Questions for Nimai Pandit Prabhuji

BY: JANARDANA DASADec 16, USA (SUN) — I have been observing the happenings with the ISKCON INC issue for some time now and I must admit that I feel a little bit confused.
The following questions have been compiled by myself after some contemplation, and I would like to ask Nimai Pandit Prabhu to answer them for the benefit of confused devotees who impatiently await a radical change in our ISKCON movement.

So far I have observed, you have made the elections very much transparent and open to the public, which is great, and I hope my questions will be answered in a straightforward way. The questions are divided into four main topics. I would very much appreciate if all my question were answered as I think they are important and that the devotees worldwide deserve to know all this information. TEMPLES

TP BODY/TEMPLE PRESIDENT

In your article it is mentioned that the new GBC were elected by a TP Body. The TP Body was elected by rank and file devotees from all the centers in India.

• a) chanting 16 rounds daily
  b) rising before 4 AM
  c) following the four regulative principles
  d) attending daily temple programs: Mangala aratika, Bhagavatam class, Gaura Aratika, Bhagavad-gita class
  e) preaching (Sankirtan, book distribution etc)

 1. Why does each temple not elect its President separately on a local level, on a regular basis?

2. What is the function of the TP Body besides electing GBC?

 3. The following is a general standard of regular disciple (GS) as set up by Srila Prabhupada:

 Are the Temple Presidents following GS? What is the system of checking whether the GS is being followed by Temple Presidents? What are the measures for removing the Temple President representatives in case of serious violation of a GS? What if the rank and file vote for a Temple President who does not follow GS?

GBC ELECTION

1. According to Srila Prabhupada's DOM, the GBC's are supposed to be elected by the Temple Presidents from all the branches of the society. In other words, all the Temple Presidents are voted by rank and file devotees from a particular temple and once every three years, these elected Temple Presidents vote in GBC's for all the regions. If the same system was followed today, the complete number of Temple Presidents from all around the world would be participating in elections for the Indian zone. In the case of the recent election, rank and file in India voted in the TP Body, which voted in GBC's for India only. Why?

 2. In your article you are stating that the election for the TP Body will not be repeated in the subsequent years, as it is instructed in DOM. So far as I can see, the DOM does not mention the TP Body system, but instructs to vote the GBC every three years by the Temple Presidents. The Temple Presidents are supposed to be elected from among the rank and file devotees on a regular basis, as can be seen in the following quotes:

Srila Prabhupada Letter to Gurudasa, March 2, 1970, Los Angeles:

 "I beg to acknowledge reciept of your two letters dated 20 and 26 February, 1970, respectively, and I am so glad to learn that you have been elected president for this year. In India, when there was congress election among the executive members, each year a person was elected president. I think this system may be followed in our institutions also. Of course it will depend on the local situation, but in a round if each person is given the chance of managing the whole affairs, that means everyone becomes responsible officer.

  Srila Prabhupada Letter to Jayapataka, August 24, 1971, London:

"The president, secretary and treasurer elected by the members of the center cannot be changed at least for one year; better to continue it for three years."

 Please explain why the TP Body election won't be repeated in the following years.

 3. Are the elected GBC's following GS? What is the system of checking whether the GS is being followed by the GBC's? What are the measures for removing the GBC in case of serious violation of a GS?

REST OF THE WORLD

 After the elections in India, ISKCON, Inc. will conduct elections in other regions in the world to elect GBC members from those regions. All these members from different regions will together constitute the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON. We expect that in each region, the leaders in that region will come together in an istagosthi format, with three members of the Trustee board of ISKCON, Inc appointed as an Election Commission Committee, to discuss and decide on the election policy for their region.

1. Please specify who are the "leaders"? Please state the names and regions if possible.

a) Are the leaders the Temple Presidents? If yes, do these temples have regular Temple President elections?

 b) Are the leaders qualified as proponents of the Rtvik understanding?

  c) Would you consider as leaders devotees who are against the Rtvik understanding? Yes/No.

2. Who represents ISKCON Inc.? Please state names, if possible and the number of persons involved. Are the ISKCON Inc. representatives following GS? What is the system of checking whether the GS is being followed by ISKCON Inc. representatives? What are the measures for removing the ISKCON Inc. representatives in case of serious violations of GS?

 The election policy will include the qualification of the temples that can be part of ISKCON, the qualification of their Temple Presidents...

 1. What are the qualifications that ISKCON Inc. is going to propose?

 2. Is there going to be voting about the election policy amongst the leaders and ISKCON Inc.?

 Thank you in advance.

your servant,

Janardana dasa