A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

Abstract: A recent incident of cow abuse in ISKCON has led to focus on the alleged perpetrator of the crime, but cow abuse in ISKCON has been widespread and ongoing. ISKCON’s history of cow abuse should be analyzed carefully, not simply to vilify certain individuals, but to examine how organizational weaknesses lead to situations that foster abuse. ISKCON’s cowherds are among the least-empowered and lowly regarded members of the Krishna consciousness movement. Thus they lack the ability to be an effective voice for Krishna’s cows. Their lack of direct, periodic and confidential access to their zonal GBC representatives in the past has impeded chances to make a plea for the welfare of the cows. ISKCON’s law 507 appears to resolve this problem by requiring GBC’s to meet quarterly with cowherds, inspect cow protection facilities, and file a report with ISKCON’s Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture. The shocking failure of GBC to file reports for 54 ISKCON farm communities for the past 2 quarters has been a demoralizing blow to Krishna’s cowherds around the world and has ominous implications for the safety of cows in ISKCON.

Today we will observe Govardhana Puja. We will worship Krishna as the lifter of Govardhana Hill and the protector of all the cowherd families and cows of Vrindavan. We will celebrate the occasion by special lectures, ecstatic kirtans, and great feasts of wonderful prasadam. This is fitting also.

But as we are dancing in kirtan or feasting, we should remember some members of our Krishna conscious community who can no longer share in our celebration. These are eleven cows from the Murari Sevaka community in Tennessee:

1. Indra         not trained ox           8 -10 year old Brown Swiss mix
2. Chota        trained ox      4 year old Jersey      
3. Maha        trained ox      4 year old Jersey
4. Bhima       trained ox      4 year old Jersey
5. Bala          trained ox      4 year old Jersey
6. Prabhu     trained ox      4 year old Long Hair Jersey
7. Bimba       trained ox      6 year old Red Angus + Brown Swiss
8. Tala          trained ox      6 year old Black Angus + Brown Swiss
9. Dharma    trained ox      4 year old Jersey
10. Hamsi      cow                 12 year old Jersey
11. Hamsi’s     bull calf        1 week old Jersey

[the lifespan of a protected cow or oxen is 18 years]

Allegedly at the arrangement of an ISKCON temple leader, these cows were sold at a Fayetteville auction in late June or early July of this year [1999]. Subsequently, they were taken to a packinghouse, where each one was murderously slaughtered.

For us to advance in spiritual life it is essential to start by remembering Lord Krishna’s wonderful pastimes as protector of the cows. Prabhupada states that, “One cannot become spiritually advanced without acquiring the brahminical qualifications and giving protection to cows.”(SB 6.18.52 purport)  But protecting the cows requires more than remembering Krishna’s pastimes. We must remember His pastimes; then we must follow His example.

Some devotees are upset that I have publicized the unfortunate tragedy of Murari Sevaka, but it is my conviction that until we realize our shortfalls in cow protection, we will not be able to take the proper steps to correct the practices which lead to tragedies like this. Once we admit that we have a very serious problem, then, with Krishna’s guidance, we can work together to overcome our sad track record in cow protection.

But I am afraid that devotees do not know that we have had problems around the world with cow abuse. Thus they minimize the gravity of the problem. Because of my involvement in ISKCON’s agriculture over the past ten years or so, a number of problems have come to my attention. I will list some of those problems. As you read them, note how, in many cases, the GBC’s lack of involvement opens the door to cow abuse.

1. In 1989, I heard the first account of failure to protect cows in ISKCON. Pitavas Prabhu from New Maypur in France related to me that because of New Maypur’s tax difficulties, New Mayapura made arrangements for a karmi farmer to take care of their cows on his farm. Evidently, the devotees were not able to check on their cows very frequently, and when Pitavas took over as head cowherd and went to visit the farmer, he discovered that several cows were missing. Evidently, the farmer had sold them. As soon as Pitavas and his wife got another farm, they took the remaining 108 cows to care for them there.
2. Historically, the next problem of cow abuse that I heard about was an alleged long-term tragedy at New Vrindavana, which took place while Kirtanananda was still the leader there. In the Fall 1995 issue of Hare Krishna Rural Life, Vyapaka Prabhu related:

