Yogish Bhat Panel Gives Clean Chit to ISKCON-run Akshaya Patra

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 11: The Akshaya Patra Foundation of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), which has been implementing the mid-day meal scheme for school children under the name Akshara Dasoha has not committed any irregularities nor misused the funds granted by the State Government.

This is the finding of the 10-member legislature committee headed by ruling BJP MLA, N Yogish Bhat, who was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in its 132-page report tabled in the House amidst noisy schemes and protests by opposition Congress and JD(S) members on Tuesday.

The legislature panel, however, confirmed that ISKCON was raising donations and contributions in foreign countries but there was no evidence that display of photographs of school children to raise funds brought insult to the nation’s honour.

The Akshaya Patra Foudation of the ISKCON has signed an agreement with the State government for implementing the Akshara Dasoha in 2003 and it has providing mid-day meals for 2200 schools in Bangalore, Hubli, Mysore, Mangalore and Bellary. It has received Rs. 54 crore from the State government and the Foundation had spent Rs. 113 crore.

ISKCON has raised Rs. 47.72 lakh in 2004-05, Rs 1.14 crore 2005-06, Rs. 5.70 crore in 2006-07, Rs. 6.72 crore in 2007-08, and Rs. 7.22 crore in 2008-09 from various countries.

It may be recalled that the Congress leader D K Shivakumar had leveled allegations against ISKCON for raising funds in foreign countries by depicting the plight of poor school children in the State and used the funds for developing real estate business and misuse of funds and the supply of poor quality food under the scheme, which led to the constitution of a 10-member committee on October 16, 2009.

The legislature panel held that there was no evidence that ISKCON had utilised its financial resources for real estate business nor did it construct a housing complex on 28 acres granted by the State government for construction of a Krishna Leela Park in Bangalore.

The report said two trusts – India Heritage Trust/Foundation and ISKCON Charities – were engaged in the real estate business to fulfill its goals. But the committee felt that such ``business is not illegal.’’
The main objectives of the trusts were – education, medical relief, relief of the poor, housing or providing shelters to the general public; and theme parks related to Indian heritage and history related amenities to benefit the general public.

On acquisition of 131.03 acres of land at Mahadevapura village in Srirangapatna by Chanchalapathi Dasa and Madhu Pandit of ISKCON, the committee said the mater was sub-judice and strict action would be taken after the court verdict.

The panel held detailed discussions with officials of the Education, Food and Civil Supplies and other departments concerned and ISKCON officials, who admitted that it has been raising funds aboard to provide quality food to schoolchildren.

The panel said many NGOs in the State which have been raising funds for various activities and recommended to the Government to regularly monitor funds used by NGOs and take appropriate action. The committee said the all NGOs involved in executing the mid-day meal scheme should mention names of the State and Central governments in their advertisements and nominate Government representatives as members.

The committee opined that it was not illegal on the part of the Foundation if it used the money raised from the public/donors, for the purpose of mid-day meal scheme. Hence, there was no need of taking any action, it said.