Indraduymna Swami's Non-Apology Apology (RE: ISKCON Mayapur)

PADA: A mother wrote to PADA to explain that Indradyumna kept putting his hand on her daughter's arm and she kept pushing his hand away, and he kept returning it. We may also recall that after PADA exposed Indradyumna's "photos of little girls in bikinis" photo album, it was removed from the internet. (I did not post any of those bikini photos, but I am told someone saved them somewhere). OK we are being banned, beaten, sued, exiled and removed, if not killed, for exposing the molesting, but these guys "did not see any red flags."

angel108b@yahoo.com 

A STATEMENT BY INDRADYUMNA SWAMI

My Statement Regarding Anirdesya Vapu Dasa
(formerly Bhaktividya Purna Swami )

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Acknowledging my position as a leader in the International Society for Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON), I would like to address a critical issue that has surfaced in our movement regarding the deviant and abusive behavior of Anirdesya Vapu Dasa, formerly known as Bhaktividya Purna Swami.

[PADA: This issue was already surfacing at least as early as 1984, this has been covered up for decades.]

To begin with, I categorically denounce his predatory abuse of children within our organization, as well as the disgraceful illicit relationship he had with a female member in our society. 

[PADA: But when the CPO said he could not initiate, you were doing ritvik initiations on his behalf so he could keep making disciples, and you were laughing and joking about how you circumvented the GBC rules.]

I am shocked by his lack of remorse for these degraded actions. I fully support the present GBC and CPO restrictions against him.

In my own association with Anirdesya Vapu over the years, he never revealed his dark secrets to me. Nor did I see any red flags. Unfortunately, deviant people can be expert at hiding their sinful activities even from their friends, spouses and loved ones. With all the honesty at my command, I can say I was also unaware of Anirdesya Vapu’s recent degraded actions until the CPO and GBC started to investigate them. Had I known, I certainly would have informed ISKCON leaders and secular authorities.

[PADA: But you are his ritvik priest. And that means you knew he was being restricted and you over rode those restrictions.]

As far as his abuse of children in the Mayapur Gurukula in the 1980s and 90s is concerned, I was unaware of the specifics. I simply accepted the conclusion of the GBC that he was guilty of misbehavior, that he had been restricted in dealings with the schools, and that he was not allowed to initiate. In retrospect, I feel the GBC could have gone further to make public his digressions and could have taken more decisive action. To keep this from happening again, the GBC needs to put a system in place so that CPO rulings and restrictions are widely publicized to every temple and leader in the world.

[PADA: The GBC is world wide famous for covering up deviations, and banning, beating, suing and killing people who expose their deviations. In addition, you guys are gurus, which means you should be doing things independent of the GBC and exposing crimes yourself. A guru does not wait for some dodgy managerial body to announce the real truth.]

I have read sentiments expressed by others that mercy should be shown to fallen devotees. While that is true generally, Anirdesya Vapu’s crimes are exceptionally horrific cases of ongoing predatory abuse of children. When hearing of a case of child abuse in the 1970s, Srila Prabhupada responded by saying that the perpetrators should be punished. 

So, along with the GBC and CPO’s newest restrictions on him, I feel he should also be dealt with to the full extent of secular law enforcement. Meanwhile, ISKCON’s leaders, including me, must now focus our full attention on helping the abused with the suffering and trauma they continue to struggle with, as well as helping to strengthen and support ISKCON’s Child Protection Office.

This is one reason I went to Mayapur two weeks ago: to give time to some of the former students who remain traumatized by their experiences in the schools in which Anirdesya Vapu was unfortunately involved. I promised them that I will continue to support them spiritually and financially.

Before closing, I want to apologize for the ways in which I unknowingly and unwittingly contributed to endorsing someone who harmed children. I vow to do better, including by getting more educated about these matters. With all my heart I pledge to help make ISKCON a safer and more secure place for our children now and in the future.

Your servant,

Indradyumna Swami

Whooooaaaah pilgrims. 

===================

Dear Devotees -

I was undecided whether or not to share this publicly - but feel transparency is necessary.

Dear Indradyumna swami

In light of our previous conversations. I find these two paragraphs to be problematic. "In my own association with Anirdesya Vapu over the years, he never revealed his dark secrets to me. Nor did I see any red flags. ......."

