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Nombre de Usuario: Admin
Mensaje Número: 1190
Registrado: 12-2002
| | Enviado Martes, 01 de Agosto de 2006 - 12:20 am: |  |
Dear Maharajas and Prabhus
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am answering a series of accusations, some partially true, some total misinformation and many omissions.
First of all, I would like to commend Harinama and Narendra Prabhus for all their nice service. Devotees have told me that, for the most part, their website and internet publications are very nice, and I am happy that they can serve the vaisnavas in this way.
I am sorry that this will be a little long, but since Harinama das and Narendra das have made such a great effort to propagate this on the internet and to GBC members, it is necessary. I will be as brief as possible.
COWS
1. History: I am sure that Harinama das doesn't know many of these details, since he was serving outside Mexico at the time, and Narendra das had not joined ISKCON yet. I became GBC of Mexico in 87. On my way from Mayapur, I stopped in Hawaii, and called Mexico. I was informed that many senior devotees wanted to support Radha Krsna (then Swami) [RKD] as GBC for Mexico. I flew to Miami to discuss it with the GBC Chairman, Hridayananda das Goswami (HDG), and we made an arrangement that RKD could become GBC at the 88 meeting. So both he and I took the decision, in consultation with many senior devotees, to sell the Mexico farm (not me alone). Why? After the departure of Pancadravida Swami, most of the temple devotees left. There was no money to support the farm, which had been subsidized up to that point. There were many deities, and 10 devotees, on 600 acres. In Mexico, especially at that time, there was a law, reforma agraria, which basically allowed a squatter to occupy unused land. The TP, Premananda das, told us he was definitely leaving the farm. So we decided to sell it.
When I was Reg Sec of Mexico in 82, I told Pancadravida Swami that the farm was too big, and not the best land. I also told him that it would be best to start with 1 cow, and he brought 8. By the time we sold the farm, there were around 30 cows. I had to find a place for them, and some devotees took them, in Northern Mexico, in central Mexico, and Uddharana das. I told all of them that by accepting them, especially if they decided to reproduce them, it was their responsibility.
2. Reality.
I have many temples in my zone. I cannot visit every place in Mexico. In Orizaba, Uddharana das had a nice restaurant, and devotees would visit. Most of the devotees there are disciples of HH Govinda Maharaja (Gaudiya M). We did try to open a small center there 2 years ago, but there was not enough support or leadership to keep it going. We have a yearly festival in Veracruz, Mex, to do Harinama sankirtan on Easter weekend. I take that opportunity to visit Uddharana. I don't go to take prasadam (actually in the last years he had hired cooks) but to visit and encourage him. He identifies with ISKCON, but it is not an ISKCON project. We have done Harinamas there, and I have done many programs, but not the last 3 years owning to many other obligations.
He put the 12 original cows on a small 3 acre plot. I discussed many times about my concern that he was allowing the cows to reproduce, and he said that he could sell the yogurt and use the milk and cheese in the restaurant. For the last 3 years or so, every time I came, he said that business was going down. It was not until two years ago, that he said that things were really bad. But he didn't make a specific appeal for the cows until April of 2002. He asked me if we could do a campaign, something like "adopt a cow". I asked him to send me a proposal, and I would act on it. He never contacted ma again. Only in Oct, when some devotees showed me a long article by Harinama, etc, accusing me of not protecting the cows, did I remember Uddharana's request. I thank them for making me aware, although they could have contacted me personally. I immediately contacted Revati dd, Uddharana's wife, and made an arrangement to send some laxsmi. I began to look for an arrangement for the cows. I gave some more laxsmi, according to my means, and tried to enthuse others to do so. Unfortunately, not many did. When I returned from India in April 03, I went to Arizona, Houston and Dallas, and appealed to the congregation. I was able to collect 1,800. I asked M Revati how much we needed to transport the cows, permits, etc. I have $500 more to sustain the cows until we could move them. I spoke to everyone I knew who had land. I made an arrangement that one family in Tulancingo, Mex, would take 5 cows. It was hard to convince people, even being devotees, to take very thin and old cows and bulls. Myself and Hari-katha spoke with devotees in Queretaro, Mex, to take another 4. Then one devotee near Mexico City to take 5. Later I convince one disciple of mine to transport the cows for $600. Another one to take any cows that wer left over. All these devotees have acres of land. Then after one trip, I called Hari-katha (who was helping me make the arrangements) if the cows had been transported. He said no. This happened many times. I found out the Revati dd did not work anymore with Uddharana. He had no phone. There was a problem with the permits. Then, one devotee went to make the arrangement to pick them up, and there were no health permits. Also, we found out that Mexican law require that cows be branded, and have to be registered, before they can be transported. Uddharana refused to allow them to be branded. This has been going on for the last 6 weeks.
