ISKCON Sends ₹100 Crore Defamation Notice To BJP MP Maneka Gandhi For Accusing It Of 'Selling Cows To Butchers'

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has issued a defamation notice of Rs 100 crore to BJP MP Maneka Gandhi in response to her claim that the religious organisation engages in selling cows to butchers for slaughter. ISKCON has characterised her accusations as "completely unfounded" and said the devotees were "deeply pained" by the comments.

Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata, Radharaman Das, said, “Today we have sent a Rs 100 crore defamation notice to Maneka Gandhi for levelling completely unfounded allegations against ISKCON. The worldwide community of ISKCON devotees, supporters, and well-wishers are deeply pained by these defamatory, slanderous, and malicious accusations. We will not leave any stone unturned in our pursuit of justice against the fallacious propaganda against ISKCON."

What did Maneka Gandhi say?

BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, in a video that went went viral a few days back, had said the ISKCON is the "biggest cheat in the country, which sells cows from its gaushalas (cowsheds) to butchers."

The BJP MP went on to allege that during her recent visit to an ISKCON Gaushala in Andhra Pradesh, she found that not a single cow was in good condition.

"There were no calves in the Gaushala, which means all of them were sold off," Maneka Gandhi said.

ISKCON vehemently rejected these accusations, branding them as "unsubstantiated and false".