“An example of the failure to take this step [planning adequate grazing ground for herd expansion] in planning a cow protection program is the New Vrindavana community, which tried to partially finance their community through a dairy. It is reported elsewhere in the newsletter that the project now has 280 cows. However, I was always told that they were consistently milking 100 cows, and at least one year, many more. So the question begs to be asked [since a cow must produce a calf to be milked], ‘Where are all the cows? Using simple arithmetic: shouldn’t there be between 1000 and 2000 more animals?’ In a commercial enterprise it is mandatory that many young calves, especially bulls, be sold in the veal trade; and older cows be culled and slaughtered when their milk production drops and a younger animal proves more profitable. But according to reports, which have reached HKRL, this was not done at New Vrindavana. Instead, according to devotees who lived there, the animals (generally calves) were left outside in the winter to die an ignoble death. Starvation and freezing was to be their fate. This merciless torture was unceremoniously labeled ‘winter kill.’”

3. In about 1993 or 1994, I heard that through neglect, an ox wandered into the hay barn at Gita-nagari, fell partway through the floor-boards and was slowly electrocuted to death by the barn’s electrical system.  Also, around that time, I had my heart broken to learn that Burfi, our handsome Brown Swiss lead ox at Gita-nagari for 12 years- who had even pulled a cart in front of the White House- was left for a number of days to die in a mud hole in the freezing winter weather.
4. About 1992 or 1993, I learned that the San Diego Temple held a Govardhana Puja celebration. They borrowed a bull calf from a farm for the purpose of the festivities. After the celebration, they returned the calf to the farmer- and thus to its ultimate slaughter.
5. In 1996, on the COW conference, Hari Kirtan reported that devotees at Radhadesh in Belgium: “In order to have the grassland maintained, they rent most of it out to a karmi, who lets his beef graze on it.”

Six months later, Radhadesh’s GBC, Suhotra Swami, posted the following comment to the COW conference, pointing out that as GBC, he was not involved with policies involving cow protection at Radhadesh:

“I would just like to say here that during the previous Mayapura gathering, I understood from Hridaya Chaitanya Prabhu that the policy you are concerned about would be changed. Why it has been reversed again, I can only surmise from these communications. I am not a part of this decision.”

6. In 1996, I learned that devotees at Saranagati Farm in Canada were accepting a $11,000 per year tax exemption in return for grazing beef cattle for slaughter on their land. What is a horror to me and to just a few other devotees, who own stock in Saranagati, is that each year the Saranagati Corporation provides a letter to the owner of the cows for his signature. This letter states that Saranagati land is used for cattle grazing for his cows. With this letter Saranagati is able to file tax returns on grazing land or farm property, thereby reducing our property taxes from an estimated $11,000 per year to under $500. This is formally called our Farm Status. From my viewpoint, Saranagati has been directly receiving profit from the slaughter of cows since its founding in 1987. My viewpoint is not shared by the majority of old timers at the farm, who are also voting Directors, for a variety of twisted and well thought out excuses. Saranagati has two swamis living there, Jagadisha Maharaja, and Dudhidhara, Maharaja, who is a voting Director, and they have never been up in arms and demanded a stop to this practice, to my knowledge.
7. Also, in 1996 I learned that Murari Sevaka had ‘traded’ two unruly oxen for cows- thus sending the bulls to their ultimate slaughter. One resident described witnessing an exchange that took place when a woman, who took care of the cows, asked the GBC to approve the trade as he was leaving the farm to catch a plane. The resident stated that the GBC consented, commenting, “Alright, go ahead with it- a soul for a soul!” When subsequently questioned about the event, the GBC had a different memory of the hurried exchange. Apparently, there was never any written report of the event.
8. In September 1997, on the COW conference, Mahavishnu Swami (not the GBC for Italy), relayed a description of the treatment of cows at Villa Vrindavan [Sept 23, 1997]: “Late last year one old bull, a veteran of Padayatra had died in Villa Vrindavan evidently suffering unnecessarily, and others were in bad shape. There were about 50 cows, which could be barely maintained properly. Because of lack of manpower and Lakshmi, they never got any exercise and the chains had eaten into their skins over the years.” The local GBC had no knowledge of the problem.
9. By November 1997, members of the COW conference were hearing of problems in Mayapura:

From Balabhadra das & Chaya dasi, USA to Dayaram das (JPS), Mayapura [COM: Nov 2, 1997, 08:11 EST, Text 877408]:

“Thank you for coming to New Vrindavana and spending time with us to discuss the cow situation in Mayapura yatra and give us a better understanding of what’s happening there…

