Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Maneka Gandhi has made a scathing attack on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). She alleged that the global religious organisation is the "biggest cheat" in the country as it sells cows from its goshalas (cow shelters) to butchers.
Gandhi, a former union minister and an animal rights activist, is vocal on social media over issues of animal welfare, is heard saying in a viral video, “ISKCON is the biggest cheat in the country. They have goshalas (cow shelters) and get benefits from the government.”
She added, “I recently went to Anantapur Goshala and there was no dry cow in the entire dairy. Not a single calf was there. It means all were sold. ISCKON is selling all its cows to the butchers. No one has sold as many cattle to butchers as they did."
The ISKCON, the most influential Krishna sect in the world, rejected the allegations as "unsubstantiated and false".
“ISKCON has been at the forefront of cow and bull protection and care not just in India but globally. The cows and bulls are served for their life not sold to butchers as alleged," spokesperson of ISKCON Yudhistir Govinda Das wrote on X (previously Twitter).
“ISKCON has pioneered cow protection in many parts of the world where beef is a staple diet. Within India, ISKCON runs more than 60 goshalas protecting hundreds of sacred cows and bulls and providing personalised care for their entire lifetime. Many of the cows presently served in ISCKON's goshalas were brought to us after being found abandoned, injured, or rescued from being slaughtered," the statement read.
The temple authority also said that ISKCON has begun training programmes for the farmers and rural households on cow care techniques to help revive the culture of cow worship.
"Gandhi is a well-known animal rights activist and well-wisher of ISKCON hence we are surprised by these statements," the statement read.
Das also shared CCTV footage of 24 September of the Anantapur goshala with the non-milking cows to defend their remark.