I never told Uddharana that I would not give any more help or laxsmi. That is an invention. I did not give anymore because I don't have it personally, nor does the temple. He has not contacted me, or made a further appeal to me, to help him in the interim time, with more laxsmi for maintenance. Maybe I should have assumed that he needed more.
From the beginning of my little campaign, I always asked Hari Katha, how is it going? What is lacking, etc. I could have done more, but I am also very busy in other areas. I called Uddharana 3 weeks ago, and asked him to allow B Roberto from Orizaba to help get the permits, if he did not have time. He said OK, but didn't ask me for more financial help.
In any case, I have just sent a devotee to Orizaba, and he will evaluate the situation, and personally stay and get the permits. I wonder why Harinama and other concerned devotees could not take a few days off, to help Uddharana with the permits, or to go around and ask others for donations, as I did. Of course, they do it by internet. But I had many devotees contact me first, asking if their appeal is real, and if the money would be safe, sending it to the account that they provided.
Harinama has implied that I am driving around in my $30,000 VW (it is a $20,000 Nissan), implying that I have so many funds, and don't use them for the cows. Of course, he never asked me, or anyone who knows, how I got it. The fact is that I have a trust fund, which only allows me to request something in my name, and no money. I have to sign an agreement that if it is sold, the remaining amount must be refunded to the trust.
We are ready to move the cows tomorrow if the permits are there, contrary to Harinama and company's implication that I never really made any arrangements for the cows.
MEXICO TEMPLE.
1. History
Unfortunately, Harinama and company do not come to the temple, so they only can hear from others. Admittedly, myself and others did not register the temple opportunely, which gave the opposition a greater chance to sue us. He mentions that the previous owner, who lived next door, was kidnapped. That is not true. There was a plan, with that same lady, and her granddaughters, who showed us legal documents that they had a case against Enrique, their nephew, who usurped the property from the aged grandmother. Some of our devotees sympathized with them, and made a plan to recover the property. A bit before that, Harinama and company lived in that building, renting space from the grandson, who is the one suing us, along with his partner. Other devotees also lived there. It was a stupid idea to involve ourselves in a family feud, and it caused many problems.
But that family has been suing us from just shortly after we purchased the temple. Harinama mentioned that the devotees collected for the rest of the money owed. Actually, I collected it by going around the US and Europe, begging donations to save the Mexico property. The family is alleged to be involved in illegal activities, and they have tried to get the property back by hook or crook.
2. Facts.
It is TOTALLY UNTRUE that the house is 99% lost. We lost the first judgment, in which we determined that there were definitely bribes. Even the judge had been accused previously of accepting bribes. But we won the appeal, which is a higher court and a more serious decision. Now they have appealed to the highest court, called an amparo, which Harinama has defined as a course of action used mostly by criminals and drug dealers. But everyone in Mexico who has any money, uses the Amparo as a last resort, or a 3rd appeal. Or course, he has repeatedly insinuated that there is something fishy, or "very unusual" in my dealings, by saying our Colombia-like dealings. Any normal person who is in litigation has closed door meetings. Our lawyer insisted that only 3 or 4 persons could be involved in the legal strategy, to the point that they didn't even tell me some things. But it has worked. I contacted another lawyer, and preached to him (and he is helping for free and a little prasadam), and he is helping. We have requested certain government contacts to help us assure that the legal process is followed, and that no more payoffs take place.