You said that there are presently 25 cows milk giving between 130-200 liters of milk daily… You said that as far as you were concerned that there was to be no more breeding on a large-scale. The herd breeding would be held at 3 to 5 new animals per year and that the herd size of 155 was at the ceiling for your yatra to manage… You said that because in the recent past when there were between 15-20 deaths at the Goshala that you have taken personal interest as you felt responsible for those deaths because of lack of proper follow up and monitoring of the new personnel (who have been removed) in charge of the Goshala…

Breeding has to be controlled! Practical planning and management has to become first and foremost concern! Without practical responsible management you will always be overwhelmed with problems! Manage things with intelligence and not sentiment. Will those who are opposed to controlled breeding take a vow at the Lotus Feet of the Deities that all animals bred by uncontrolled breeding be [unreadable] supported by their efforts? This means:

Will they grow their feed?

Will they provide storage facilities for the feed, with facility for grain grinding etc?

Will they maintain the upkeep of the Goshala buildings?

Will they check the animals on a daily basis and see how their health is and that their living conditions are clean and safe?

Will they come daily and feed their dependents?

Will they milk them?

Will they train the oxen to work and be productive????”

Hari Sauri commented on the situation [COM, Jan 7, 1998, 21:09 +0530, Text 1014617]:

“It is a fact that due to gross mismanagement about 16 calves died within about 6 weeks during the summer. Dayaram Prabhu, the Mayapura CEO, who had taken personal responsibility for correcting earlier problems in the Goshala, admitted that the new man he put in charge was inexperienced and also not carefully monitored. The result was that the new calves were badly neglected by not being given sufficient mother’s milk in the first ten days. As a result quite a few died.”

10. In March, 1998, the COW conference posted the following letter from Radha Krishna das (ACBSP):

“Before I left for India I had a report from Daiva Dina Dayal in Inis Rath, Ireland. He told me the cows were sick and he wanted to see to them. On my last two days or so he arrived in India and gave me more details. He said these animals needed attention to:

lice

ringworm

lack of foot-trimming causing lameness

arthritis due to lying on cold damp concrete and overweight problems because these animals survive on much poorer pasture than where they are at present and have been allowed unrestricted grazing.

He had left one boy there in charge for the time being, but his recommendation was that if the temple does not want to allocate a permanent person or persons to look after the cows properly they should give them to another temple. What do you think the next move should be?

In April, Pragosh Prabhu (SDG) responded to the complaints, “I have been part of the Irish yatra for the last 15 years and want to make two points regarding the cow program on Inis Rath.

1. None of the present devotees at Inis Rath had anything to do with the initiation of the cow program there. They have simply inherited it from the previous management.
2. Over the last few years, as Manu Prabhu mentioned, a considerable amount of effort and Lakshmi has gone into improving the conditions there for the cows. New yard and Goshala etc. Such things cost a lot of Lakshmi; real and genuine blood, sweat and tears are sacrificed in the endeavor to get that Lakshmi together.

Finally, I would just like to say that whatever problems may or may not be prevalent at Inis Rath, that they pale into insignificance when compared to the problems regarding the cows at Mayapura, Murari Sevaka, and New Vrindavana among others.”

Two points to note about Pragosh Prabhu’s entry:

1. Implication that most problems at Inis Rath were due to previous poor management,
2. and the fact that as early as April, 1998, Murari Sevak was already regarded as a trouble spot for cow protection by authorities such as himself.
11. In early March of 1999 we heard commentary from Shyamasundara Prabhu, a head cowherd at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, expressing grave concerns about cow protection at the Mayapura and Vrindavan Goshalas:

“As an observer visiting both Goshalas this year my initial impression is that in both places there are a number of cows which seem well looked after. There are arrangements that the dung is moved daily and in Mayapura the floor is washed twice daily. Plenty of chopped straw and grasses are supplied to the tethered cows. The Goshala buildings appear somewhat rundown and this is polarized because in both cases there are significant new, prosperous buildings being erected in the vicinity. Looking a little further, a cow-related person will notice some shortcomings and ask, “Where are all the bulls and oxen? Where are the pasturing grounds and fields cultivated by Goshala oxen?” The answers to these questions are unpalatable. It points at a management system that has systematically sent cows and bulls away for perhaps decades. Perhaps every year for the past 10-15 years, 50 cows from Vrindavan and 40 cows from Mayapura have been sold or donated to local farmers and families. The problem I fear is that this management system cannot guarantee a full life for the cows and bulls. My thoughts are that a significant number of these ‘protected animals’ have been slaughtered. One major problem is that nobody can trace all these animals and confirm or deny the worst. As the members of the cow conference know only too well, breeding cows is an extremely serious and essential necessity and requires complete dedication and support of men, money and land. The full impact of breeding policies has to be calculated over twenty years. This has clearly not been done in these two Goshalas. Fundamentally there has been no energy going into the acquirement of land, neither the proper utilization of the oxen…

