Deccan Herald gets carried away by the Spin and Hype of ISKCON Mumbai
Karnataka published an article on 9th July 2011 titled “CA helped ISKCON fudge accounts”. This article was also posted in Sampradaya Sun the very same day.
12 July 2011, Bangalore, India: Deccan Herald, one of the highly circulated newspapers in Karnataka published an article on 9th July 2011 titled “CA helped ISKCON fudge accounts”.
This article was also posted in Sampradaya Sun the very same day.
I wish to clarify on some of the facts raised in the article.
The article states “…the self proclaimed owner of the Bangalore ISKCON, Madhupandit dasa, in manipulating …”
Clarification: Sri Madhupandit Dasa has never claimed ownership over ISKCON Bangalore. The dispute about the properties of ISKCON on Hare Krishna Hill on Chord Road is between ISKCON Mumbai (Registered in 1971)and ISKCON Bangalore (Registered in 1978) and is not between Madhupandit dasa and ISKCON as is being often claimed by ISKCON Mumbai and its followers. It is very unfortunate the Deccan Herald also subscribes to this view of ISKCON Mumbai. This if very much contrary to the ethics of the fourth estate as it shows the said media is biased towards ISKCON Mumbai. Is this bias due to the fact the Sri Uday Holla, Senior advocate of High Court of Karnataka, the counsel for ISKCON Mumbai happens to have appeared as the attorney for many suits of Deccan Herald? It is for the reader to conclude.
In the press conference conducted on 8th July 2011 ISKCON Mumbai presented to all as if the findings of the disciplinary committee of the ICAI are final and that action should be taken against the said auditor. In the above said article of Deccan Herald the very same assumption is being echoed. But in actuality, disciplinary committee’s findings are of the nature of recommendation. The law applicable to these facts is such that this Report will now be forwarded to the Council established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949. The Council will then call upon the professionals concerned to contest the same and only after hearing them will the Council proceed to arrive at a decision. This decision may either be: a) Confirming the findings of the Disciplinary Committee;
b) Or dismissing the findings of the Disciplinary Committee and agreeing with the argument of the Respondent that he is not ‘guilty of any professional misconduct’; Further, if the Council were to decide that the professional concerned is ‘guilty of professional misconduct’; it will have to forward its recommendation to the High Court. The High Court may or may not agree with the Council. Only after the High Court confirms the recommendations of the Council will those recommendations become final.
But as usual ISKCON Mumbai which is ever active to convert anything and everything to its favor wanting to gain some documentary support for its ongoing legal battle with ISKCON Bangalore has projected the committee’s findings as the final verdict. It is very sad that Deccan Herald also is toeing its line and did not publish the rejoinder sent to it by the auditor himself.
The disciplinary committees’ findings are vitiated and have many faults of facts and law.
ISKCON Bangalore along with its former auditor will be taking appropriate legal steps in the appropriate forums.
For further details please visit: http://www.struggle-for-truth.org/articles/spin-and-hype-of-iskcon- mumbai/