[PADA: We would like to have this story verified and / or explained, if possible. Please send relevant info to: angel108b@yahoo.com]
Predatory behaviour at the Alachua temple
To:Krishna das
Dec 31, 2018 at 6:12 PM
Speaking of Sexual predators ... just the day before yesterday (Dec. 29th, 2018), my wife informed me that one friend of ours, who was initiated by Bhakti Vikas Swami just a couple months ago, was molested in the pujari room at the Iskcon temple in Alachua Florida.
I was informed that she was considering leaving the temple because of it. My immediate reaction was, why is she leaving? Isn't she the victim? My wife then told me that this young lady was feeling awkward and uncomfortable staying and was making plans to leave for the New Dwarka temple.
Not knowing much about the situation, I thought, if that is what she wants to do, perhaps if will be best for her, although at the time, I did think it was a raw deal. Here she is, the one who was attacked and she the one who feels the need to leave her service, how sad is that? I could empathize with her situation and mostly forgot about it ... until today.
Today I have learned more of the specifics of the situation and it is truly remarkable how Iskcon leaders repeatedly, and without fail, purposefully protect members who are sexual predators and malign the members who are the victims.
I have subsequently learned a bit more of what transpired that evening in the pujari room. She reportedly was attacked as she was doing her regular service behind the altar at the Alachua temple at about 9 p.m. Keshava das, a married man in his 50's, approached her from behind and put his hand on her bare waist, then touched her shoulder and finally her face. She ran out of the temple and he followed her. After catching up with her, he expressed feelings of friendship and asked to hug her...
yeah right! I just want to be your friend...says the lusty pervert.
I have no knowledge of what happened immediately after he tried to hug her, I can only imagine that she continued to try to avoid him.
Later, we are told she reported the attack to Mukya, the temple president. Mukya instructed her not to tell anyone about the attack because it would be an offence. Hmm...Where have we all heard that before? I can't believe in this day and age, with all of the scandals that Iskcon has been through with all of their tainted history, that a temple president would give the victim of a sexual abuse such bad advice. Offence to whom? Keshava? his wife? Bhakti Vikas Swami? for the life of me I cannot think of anyone who would be offended, or have a right to be offended, with the exception of our friend.
As it turns out, this temple commander has at least 4 other victims who have lodged complaints of sexual impropriety in the past at the temple. Shocking to say the least. How many others are there who have not come forward? The question we really must ask is, why is Mukya protecting a known sexual predator? The answer may be as simple as, she sees him as more of an asset than a liability.
We have come to learn that Mukya's decision to protect this pervert may be in part due to his being a very active member of her temple. Apparently he's one of the few who goes out on Harinam regularly and also is a big collector of money.
So , just when you think after 40+ years of lies and deception, that it couldn't get any worse... another scandal rears it's ugly head. But really, this scandal is small potatoes compared with most of what we have all been through since Srila Prabhupada left, but I still continue to be amazed by the leaderships bungling ways to preserve their status quo.
When I first heard about this , I was under the impression that this young devotee woman wanted to avoid the whole situation by leaving the temple entirely, now we are I hearing that she is freely reporting this event to many devotees at the Alachua temple, so that is good, because as a victim, in what may be a long line of victims, this transgression needs to see the light of day and not be a hidden secret in Mukyas closet.
So let us summarize , we have a known sexual predator acting in a position of authority at the Alachua temple, check! Harassing and molesting women on a regular basis, check! Protected by the leaders at Alachua Iskcon ostensibly because he's a good temple commander, good collector etc. etc... check! Yep... that's sounds about right, next!
Predatory behaviour at the Alachua temple
To:Krishna das
Dec 31, 2018 at 6:12 PM
Speaking of Sexual predators ... just the day before yesterday (Dec. 29th, 2018), my wife informed me that one friend of ours, who was initiated by Bhakti Vikas Swami just a couple months ago, was molested in the pujari room at the Iskcon temple in Alachua Florida.
I was informed that she was considering leaving the temple because of it. My immediate reaction was, why is she leaving? Isn't she the victim? My wife then told me that this young lady was feeling awkward and uncomfortable staying and was making plans to leave for the New Dwarka temple.
Not knowing much about the situation, I thought, if that is what she wants to do, perhaps if will be best for her, although at the time, I did think it was a raw deal. Here she is, the one who was attacked and she the one who feels the need to leave her service, how sad is that? I could empathize with her situation and mostly forgot about it ... until today.
Today I have learned more of the specifics of the situation and it is truly remarkable how Iskcon leaders repeatedly, and without fail, purposefully protect members who are sexual predators and malign the members who are the victims.