Srila Prabhupada has warned, ‘If you don’t work the oxen you will think about killing them’. This is what has happened indirectly in the two flagships of ISKCON Goshalas. Srila Prabhupada wanted, ‘Our cow protection program in India should be the exemplary standard for the whole world.’ Sadly these two Goshalas are not giving any leadership at this time. Mayapura Goshala is breeding about 30-40 cows each year. They should then have around 540-720 animals (based on an 18 year lifespan). They have 145. The missing cows have either been lost by neglect or deliberately sent away (especially the oxen) to local people. Thus there are 400-570 cows unaccounted for in the Mayapura Goshala. They currently have about 10 bulls and oxen. From these they have one ox team. They are embarrassed they have no working oxen. The land is cultivated by petrol rotovators and tractors. The internal transportation is done by tractors and motorized trailers. The management decisions have created unemployment for the oxen. There has been no thinking to date of how to make Mayapura dependant on the ox.
Vrindavan Goshala is breeding between 40-50 cows each year, thus they should have a herd of 720-900 cows and oxen. They have 198. There are then 520-700 cows unaccounted for. Uttar Pradesh exports beef. Vrindavan Goshala has 5 bulls and 4 oxen. There are 7 acres of land, of which about 3 is pasture. How has it been possible that these two flagship Goshalas have been so sidelined to the realm of embarrassment to the cow protection cause? They are showing a standard at the other end of the spectrum to which Srila Prabhupada wanted. Why haven’t there been hundreds of acres of land purchased for the welfare of the cows and bulls in both Mayapura and Vrindavan? Mayapura should have no less than 700 acres of land just for grazing, what to speak of agricultural land to engage the oxen. Vrindavan should have 900 acres of pastureland and at least the same again for agriculture. Who can address this serious area of concern? Who can champion the land requirements for the cows? There must be a serious approach to the purchase of the land required for these two Goshalas. The land requirements for the growing Mayapura city are great and the cows play a central role in the world model. The land requirements for the cows and oxen must be placed firmly in the forefront of any discussions regarding Vrindavan and Mayapura. Some thoughts, from an observer. Yours in the service of the cows, Shyamasundara dasa, pilgrimage to India spring 1999.”

Shyamasundara Prabhu’s commentary was rebuffed by Mahaman Prabhu, temple president of Krishna Balaram Mandir.
Mar 18, 1999 from Mahaman (ACBS)

In response to this email from Prithu Prabhu,
“Please let me have some feedback in this issue.
ys
pda”,
Mahaman Prabhu wrote:

“Dear Prithu Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. It is not true that our cows are being slaughtered!!!! We have learnt at least that much by being in this movement!!! Since I assumed president ship of Vrindavan, 10 bulls were sent to ISKCON’s farm in Chandrapur, where they are engaged in farm work. However, in 1997 the management of the Goshala was transferred to H.H.B.B. Govinda Swami, who appointed Ganapati Prabhu to manage the Goshala. So, 50 cows and bulls were transferred during 1997-98 to a well-managed Goshala in Kanpur. This Goshala is maintained by persons who are very much devoted to cow protection and there is no danger whatsoever that the cows and bulls transferred there be neglected or mistreated. In any case, since B.B. Govinda Swami directly assumed responsibility for the Goshala, he would be in a better position to clarify this matter. Please note that in any case we do not sell any cows or bulls, but only give them to persons, in whom we have a high degree of trust that they will not mistreat them. The present management team is very much committed to protecting the cows and the bulls, and we are making many schemes for their protection, including trying to purchase more land for the cows. Presently, the Goshala in Vrindavan is flourishing and well supported. It was false that cows are neglected in Vrindavan. Rather the temple subsidizes the Goshala to the tune of Rs. 40,000 per month. Gomata ki jaya!
Thanking you,
Your Servant, [Mahaman]

At this point, ISCOWP presented some previous correspondence with Panchagauda Prabhu in Vrindavan, including allegations of cow abuse at Vrindavan which they had received from another source:

“Dear Panchagauda Prabhu, PAMHO. AGTSP.

