On November 25, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a leader expelled from ISKCON and currently serving as the spokesperson for the United Sanatan Awakening Alliance, was arrested in connection with a sedition case alleging desecration of the national flag. The following day, November 26, police presented him before Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate, Kazi Shariful Islam’s court (source), where he sought bail. However, the court rejected his bail plea and ordered him to be sent to jail. While a hearing for Chinmoy Krishna Das was initially scheduled for December 3, it was postponed to January 2 due to the absence of his legal representative (source). Currently, he is being held at Chattogram Central Jail.
Meanwhile, various media outlets in India and Bangladesh have claimed that ISKCON’s global platform issued a statement seeking India’s intervention following Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest.
Reports in Indian Media Claiming This:
Asian News International (ANI), Hindustan Times (YouTube), Ei Samay, News9 (YouTube), Economic Times, Firstpost, India Today, Zee News, LiveMint, CNN-News18, ABP Ananda, Republic, Indian Express, Mathrubhumi, The Hindu, Dainik Jagran, and WION.
Reports in Bangladeshi Media Claiming This:
BBC Bangla, Voice of America Bangla, Dhaka Post, Inqilab, Somoy TV (YouTube), Channel i, Ekattor TV (YouTube), Samakal, Janakantha, Kaler Kantho, Bhorer Kagoj, Ittefaq, Amader Shomoy, Independent TV, Jugantor, Jaijaidin (Facebook), Naya Diganta, Share Biz, Mohona TV, Bayanno TV, Protidiner Sangbad, Banglanews24, Khabarer Kagoj, Janabani, BD24Live, Ajkaler Khobor, Sangbad Prokash, The Report, Shokal Shondha, BD Sangbad, and Deshkal.
Additionally, the same claim has been made in a statement by the Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) (source).
Social Media Posts Making Similar Claims:
YouTube Videos Promoting This Claim:
Posts on X (Formerly Twitter):
Fact-Check
Rumor Scanner’s investigation confirms that ISKCON authorities have not issued any statement requesting India’s intervention regarding Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest. In reality, this claim originated from a post on X (formerly Twitter) by a different organization called the Krishna Consciousness Society (KCS) based in India.
Rumor Scanner discovered that media outlets attributed the claim to a post by an X account named ‘Iskcon,Inc.
On November 25, at 11 PM Bangladesh time, the account posted (source):
“We have come across disturbing reports that Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das, one of the prominent leaders of ISKCON Bangladesh, has been detained by the Dhaka police. It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that ISKCON has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world. ISKCON,Inc. urges the Government of India to take immediate steps and speak to the Government of Bangladesh and convey that we are a peace-loving Bhakti movement….”
However, this X account named “Iskcon,Inc.” is not an official account of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
According to a report published by Netra News (source), the “Iskcon,Inc.” X account is associated with a different organization called the Krishna Consciousness Society (KCS), based in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. This organization, established in 2021, is led by HG Gauranga Sundar Das.
The report, citing legal documents from the case Kelley v. Gupta (source), states that there has been a longstanding property dispute between “Iskcon,Inc.” and the international ISKCON in Long Island, USA. This dispute and the organizations’ respective operations confirm that ‘Iskcon,Inc.’ and the international ISKCON are distinct and conflicting entities.
Rumor Scanner also found that the X account ‘Iskcon,Inc.’ and its similarly named Facebook page (source) frequently share photo cards featuring the Krishna Consciousness Society (KCS) logo (example 1, example 2). This confirms the connection between the account and the KCS organization.
Rumor Scanner also observed that the X account “Iskcon,Inc.” and its similarly named Facebook page (source) regularly share photo cards with the Krishna Consciousness Society (KCS) logo (example 1, example 2). This confirms the connection between the account and the KCS organization.
On the other hand, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has not released any statements on its official website (source) or Facebook page (source) requesting India’s intervention following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das. Similarly, no such statement has been found on the X account linked in the “About” (source) section of ISKCON’s YouTube channel. However, in a statement (source) issued on November 28, ISKCON expressed its support for Chinmoy Krishna Das’s right to peaceful protest advocating for the protection of Hindus and their places of worship in Bangladesh. The organization also emphasized that Chinmoy Krishna Das is not an official representative of ISKCON, a fact they have reiterated on multiple occasions.
Additionally, ISKCON Bangladesh stated to the media (source) that Chinmoy Krishna Das had been permanently expelled in July for disciplinary violations.
The Rumor Scanner has contacted ISKCON’s global platform regarding the X account named “Iskcon, Inc.” ISKCON authorities have clarified that the account is neither an official representation of ISKCON nor an authorized spokesperson.
In this context, Hrishikesh Gouranga Das, a member of ISKCON Bangladesh’s Executive Committee, told Rumor Scanner: ‘ISKCON Bangladesh has not made any appeal to the Indian government. We respect Bangladesh’s laws and refrain from intervening in state matters. ISKCON is a religious, humanitarian, and social organization, uninvolved in political issues.’
Conclusion
Therefore, the claim that ‘ISKCON’s global platform issued a statement requesting India’s intervention following Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest’ is completely false.
Sources
- Rumor Scanner’s analysis.
- Netra News: Media missteps intensify tensions over Bangladesh priest’s arrest
- Prothom Alo: চিন্ময় বহিষ্কৃত, তাঁর বক্তব্য ও কার্যক্রমের দায় ইসকনের নয়, বলেছেন সংগঠনটির নেতারা
- Statement from Thomas, Managing Editor, ISKCON News.
- Statement from Hrishikesh Gouranga Das.
