Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Jun 10: The local unit of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) and its head, Madhu Pandit Dasa, have filed defamation suits against D K Shivakumar, working president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, and three others. The case relates to the allegations levelled by Shivakumar against Iskcon, charging it with indulging in black-marketting of rice, collecting donations for its ‘Akshaya Patre’ noon meal programme (Akshaya Patra) for the school children by circulating photographs of children in foreign countries, etc.
The three others named by Iskcon as defendants are, Hanumantarayappa from Malhathalli, ‘Lankesh Patrike’ editor, Gauri Lankesh, and its reporter, Ra Somanath. The case has been filed in the city civil court, and Iskcon has claimed damages of Rs 1.8 crore from the concerned. It has said that its image has been damaged both at national and international level, because of the charges levelled against them by the defendants.
After conducting in investigation into the allegations of hoarding and black-marketting, Bangalore district deputy commissioner, MK Ayyappa, had recently absolved Iskcon of any wrongdoing. Iskcon decided to drag Shivakumar to court on the basis of this report. Copy of this report was furnished to the court on Wednesday.
Reacting to the development, Shivakumar welcomed Iskcon’s action. “This will enable me to throw more light on the irregularities being committed by Iskcon in the name of noon meal programme. Already a house committee has been formed to investigate this scam. The committee will conduct a sitting on Friday June 11, and Iskcon also needs to send its representatives to the sitting. Iskcon might have filed defamation suit in view of the said sitting. I will soon bring out all the irregularities with which Iskcon is involved,” he said.
It may be recalled that Shivakumar had termed Iskcon governing council members as ‘rice thieves’, and called its ‘Akshaya Patre’ noon meal programme for students as ‘Bhiksha Patre (begging bowl)’ programme. He had demanded for the arrest of Iskcon chief, Madhu Pandit Dasa, and Chanchalapathi Dasa, governing council member.