In the last year we have received reports from various devotees that cows from the Vrindavan Goshala are being sold and/or given to those who cannot be relied upon to protect them. It is not until we received this letter have we chosen to write you as we personally know the source and there are claims of persons who can verify the information. Obviously we have not given their names herewith to protect them at this time. We remember how you were very concerned about our oxen in North Carolina and now that you are the vice president of Vrindavan we felt you would be the most likely person to write. The great concern is that the Vrindavan Goshala continues to breed when there is not enough land, so little land that the cows are not grazing. This puts the pressure of too many cows and therefore the rationale to get rid of them. The breeding seems to be because of the desire for milk. We are not in the milk producing business, i.e. commercial dairy, but in the cow protection business… Please find the following letter. I am looking forward to your early response.
Your servant,
Balabhadra das,
ISKCON Minister for Cow Protection and Agriculture”        

“Dear Balabhadra and Chaya devi Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I have just returned from Vrindavan and I inquired about the selling of bulls to the Muslims. Nobody recalls that that directly took place but admit that indirectly that must have been the result of selling or donating bulls to local farmers, when they no longer had any use for them. This was a general practice before Kadamba Kanana was temple president, when Keshi Daman was in charge of the Goshala. Kadamba Kanana did not allow animals to go out. I asked Keshi Daman, whom I happened to meet in the Goshala, and he denied selling bulls to the locals, and someone else of good repute said he did sell to Muslims. Anyway the end result is there. This is all about ten years, ago, but there is a recent event, which is a great shame to Vrindavan Goshala and to the Society. Some say it took place a year ago and others, six months ago. There is someone reliable who can provide all the names of the people, of the animals and all necessary proof that 30 calves, at least 1 good bull and 6 cows with their calves, who were giving less milk, were donated to the temple chowkidars by Ganapati, (the Vrindavan Guest house in-charge, who is authorized by Bhakti Brindavan Govinda Maharaj -formerly Ayodhyapati who is famous re: ‘Food for Life’ program.)
These chowkidars have their land and village in Bihar, a long way from Vrindavan and (the same informant cited above) saw the cows being beaten and shoved into a truck… they didn’t want to go. The chowkidars are likely to be meat eaters… not cow of course, but not the kind of people to care much for cow protection. And furthermore one good bull which was sent away, had previously some years back been given to a man in Kosi, which is still in Braj, but far from Vrindavan, I’m not sure how far exactly, and he had broken his chain there and run all the way back to Vrindavan in the night and in the morning he was at the Goshala gates.
Prabhu, this is too much: that again they sent this bull away to Bihar from where he cannot come back! Please do investigate this cow abuse at Vrindavan Goshala and please do ask them to bring some animals back at least, or again and again they will do this. It is also said Nandanandan, who lives at the Goshala and carries out orders of the others, also pushes out animals quietly for Rs. 500 bribe. The present Goshala in charge is Prem Kishore Prabhu and all this happened before he came to Vrindavan. He was formerly Kashiram das, and Prem Kishore is his sannyas name, and now he is grihasta. He is very good and will not let any animals go from the Goshala and he is doing his best to care for the cows, but with great difficulty. I asked him to bring back those animals, but he dare not even say anything to Ganapati, and all are afraid of the chowkidars. Then what? Again this will go on. It is not cow protection at all there. It is like a commercial dairy… there is great pressure to supply milk, milk, milk and get profit! Although he knows Indian breeds should be kept, Prem Kishore has purchased 2 Holsteins for the Goshala who give 18 litres a day, as milk is required and as a result of inbreeding the herd was not doing well, and he wasn’t able to purchase a good Indian cow. But this expediency will not help, and these Holstein calves will pose a problem economically and cross breeding would be a mistake. There will be problems for sure. He says he will keep the bull calves. But they don’t have any grazing land there. I pledged one lakh rupees towards land if I can be sure they will buy it.
Prem Kishore wants to get on the cow conference so I’m sending him some money for the modem. Then you will really be able to help him as required. If you write to Vrindavan, send it registered. Mail is not getting there. Gopal Krishna Maharaj is GBC all these years and is ultimately responsible, but doesn’t want to get involved. I remember once running into him at the Guruvayor Temple in South India, where he was planning to buy an elephant for Krishna Balarama Mandir. He never did, thank goodness, but he should see that the poor cows are protected there, and that they have enough land to graze on. Devotees are spending fortunes on their own homes in Vrindavan. If they want to drink milk they should share in providing for the cows and bulls and calves.”

