Mahavidya das (ACBSP) – UK: The following photograph landed on my in-tray.

Well well well..bless my battleship…

Noticing a familiar Hindu face in the crowd I tried the delete button but to my horror…  it didn’t work.

Oh *****

I complained bitterly to the library staff.

They kindly provided a keyboard that did work… but it was too late…

I went and had a bath.

Sure enough…the next day I mustered up the courage to read all about it.

The caption accompanying the said photo read…

“Gauri and other Hindu leaders meeting with members of the British Admiralty.”

Now, I do not know much about the other gentlemen in the photo…

But…

I was intrigued to learn of Gauri das being a “Hindu leader”.

What was all that about?

After all…

There stands a man…

Whom the ISKCON Child Protection office have officially recommended…

“As a lifetime restriction, Gauri das shall not have service directly overseeing children in an ISKCON Temple or project “.

I guess that says a lot about this “Hindu leader’s” character.

What brought that on?

Was Gauri das guilty of smuggling cookies into school? Nope.

Perhaps handing out chocolate? Nope.

Was it because he was beating on small kids…?

Apparently ..er ..yes.

And how many..1..2..4..well no..a total of …er..actually ..17 children came forward to testify against him.

Gauri das denied all the charges brought against him.

Gauri das was eventually, after a tough campaign by his victims, given a 3 year suspension from any position of leadership within ISKCON.

Of course…

This was ignored by his ISKCON friends in high places..

(Dare I say ISKCON Guru HG Kripamoya das,and ISKCON GBC HH Praghosa das ,in fact no-one in an ISKCON management position objected.)

Who promptly promoted Gauri sideways and gave him an undisclosed salary.

Come to think of it…

We, the common rank and file, were not even allowed to know what service Gauri das was doing.

I was wondering…

Just how is this man supposed to be representing Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON?

I was also wondering if…

The gentlemen surrounding this “Hindu leader” had any idea of just whom they were standing next to?

I am further reminded of one of Gauri das’s own photo shoots at Bhaktivedanta manor taken in conjunction with the Independent newspaper.

In order to promote a “Hindu school”…

Gauri das sanctioned the removal of the black and white children from a live ISKCON school photo.

But I guess this is all part of being a “Hindu leader”.

Now…does anyone out there have the Admiralty e-mail address?