ISKCON has relieved Radharaman Das of all his responsibilities within the organisation, ending his tenure as the Vice-President of ISKCON Kolkata. The decision, communicated on Saturday night, also bars him from representing the organisation before the media, government authorities or any public platform.
In a statement posted on X, Das said he had been officially informed that he would no longer hold any position within ISKCON or speak on its behalf.
"I wish to inform well-wishers, devotees, all members of the media and the general public that I have been relieved of all my responsibilities within ISKCON and have also been directed not to represent or speak on behalf of ISKCON before the media, government authorities, or any public forum," he wrote.
According to Das, the organisation informed him that the action was primarily linked to two issues. The first was his public comments and media interactions on the alleged persecution of Hindus and devotees in Bangladesh, including his support for Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu.
"As communicated to me, the actions against me relate primarily to... speaking publicly and giving media interviews regarding the persecution of Hindus and devotees in Bangladesh. Supporting and speaking in relation to Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu," he said.
Speaking to Sangbad Pratidin, Das also suggested that his removal may have stemmed from an earlier controversy involving BJP MP Maneka Gandhi. In 2023, Gandhi had accused ISKCON of irregularities related to cow protection and described the organisation as "the biggest fraud" in the country. In response, Das had issued a ₹100-crore defamation notice against her, alleging that her remarks had hurt the sentiments of ISKCON devotees worldwide.
Das believes that both his legal action against Gandhi and his outspoken position on the situation of Hindus in Bangladesh may have contributed to the decision to remove him from all organisational responsibilities.
While ISKCON has informed Das of the action taken against him, the organisation has not yet issued a detailed public statement explaining the reasons behind his removal beyond what was communicated to him.
The development comes after months of heightened public attention around Das, who had emerged as one of ISKCON's most visible voices on issues concerning the Hindu community in Bangladesh. His removal is likely to spark discussion within religious and public circles over the boundaries between religious leadership, public advocacy and organisational discipline.
