Allegations defamatory, River Ranch tells Iskcon SA

THE International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon SA) recently issued a public notice saying it was in no way associated with entities operating from the River Range Ranch in Verulam.

Iskcon SA named the entities as Iskcon Africa, Food For Life Africa and Vrindavan Eco Village (previously called the Srila Prabhupada Temple of Devotion).

It claimed the entities had been unlawfully promoting their events, activities and projects as being part of Iskcon.

Iskcon SA said it held the trademark for the name Iskcon for more than two decades. It said the name Food for Life had also been trademarked by Food for Life (South Africa) since 2017.

“Iskcon SA is also the trademark owner of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Srila Prabhupada, Hare Krishna Movement, Bhaktivedanta and Govinda’s.

“The trademark Srila Prabhupada was also unlawfully used by Iskcon Africa in their social media marketing to congregants and the public at large,” said Navina Radhika dasi, Iskcon SA’s zonal supervisor and communications portfolio lead.

Radhika said Iskcon Africa and Food For Life Africa falsely portrayed themselves as affiliated with Iskcon, locally and internationally, and the alleged misrepresentation confused the public.

“Despite many attempts to ask their leaders to desist from the misrepresentation of their legitimacy and breach of the trademarks, they continued to use the trademarked names. We were therefore compelled to initiate legal proceedings.”

Radhika said an application for an interdict to prohibit the relevant parties from using the words “Food For Life” is being drafted and will be filed at the Durban High Court soon.

“Iskcon’s goodwill and reputation have been significantly affected. The River Range Ranch has built a brand, attracting followers and donors who are under the misconception that what they are offering is aligned with Srila Prabhupada’s standards.

“The River Range Ranch has replicated the purpose and offering of Srila Prabhupada’s movement for personal gain, while purposefully deviating from Srila Prabhupada’s prescribed standards, thus compromising Iskcon’s name, goodwill and reputation.

“The Iskcon South Africa National Council and local governing body commissioners have a sacred duty to propagate the preaching of Krishna consciousness according to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. In so doing, every effort is made to incubate, encourage and give guidance to local initiatives driven by anyone who becomes inspired by Krishna consciousness,” she said.

According to the Iskcon website, Srila Prabhupada was the founder of

Iskcon, which he started in 1966. He was a spiritual teacher who brought the teachings of Krishna consciousness to the Western world.

Radhika said Iskcon SA had tried to engage with the owners and initiators of the Srila Prabhupada Temple of Devotion project in Verulam and Food for Life Africa for over a year.

“Affiliation with Iskcon can only be recognised when the prescribed standards are met. This includes an obligation to meet the standards for deity installation as set out by Iskcon's deity worship ministry, reporting under the managing authority of the local governing body commission, which oversees the standards for temples and preaching, as well as promoting activities in accordance with the devotional principles as set out by Srila Prabhupada.”

She said this included daily chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra, vegetarianism, abstinence from intoxicants, gambling and illicit sex.

“Regrettably a consensus could not be reached with the leaders of the River Range Ranch project, which has led to the need for legal proceedings and communication with the public.”

Iskcon SA also published a notice in the media notifying its congregants and the public about the matter.

Attorney Nalini Maharaj, on behalf of the entities’ leaders, refuted the allegations by Iskcon SA. She said the allegations were derogatory and intended to bring the work of the entities and its leaders into disrepute.

Maharaj said the former directorship of the Srila Prabhupada Temple of Devotion included members of Iskcon SA and

that Iskcon SA was in partnership with the temple.

“To further substantiate this, on January 21, 2022, the heads of Iskcon; His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami (Iskcon SA’s Co-Governing Body Commissioner (GBC)), Govardan Das (Iskcon SA’s co-GBC), Swarup Damodar Das (Temple president of Chatsworth); and Prabhanu Das (Temple president of Phoenix) were collectively involved in the groundbreaking ceremony (sod turning) of the Srila Prabhupada Temple of Devotion.

“At this function it was announced by Iskcon SA’s GBC member, Govardan Das, that ‘this project will be our Iskcon Verulam Project’, hence Iskcon Africa was registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) as a legal entity without any objections from the CIPC.”

Maharaj said Iskcon SA later disengaged from the project.

“On February 3, 2023, we were alerted by Iskcon SA communications zonal supervisors, Radhe Shyam das, Vraja Vilasini devi das, and Navina Radhika dasi, that they had informed the congregation of their disengagement from the Temple of Devotion project.”

Maharaj said despite this communication, the Iskcon SA representatives still remained as directors on the board of the Srila Prabhupada Temple of Devotion until April 23, 2023, as per CIPC records.

Maharaj said Iskcon SA asked via their legal team to change the names of the Srila Prabhupada Temple of Devotion and Iskcon Africa due to trademark infringement, which was done.

“Despite complying, Iskcon SA went on a character assassination, singling out only the two former directors, Vrindavan Chandra das and Ramkinkar das, and Vick Panday.”

Maharaj said the River Range Ranch was not trading unlawfully under any brand mentioned by Iskcon SA and reserved the right to seek legal rectification for alleged defamatory statements.

“The ranch referred to as River Range Ranch is not trading under any brand that Iskcon alleges is unlawful. Our failure to deal with any one or all allegations shall not be construed as an admission, and we strictly reserve all of our rights to seek legal rectification thereof. There will be legal proceedings contemplated against Iskcom SA due to allegedly defamatory statements that have been published.

“We are disgusted that Iskcon SA has maliciously targeted three individuals and conveniently and selectively omitted to name their representatives, and other directors in their media release and public notice.”

Maharaj said efforts were made telephonically to resolve the matter amicably outside court to no avail.

She said the River Range Ranch was a separate independent legal entity and was not associated with Iskcon SA and all the associated projects.

“Our ever well-wisher, Srila Prabhupada, alluded to, ‘Your love for me will be shown by how you co-operate with one other’. Co-operation means willingness to work with others irrespective of differences. It is disheartening to note that the leadership of Iskcon SA is not upholding this important order of the founder acharya of Iskcon, Srila Prabhupada.”