ISKCON-Bangalore was registered under Karnataka Societies Registration Act at Bangalore in
May 1978 as a legally independent society with objectives similar to the objectives of the first society,
International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Inc. that Srila Prabhupada founded personally in
1966 at New York. Since then, ISKCON-Bangalore society is functioning in Bangalore as a
member of the worldwide confederation of ISKCON temples.
ISKCON-Bangalore was registered by Shankabrit Dasa under the direction of Hamsadutta Swami,
the then member of the original Governing Body Commission appointed by Srila Prabhupada, who
was in charge of Bangalore.
In the year 2001, several hundreds of fanatic disciples of the self-proclaimed 'gurus' made a vain
attempt to physically storm Bangalore temple and throw out the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore
and take illegal possession of the temple property. In defense of this ISKCON-Bangalore was
obliged to file a suit being OS No.7934/01 seeking an order of injunction restraining ISKCON Bombay
Society and others from interfering with our possession of the temple property. The Trial
Court did not grant the injunction, but an appeal filed before the Hon’ble High Court granted the
injunction sought for. The said order was confirmed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The matter is
pending adjudication.
When the matter stands thus, absurd propaganda is being made by the agents of the self-proclaimed
'gurus' that Madhu Pandit Dasa 'created' the ISKCON-Bangalore society to grab the property of the
temple on Hare Krishna Hill. This misinformation is indeed entirely false, baseless and ridiculous
since Madhu Pandit Dasa joined ISKCON movement only in 1981, whereas the ISKCON-Bangalore
society was registered as early as 1978.
It was the direction of Srila Prabhupada to register legally independent societies in the name and
style of nternational Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) all over the world. In Dec.
1972, Srila Prabhupada wrote to one of his senior disciples, “Never mind there may be botheration
to register each centre, take tax certificate each, become separate corporations in each state.” (Srila
Prabhupada's letter to Karandhara Das, Bombay, 22nd Dec 1972). Accordingly, today, there are
hundreds of ISKCON societies incorporated all over the world. It was on the basis of this worldwide
practice, that the then GBC member in charge of Karnataka, Hamsaduta Swami, directed
Shankabrit Dasa to register the ISKCON-Bangalore society in Bangalore. |