Regarding CABIN, or a government agency to help us register the temple as government property, if they can do it at this stage it is news to me. All of our lawyers have said that you must do it before you are sued. But we will definitely investigate it. Yes, we have been reluctant to turn over the property to the government. I have a friend in Monterrey, a bishop, and he told me that since the government has allowed churches to own property (from 1992), the church prefers to have them in its own name. So do most other religions. One of my disciples asked my permission to check into the possibility of offering the government 3 weeks ago, and I told him to please investigate it.
I just arrived in Mexico, and spoke to the sub-director of Asuntos Religiosos (Mexican State Department Office or Religious activities). I explained our whole case to him, and he confirmed what the lawyers have always told me. Since we registered as a religion in 92, and since we did not declare that we had previously held religious activities in this building, we cannot nationalize. We declared that previously we were a Cultural non-profit society. So our buildings cannot be nationalized at this time. All purchased buildings are automatically the property of the religious association they belong to after 1992. And he also confirmed that the Federal Government cannot nullify a legal case that we are fighting. Actually, as Harinama and company indicated in their message, our property is still legally in the name of Radha Krsna das, Premananda das and Maitreya das. It is promised to be donated at a certain time.
Gaudiya Vaisnava visits.
1. Sripad Puri Maharaja.
He came to Mexico temple twice and Guadalajara temple once. On his first visit, many outside devotees came, and they arranged for his footbathing. I was present but did not participate directly. I did listen to his 40 minute address. I was not present for his second visit. I did not invite him either time, but I did try to show proper respect to a vaisnava, and I will always do so.
2. Sripad Narayan M.
He came. As suggested, I arranged for a simultaneous festival in ISKCON. Many of our devotees went to see Narayan M. I had written a letter to the effect that maybe he should not visit, to avoid any problems. But his people insisted, and incited many of our devotees, saying that we have no etiquette. Then I heard that he as coming anyway, so I gave him a garland, accompanied him to the altar, and then upstairs (in a previous photo display, Harinama and company implied that I escorted him upstairs for a secret meeting) to see Srila Prabhupada's quarters. In those quarters, standing, he spoke some words, maybe 5 minutes, and they all left.
I strongly object to Harinama and company's previous implications (stated in one of their previous assaults directed at me, which come about on open internet every few months). They implied that since I was being friendly with these Gaudiya visitors, who knows, maybe I will be just like Pancadravida Swami, and also join them.
They have made many other implications, and I could say many other things. I do insist that Harinama and company publish a statement, correcting their errors and speculations on their webpage, which has disturbed many devotees minds unnecessarily. They should also publish a disclaimer that their website is not an ISKCON Mexico official publication, and that the statements therein are the expressed opinion of the authors.
I will not say any more on this. I have included some of the other devotees in the Mexican Yatra as receivers, and they can make any further comments. I strongly suggest that their guru, HH Hridayananda M, encourage them not to publish their tirades on the open internet. Darshan das made the same suggestion to them a month or so ago, but they continue to destroy the faith of young and innocent devotees. I would also suggest that they first voice their complaints to me directly, either en person or in writing, and allow me to answer, before broadcasting untruths all over the internet, or address the temple president.
They should be instructed to apologize (for the benefit of younger devotees), and it should be made clear that they are not the representatives of ISKCON Mexico.
Of course, they will give their foolish excuse of not coming to the temple, saying that in 1998 I threatened to assassinate them. What happened, is that Radha Krsna das was writing to one devotee, telling him that I (GPS) better not appear in Mexico, or else I would be arrested for kidnapping. So I sent him a quick message from Delhi to the effect, find out who is behind all this and put it to rest. However in Spanish I left out the it, so Radha Krsna published all over the internet that I threatened to assassinate him (although it was a two line internet to a devotee, who can attest to exactly what I meant). If anyone ever does any harm to them, or anyone, they will be expelled from this yatra immediately. But these are their antics.
Again, I am sorry to burden all of you with another long message, but I thought it necessary in lieu of the accusations made.
Your servant,
Guru Prasad Swami |
