Braj Bihari & Sesa - the Dynamic Duo
BY: JAGADEESH DAS
Aug 28, VRINDAVAN, INDIA (SUN) — An interesting point came to my attention when I scrolled through the minutes to the 2007 GBC meetings. It appears that Braj Bihari and Sesa (The Dynamic Duo) are extremely busy tightening the corporate hold on ISKCON.
You can find their names involved in both rewriting the ISKCON Constitution and (the subject of this letter) ISKCON law for the punishment of devotees who deviate philosophically.
GBC Resolution 2007
...An ISKCON Official may be disciplined for the following transgressions:
Misconduct and Indiscipline
Spiritual Discrepancy
"Failure to follow strictly the rules and regulations as described in Srila
Prabhupada’s books. Philosophical deviation." Consistently irregular attendance at the temple morning program without bona fide cause. Failure to follow any of the four regulative principles or to regularly chant sixteen rounds of japa.
Censure
Censure is to be understood as a reprimand aimed at reformation of an
official and prevention of further offending acts. It is the warning voice
of pending probation or removal.
When ordering the censure, the disciplining authority must clearly spell
out in writing to the disciplined official the specific actions that were
irresponsible, inappropriate, or in violation of ISKCON law and why they
were judged so.
Probation
Probation is an opportunity for disciplined officials to redress
themselves and regain their status as ISKCON Officials in good standing.
When ordering the probation, the disciplining authority must clearly spell
out in writing to the disciplined official:
The specific actions that were irresponsible, inappropriate, or in violation of ISKCON law and why they were judged so The specific program of rectification
The specific curtailment of powers, if any The specific prerequisites for restoration, if any The time period of the probation, which shall be no longer than six months. After the period of probation, the disciplining authority must decide as per one of the following:
That the official is rectified and that any restrictions imposed for the
term of probation are rescinded; or That further probation under the same or modified conditions is required to complete the rectification process; or That the official has not been rectified and that the official be removed from the position.
Suspension
In the case where there is substantial reason to believe that an ISKCON
official has acted irresponsibly, inappropriately, or in violation of
ISKCON law to the extent that continuation of the official in the
particular position will be injurious to the properties, good name,
physical assets or other resources of the society, then an official should
be suspended from that position.
Suspension is to separate the official from their office so that a
thorough investigation of allegations may be conducted and the suitability
of the official to continue in their position is determined.
The disciplining body must conduct an immediate investigation so as to
minimize disruption at the respective ISKCON centre or project. After
completion of the investigation, the body shall make a determination as to
the truth of the allegations and the future course of action. They may
order as per one of the following:
The suspension shall be revoked and the official shall be restored to the
original position; or There shall be a probationary period with a program of rectification as described under probation above, with or without restoration of authority during the period of probation; or It is not expected that the official can be rectified within a reasonable period of time and he or she shall be permanently removed from the position. If an ISKCON official is under suspension he may not vote as a member of any ISKCON management body.
Removal
Under normal circumstances, an ISKCON Official will be removed from
his/her position only after being put on probation and consequently unable
to rectify his/her situation.
However, in urgent situations, an ISKCON Official may be removed in case
of the following;
Any violation of either ISKCON, local or national laws which endangers
ISKCON’s stability and security locally, nationally or internationally and
which cannot wait for the usual process of probation and removal.
"Severe spiritual, philosophical or moral deviation.
Rebellion against the authority of Srila Prabhupada, the GBC Body or other
regional, national or local ISKCON authorities."....
I find it quite fascinating that this Dynamic Duo, who I have explained in my letters as being responsible for the most serious philosophical deviation ever to be introduced in ISKCON, are writing ISKCON Law!
It is so amazing that these two have the audacity to be making ISKCON law and at the same time they themselves are blatantly guilty of being philosophical deviants of the worst kind. Let them be the first prosecuted under this law.
I remember visiting Sri Vrindavan Dham five years back and arguing with a devotee who lived there, how it was a good thing that we educate our children by using the Government accreditation process. This devotee was smiling as he asked me to give him even one single sentence where Srila Prabhupada said to do like this. I tried to argue with him but he simply told me to do my research first. When I got back home I did look into it seriously. I found that Srila Prabhupada actually didn’t want us to do that. I could not find one single sentence to support the argument. I challenge not only the Dynamic Duo but the GBC to show justification for why they have changed this!
If the Brahminical Advisory Council (BAC) did the same research as I did, they would find as I did, that Srila Prabhupada never instructed us to use Government accreditation. In fact, he strongly instructed us to never allow this in our movement.
I am sure that the BAC does not require to be spoon-fed by being asked to research and write a paper on the MED’s educational ethos and therefore the philosophical correctness of Braj Bihari and Sesa, for this has been happening under their noses for many years now.
A Brahman is not a bureaucrat who requires a memo to tell them what to do. If the BAC can let such a transgression go by them, then what is their purpose?
What is the use of having a spiritual authority such as the GBC and a Shastric authority such as the BAC? All these big, big devotees whose main purpose is to guide our movement spiritually, and they lack the shastric/spiritual and intellectual acumen to be able to see what these two are up to!
The more I look into this the more I see how messed up our movement is. We have let a handful of devotees turn Srila Prabhupada's movement in the exact opposite direction to what Srila Prabhupada intended that his movement should go. We have just let them get away with it. This must stop!
