ISKCON Is Biggest Cheat, Selling All Its Cows To Butcher: Maneka Gandhi Triggers Controversy

BJP MP Maneka Gandhi has triggered a controversy by claiming the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is the "biggest cheat" in India as it sells cows from its gaushalas (cowsheds) to butchers.

"The biggest cheat in India today is ISKCON. They establish gaushalas for which they get unlimited benefits from the government to run them. They get huge land...everything. I just visited their Anantput Gaushala. Not a single dry cow is present. All are dairies. There is not a single calf. It means all of them were sold. ISCKON is selling all its cows to the butcher," Hindustan Times quoted the former BJP minister as saying in a viral video.

Gandhi, who is an animal rights activist, alleged that the ISKCON sells cows from their gaushalas (cowsheds) to butchers.

The ISKCON is one of the biggest Hindu religious organizations in the world. She then says, "They say their entire life is dependent on milk...Probably no one has sold as many cattle to butchers as they did. If these people can do it, what about others?"

A dry cow is one that has not been milked for some time.

ISKCON Responds
However, ISKCON has denied the allegations as "unsubstantiated and false".

"ISKCON has been at the forefront of cow and bull protection and care not just in India but globally. The cows and bulls are served for their life not sold to butchers as alleged," spokesperson of ISKCON Yudhistir Govinda Das said on X (formerly Twitter).

Expressing surprise, the religious organisation says, "ISKCON has pioneered cow protection in many parts of the world where beef is a staple diet. Within India, ISKCON runs more than 60 gaushalas protecting hundreds of sacred cows and bulls and providing personalised care for their entire lifetime. Many of the cows presently served in ISCKON's gaushalas were brought to us after being found abandoned, injured, or rescued from being slaughtered,"

It further stated, "In recent times, ISKCON has begun training programs for the farmers and rural households on cow care techniques to help revive the culture of cow worship and care as was the case in previous generations. Several ISCKON gaushalas are recognised and lauded for their high cow-care standards by the government or associate of gaushalas."