu Pandit Das basked in much glory for having overseen the grand project. He became the General Secretary of the ISKCON India legal body, the Governing Bureau (not sure of the exact date of this, but around this time). Also, he was annually submitting the ISKCON Bangalore accounts for consolidation (as every branch of ISKCON in India does annually) to the ISKCON India head office at Juhu, Bombay (this was done from 1985 until 2000).
8. At the time of Sri Krishna Janmastami/Prabhupada Vyasa Puja in August 1998, Madhu Pandit Das in his Vyasa Puja offering to Prabhupada declared that he was actually Prabhupada's disciple, and not Jayapataka Maharaj's disciple. He had never met Prabhupada. He declared that he was now an adherent of what is known as the "ritvik system of initiation ideology" that teaches that Prabhupada can still give initiation, even after he has passed away. (posthumous initiation concept). He this way he considers himself a direct disciple of Prabhupada, thus going against vaishnav tradition regarding initiation and guruship, as well as disregarding the tradition of respect and regard for elders/senior devotees.
9. ISKCON Calcutta (then/at that time – he was later on removed) Temple President Adridharana Das similarly declared himself an adherent of the "ritvik system of initiation" -- the same ideology that Madhu Pandit Das adopted as above (the difference being that Adridharana Das had received initiation directly from Srila Prabhupada).
Both these men formally presented this ideology to the GBC (Governing Body Commission) at Mayapur during the annual GBC meeting (AGM) of 1999. The GBC body rejected their views (then and now). Negotiations between them and the GBC went on for a year, until during the 2000 GBC AGM (annual general meeting) these views are declared banned in ISKCON.
10. Madhu Pandit Das went to the court and obtained a stay order in the Karnataka High Court -- the highest court in the (South Indian) State of Karnataka -- against ISKCON registered at Bombay, from removing him as branch president of ISKCON Bangalore, during 2001.
His claim is that he was never part of ISKCON registered at Bombay, but belongs to a separate society, ISKCON of Karnataka.
This order could not be vacated until a case filed by him against ISKCON was heard by the local, city court, and then afterwards, district court, and then in the Karnataka High Court. To make a long story short, Madhu Pandit Das lost the case in the city court, won in the district court, and lost in the Karnataka High Court. The KHC ruled in May of 2011 -- after 10years of litigation -- that ISKCON of Bangalore was a branch of ISKCON registered at Bombay (in an 80 page decision).
11. As per the ruling of the KHC, Madhu Pandit Das filed anSLP (special leave petition) in the Supreme Court of India challenging the order of the KHC. That case is still pending in the Supreme Court of India. During December of 2011, the Supreme Court (SC) order created an oversight committee to oversee the affairs of ISKCON Bangalore.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Raveendran was appointed as Chairman of the oversight committee, along with one representative each from Bombay and Bangalore. Justice Raveendran is a famous proponent of mediation, and he has organized several attempts at a mediated settlement of the case. But so far, without success. Another attempt at mediation --a meeting between some ISKCON GBCs, and Madhu Pandit Das and his secretaries is to be held on April 29, 2015.
12. Between the years 1999 and up to the present, ISKCON has opened three smaller centers in Bangalore, where those who are loyal to ISKCON congregate.
13. During these same years, Madhu Pandit Das has opened 20 centers in various cities of India, i.e. Chennai, Hyderabad, Vrindavan, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, etc. He runs the Akshaya Patra mid-day meals for school children charity in all of these places, with temples coming up in a several of them. Since he is acting on his own, outside of ISKCON, he has registered the centers in the name of "Hare Krishna movement". As I write this, nearby here, at Ahmedabad, they are opening their temple on a 10 acre plot of land, somewhat outside of the town. They have some good fund raisers, both in India and abroad. What we understand is that everyone in his organization is being paid a monthly salary.
14. Srila Prabhupada clearly desired that ISKCON devotees work unitedly under a Governing body. For this reason he did not appoint a successor acharya. After Prabhupada's disappearance during November 1977, there have arisen crises within ISKCON at certain times, and places. The actions of several leading members of ISKCON between 1978 and 1987 was errant, and at that time some of them left, and three were expelled.
However, through the years since Prabhupada disappeared, ISKCON has largely remained united, despite various trials, tribulations, and adversities and in fact, it has flourished, both in India and worldwide! The fall downs of leading devotees that was seen in the 1970s -- even in Prabhupada's presence -- and after his disappearance have diminished as ISKCON matured over the years.
In conclusion, Madhu Pandit Das is NOT a "team player". He wants total domination. In his breakaway group he is the absolute authority, and even Justrice Raveendran told him, "in your group, you are the "guru", even if you do not use the term/name"guru" to describe yourself! It’s clear to me that Madhu Pandit Das is using the concept of "ritvik system of initiation" as a smokescreen to establish his absolute control over his breakaway faction. This is the reality of the situation.
Additionally, neither side wants to make concessions that would be necessary for a mediated settlement of the present dispute. The ISKCON GBC, and the ISKCON India Governing Bureau have time and again refused to recognize in any way, shape, or form, the "ritvik system of initiation". That is Madhu Pandit Das's demand for handing over his assets to official ISKCON.
If the upcoming mediation on April 29 fails to bring about an agreement between the two parties, then a date has been fixed on July 18 in the Supreme Court of India to resume hearing the Madhu Pandit Das’s SLP. The SC already heard the case during two separate sittings/sessions, and after the hearings of the arguments of both sides are completed, they will issue a judgment. That judgment will be final and binding upon all the parties to the dispute.
We in ISKCON can only hope for the best. We are confident that we will prevail in the SC and that the SC will uphold the decision of the Karnataka High Court of May 23, 2011.
Ken McLEOD
May 1, 2015, 3:43:23 AM5/1/15
to istag...@googlegroups.com
As most of this statement is hearsay it can only be in the interests of truthfulness to see a response to this hearsay from the opposing party.
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Pratyatosa
May 1, 2015, 4:05:44 AM5/1/15
to istag...@googlegroups.com, kurmano...@live.com
I'm trying to do just that on the <https://www.facebook.com/notes/basu-ghosh-das/bangalore-timeline-the-court-case-how-it-evolved/944650848929213> thread, but I'm not getting any help from anybody. Am I the only Ritvik who is a Basu Ghosh Das Facebook "friend?"
Ys, Ptd
Ys, Ptd
Pratyatosa
May 3, 2015, 12:59:12 AM5/3/15
to istag...@googlegroups.com, kurmano...@live.com
rainer hahn
May 3, 2015, 12:07:14 PM5/3/15
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There are only 4 weirdo ISKCON bhaktas commenting there who are not taken seriously even by anybody?
Confusion is that they all speak of a "breakaway group" and a "new religion". So the same psychosis of endless fighting what took place in USA is being transferred to India. Hopefully their bookkeeper helps to bang heads together and tells these pure Vaishnava gentlemen that rich Indians will stop all support when finding out these are all wranglers. And when rich Indians cancel their payment where do they stand? Again they have to move back to US?
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