In a blistering critique of the religious organization, BJP MP Maneka Gandhi said the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is the “biggest cheat” in the country due to its purported sale of cows from its gaushalas (cowsheds) to butchers.

The ISKCON, which is recognized as the most influential Krishna sect globally, refuted these accusations and said they are “unsubstantiated and false.”

Gandhi, a former union minister and an animal rights activist, has been vocal on social media over issues of animal welfare.

“The biggest cheat in the country is ISKCON. They establish Gaushalas for which they get unlimited benefits from the government to run the gaushalas,” Gandhi is heard saying in a video, which has now gone viral.

Gandhi, an ex-Union Minister and a fervent animal rights advocate, has consistently expressed her views on animal welfare through social media and also on ground.

Talking about on her visit to ISKCON’s Anantpur Gaushala in Andhra Pradesh, she recollects that she couldn’t come across any cow that wasn’t either giving milk or had calves.

“There was no dry cow in the entire dairy. Not a single calf was there. This means all of them were sold,” said Gandhi in the video.

ISKCON spokesperson Yudhistir Govinda Das, however, rejected Maneka Gandhi’s claims and said: “ISKCON has been at the forefront of cow and bull protection and care not just in India but globally. The cows and bulls are served for their life not sold to butchers as alleged.”

He also added: “Assessment of the local Member of Parliament and MLAs who are regular visitors to the Goshala should put some more light on this matter. While Gandhi has stated to have visited the Goshala, none of the workers or staff recollect seeing/meeting her.”