Coup
BY: RAVI DASA
May 7, VRINDAVAN, INDIA (SUN) — A coup d’etat is when one part of the state government “machinery” disagrees with another part and decides to eject or overthrow the part it doesn’t like. It happens all the time. Most frequently it is the army (ksatriyas) seeing the abuse of power of the incumbent ruling group (often vaishyas) and deciding they can do a better job.
If there was a coup inside ISKCON, who would stand up and be counted on to be elected?
We know that Srila Prabhupada wanted the GBC to be an elected body to ensure that if some unqualified or abusive person managed to grab a position, his lack of leadership and ability to serve the devotees would lead to his downfall. We can prove this in a court of law.
At the present time there is a group who are calling themselves the GBC and try as they might to be the leaders of ISKCON, they cannot prove themselves to be elected.
So if we were to run a “pretend” election, are there enough devotees who have the trust of their local communities that could be elected and constitute a real GBC?
Maybe it is time to circulate a sign to hang up in every temple: “Will you put your name down to be elected onto the GBC by the local Temple President?”
We should delineate the responsibilities for the elected GBC. Here are a few points…
- You have to ensure that all the devotees are strictly following Srila Prabhupada's programme for purification.
- Organise and simplify the management of temples so that individual and collective hearing and chanting of the Maha Mantra is a focal point of each devotee's daily routine.
- Understand and implement Srila Prabhupada's vision for developing the society.
- Develop each devotee's potential to voluntarily serve to their maximum capacity and use and develop their core competency.
I am sure the devotees could add many more.
We all want to see the devotees be happy and satisfied in their service. We want the devotees to become self-motivated, responsible and well trained. We want the GBC to fulfill their important role in manifesting Srila Prabhupada's glorious vision. Let us stop cursing the darkness, let us light a candle, let us focus on how we can elect leaders we feel confident will assist all the devotees to achieve this.
We can criticize the “fake” GBC all we want, but until we are willing to step up and be counted it is all just paralysis by analysis, a massive distraction from doing the work Srila Prabhupada tasked us to do.
Let us not become addicted to finding all the faults with the GBC if we will not do anything about it.
Will you be putting your name up for election?