I have subsequently learned a bit more of what transpired that evening in the pujari room. She reportedly was attacked as she was doing her regular service behind the altar at the Alachua temple at about 9 p.m. Keshava das, a married man in his 50's, approached her from behind and put his hand on her bare waist, then touched her shoulder and finally her face. She ran out of the temple and he followed her. After catching up with her, he expressed feelings of friendship and asked to hug her...
yeah right! I just want to be your friend...says the lusty pervert.
I have no knowledge of what happened immediately after he tried to hug her, I can only imagine that she continued to try to avoid him.
Later, we are told she reported the attack to Mukya, the temple president. Mukya instructed her not to tell anyone about the attack because it would be an offence. Hmm...Where have we all heard that before? I can't believe in this day and age, with all of the scandals that Iskcon has been through with all of their tainted history, that a temple president would give the victim of a sexual abuse such bad advice. Offence to whom? Keshava? his wife? Bhakti Vikas Swami? for the life of me I cannot think of anyone who would be offended, or have a right to be offended, with the exception of our friend.
As it turns out, this temple commander has at least 4 other victims who have lodged complaints of sexual impropriety in the past at the temple. Shocking to say the least. How many others are there who have not come forward? The question we really must ask is, why is Mukya protecting a known sexual predator? The answer may be as simple as, she sees him as more of an asset than a liability.
We have come to learn that Mukya's decision to protect this pervert may be in part due to his being a very active member of her temple. Apparently he's one of the few who goes out on Harinam regularly and also is a big collector of money.
So , just when you think after 40+ years of lies and deception, that it couldn't get any worse... another scandal rears it's ugly head. But really, this scandal is small potatoes compared with most of what we have all been through since Srila Prabhupada left, but I still continue to be amazed by the leaderships bungling ways to preserve their status quo.
When I first heard about this , I was under the impression that this young devotee woman wanted to avoid the whole situation by leaving the temple entirely, now we are I hearing that she is freely reporting this event to many devotees at the Alachua temple, so that is good, because as a victim, in what may be a long line of victims, this transgression needs to see the light of day and not be a hidden secret in Mukyas closet.
So let us summarize , we have a known sexual predator acting in a position of authority at the Alachua temple, check! Harassing and molesting women on a regular basis, check! Protected by the leaders at Alachua Iskcon ostensibly because he's a good temple commander, good collector etc. etc... check! Yep... that's sounds about right, next!
[PADA: Its appears to be another example of Bhakti Vikas swami et al. turning a blind eye to the problems going on in the society, while he is too busy getting worshiped in a big seat in the mainly Christian town of Salem India. Of course Alachua ISKCON temple is also the place where little children are being taught that God's messiahs and successor gurus are often debauchees, is it not? Is that not an attack on children, to morally corrupt them, never mind corrupting adults and others?
What kind of religion teaches their children that:
(A) The guru is like Jesus and is a resident of God's planet (Krishna loka) -- therefore --
(B) The guru is often fallen and "engaged in illicit sex with men, women and children."
(C) And why have these people not been reported to the Florida child welfare department? Is this part of the "ISKCON articles of incorporation" in Florida? That we will teach little children that God's successor gurus are often debauchees, poking everyone in the house except maybe, the family goat?
If the gurus and messiahs coming direct from God in heaven are "engaged in illicit sex with men, women and children" as the GBC and / or Alachua spokesman Jayadvaita swami have been saying all along basically since 1978, then -- won't that disease manifest practically and then spread all over the society?
And Hanuman Croatia wants us to surrender to Bhakti Vikas swami, who is allowing / at least not protesting significantly since 1978 / these things to be going on left, right and center in ISKCON, even with his own disciples? And BVKS is another member of the society to corrupt the morals of minors by preaching to them that God's successors are often debauchees?
ys pd]
What kind of religion teaches their children that:
(A) The guru is like Jesus and is a resident of God's planet (Krishna loka) -- therefore --
(B) The guru is often fallen and "engaged in illicit sex with men, women and children."
(C) And why have these people not been reported to the Florida child welfare department? Is this part of the "ISKCON articles of incorporation" in Florida? That we will teach little children that God's successor gurus are often debauchees, poking everyone in the house except maybe, the family goat?
If the gurus and messiahs coming direct from God in heaven are "engaged in illicit sex with men, women and children" as the GBC and / or Alachua spokesman Jayadvaita swami have been saying all along basically since 1978, then -- won't that disease manifest practically and then spread all over the society?
And Hanuman Croatia wants us to surrender to Bhakti Vikas swami, who is allowing / at least not protesting significantly since 1978 / these things to be going on left, right and center in ISKCON, even with his own disciples? And BVKS is another member of the society to corrupt the morals of minors by preaching to them that God's successors are often debauchees?
ys pd]
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