On Jan 25, 1999, Panchagauda further commented:

“We are being very strict now and are not moving any cows or bulls out of Vrindavan. I can understand everyone’s concern, but that decision was made by the Goshala-in-charge at the time, but now we have several persons overseeing the Goshala… At present we have 191 cows, bulls and calves, 40 of which are milking: 5 full grown bulls, 4 oxen, 45 dry cows, 35 calves-male, 42 females calves & 20 retired old cows. Prem Kishore is now the head of the Goshala, he has done a wonderful job renovating, tagging all the animals and hiring responsible workers to care for all of the cows’ needs. As far as Nandanandan is concerned, he is also a very nice devotee and has been serving in Vrindavan for a very long time. I have never heard of him doing any dishonest activities, such as giving away animals for a so-called Rs. 500 bribe.”

After a further exchange with Balabhadra Prabhu, Panchagauda forwarded a report from Prem Kishore Prabhu:

“Dear Balabhadra Prabhu,

I forwarded your letter to Prem Kishore Prabhu, and he just gave me a response. Here it is: Our overhead is roughly $3,500 per month and income is approximately $2,700 per month leaving a deficit of $800 per month. So we have enacted the following program to make up the difference…We have inherited a situation which we have little to do with: meaning we have 197 cows, calves etc, 7 acres of land, and fixed overhead. So we are trying to do the best we can, under the given circumstances… We have discussed about 6 months ago with the temple president about forming a trust fund for cows. He agreed, so we have spoken to a lawyer about how to establish it properly, but things progress slowly here in India, so patience is required, but our objective is clear… Previous to my taking charge of the Goshala, there was no categorization of our herd according to breed and no control of reproduction of the animals in our herd. So now all the animals are tagged and named, and a separate file is being kept on each of the other members of our herd, which will include:

their breed

their age

data of mother, father and number of children

and medical history.

Same for cows, bulls and oxen…

Yours sincerely
Prem Kishore Das.”

Without a doubt, a number of these faults have been corrected, but is that enough? Or are we just trying to sweep our mistakes of the past under the carpet to save our reputation? But who are we fooling? If ISKCON were serious about cow protection, the GBC would stay informed about cow protection in their zones. ISKCON would have funded the Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture so it could travel to help farms maintain proper standards, and appoint and fund agents to investigate complaints. But instead, the Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture (which is unfunded) informs us that the GBC has not filed the past two quarterly cow protections reports required by ISKCON law 507.

From Janesvara Das (ACBSP):

“Obviously this is not a sick joke. At first I thought I was reading the list incorrectly [Balabhadra’s Nov. 2 post: Cow/Ag reports due] that these were the places from which reports WERE received. But, no, the list is of those places [54 ISKCON farm communities] and GBCs from whom you have NOT received reports as required by ISKCON corporate by-laws… Could you give us a list of those who HAVE complied with the laws? Are there ever any acts of contrition from these so-called leaders? They may be devotees, but they are certainly not leaders… Hare Krishna dasi got on my case, respectfully, about doubting where this reporting would take place when I stated my doubts back in June of this year. I relented and decided to give her time to convince me. The GBC is really not very convincing in their care about one of our very most important Krishna-citizens, the cows.”

So, my dear Sons on the GBC, I stood up for you in June. I said that you would come through. I said that you would meet with the cowherds and inspect the cows’ facilities - as you are required to do according to ISKCON law. Now you have made a fool of me. You let the deadlines for 2 reports slide by as you attended to business more important than cow protection, and as you talked with people more important than farmers. Meanwhile, the cows are drifting toward further tragedies. Will you continue to turn your back on Krishna’s cowherds? Will there be any public acts of contrition for all this abuse? Or will you continue your mantra: “I’m not responsible. I knew nothing.”

Your servant,
Hare Krishna dasi

“Without a proper arrangement for developing brahminical culture and protecting cows, all the affairs of administration will go to hell.”

- Srimad Bhagavatam 7.3.13

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