"Before closing, I want to apologize for the ways in which I unknowingly and unwittingly contributed ...."

My impression of you at this point is that you seem to be knowingly and willingly blind - that is to say that I believe you deliberately dont look. Perhaps to look is messy, uncomfortable and time consuming. If you are guilty of a crime I think that is it. You said as much to me directly and indirectly, and in doing so participated in the ongoing dismissal of the concerns and needs of the youth and former your affected by an upbringing in this movement.

"My policy is to blanket support....."

I suppose you knew Bhakti Vidya purna and thus deemed him above reproach - I wonder how many people you dismissed who may have tried to bring both his past and the ludicrousness of his present ie a sanyasis spending his time teaching and surrounding himself in a cloistered space with many many young girls and women, to your attention.

"No red flags" - is an incredibly alarming statement. A sanyasi teaching girls in a girls cloister is a red flag in of itself, and many people voiced concerns about this.
My sister exploded at you for glorifying Sri Radhe - she boldly let you know that the school was a hotbed of abuse and that you shouldnt support it. She was promptly dismissed by you then.

You close your letter by saying that you are committed to helping - but are you actually open to listen and hear uncomfortable critiques of your behavior or the behavior of those near and dear to you? Will you do that with out gaurding yourself or them?

Lastly I have to air my last concern which is your example - you are constantly seen to be surrounded by young girls yourself - and anyone observing you will notice that you give them special attention - starting when they are really young. While I am not accusing you of any indiscretion - your example is problematic twofold.

First - it desensitizes the society of devotees - to close personal contact and association of sanyasis with young girls and it desensitizes children to close contact with sanyasis. Secondly -Your example will be followed and it will be followed by predatory people - it was followed by a predatory person.

And both parents and children will be desensitized.

As someone who genuinely cares about you and your ultimate well being -and who certainly would like to accept that you mean the best in all your actions I humbly ask that you very seriously reflect on the precedent that you set - and your policy regarding listening to the concerns braught to you by the average devotee or disciple.

Sanaka Rsi - openly attacked you. Did you ever reach out to him personally to discuss his concerns - as a person extremely versed in the history of child abuse in Iskcon both personally and academically? Or did you write him off as "Ranting and Raving"?

I realize that this is a very serious situation, and while I poke at words you've said to me - I do so specifically because they are precisely indicative of exactly how you find yourself seated where you are right now. Lastly your condemnation does not go far enough. This is not simply a BVP problem - this is a very serious systemic ISKCON-wide managerial problem.

There was tremendous Sytem failure. Mayapur failed. GBC failed. CPO failed.
The history of abuse in Mayapur goes back as far as there is an Iskcon Mayapur, and BVP is connected to most of it - and the abuse runs to the current day. How is that possible? 

The whole structure and all involved should have been flagged and denounced by you. You should be calling for an absolute overhaul and a top to bottom restructuring. All schools in india should have an immediate audit - to make sure there aren't anymore glaring cases standing out in the open - that have been missed by collusion or ineptitude.

If you are genuine in you statement - I request you to immediately call for the above and make good on your pledge. I pray Sri Govinda kindly gives you the strength and courage to see my genuine intention, which is has no inflamatory purpose. Lovingly and yet resolved, N Das

2 more questions

What is your stance regarding Lokanatha Swami?

Are you fully informed about that situation, which is of great significance to Iskcon - Srila Prabhupadas reputation- to the faith of devotees in Iskcons Guru appointing "Authority" - to the precedent - to children - and specifically one girl.

Or is this a case of not looking at it.

You are in the same association. If they are dirty, you are dirty with them, ignorance is no longer an acceptable answer for Iskcon leaders. "Action in Inaction and Inaction in Action"

So I must ask you where you stand on this issue?

Respectfully waiting for your response

N Das

His response was promt,

"I have made an honest and open public statement and rest my case. Perhaps we should begin a discussion on the qualifications of a proper disciple and his or her etiquette in dealing with the spiritual preceptor."

[PADA: In other words, I am the spiritual master, do not question me. That way we can cover up more smelly stools emanating from ISKCON without being challenged.]