The Sorry Saga, Part 3
BY: MAHAVIDYA DASA (ACBSP)
Nov 30, LONDON, ENGLAND (SUN) — An explanation.
For newcomers to the "sorry saga episodes", let me give a quick update.
A not so long long long time ago,
in a temple not so far far away,
A rumour was circulating.
One of the temple managers' (Shamasundar das) families took home about £5000 salary in one month.
An ISKCON company Director (Viswambara das) was asked by myself to look into it.
Affirmative, came the reply. The recipient (Shymasundara das) admitted it.
Three very explicit letters were sent to the said temple in question, addressed to all the temple managers (of which the recipient, Shymasundara das, is one).
The reply came back......
"The answer to your question about the £5000 salary is an absolute "NO". No family has ever received such a payment or anywhere near it at any time last year or this year. It is simply a nasty rumour. I have sat personally with our financial officer and went through all payment and none, even combined family payment came anywhere near the figure you quoted. Perhaps if you half it you might be somewhere near a combined family payment in the height of the wedding season, which means many overtime hours."
signed by Gauri das.
Not satisfied, I asked the ISKCON UK MC to look into it.
They produced a figure of £ 3,484.22.
So now we have 3 figures.
I put on the pressure to come clean.
Here's the explanation provided by my GBC, Praghosa prabhu (Dandavats.com) via Braja Bihari (ISKCON Resolve):
1. RE: Viswambara das:
"As for whatever Viswambara may have told you, he must not have been well informed, and he wasn't telling you that in his role as an ISKCON authority.
(Viswambara prabhu is a leading book distributor in the UK, he receives no salary from the society and has been and still is an ISKCON Director. Perhaps someone could notify Viswambara prabhu that on that day, he was conveniently not an ISKCON director.)
2. RE: the reply from the Bhaktivedanta Manor management, signed by Gauri das:
"As for Gauri das's statement, that seems to have just been an estimate (he didn't name any exact figure) he was off by £900, but that isn't so difficult to understand, since he was just giving round figures, and it wasn't he who was on the investigation committee."
(The letter was addressed to the Bhaktivedanta Manor management, Shamasundara das, et al, their names are clearly given.)
But what's £900 between friends........
And worryingly, just who is Gauri das's financial officer?
3. And finally......
I received an official report No. 2
only it didn't match report No. 1
Spot the differences:
|
Shamasundar das
Lalita Saki dd
Son
Daughter
Totals
|
Report No. 1
£ 905.76
£ 2,079.46
£ 424.00
£ 75.00
£ 3.484.22
|
Report No. 2
£ 905.76 - cheque
£ 2,079.46 - cheque
£ 448.00
no mention
£ 3.433.22
|
I privately spoke to the Manor accountant, and he admitted that he cannot give an audited account for all the figures provided.
And this is what the ISKCON management report has to say..........
"The investigation team found that there is no black economy. On the contrary, they were impressed with the systems of financial policies and procedures that are in place."
I leave you all to draw your own conclusions.
your servant,
Mahavidya das
