Support Krishna Temple

I was just going through newspapers when I came across the news on incidence against Hindus in Russia.Later I came to know that KGB has started taking action again on the innocent Krishna Bhakts in Russia.
The KGB started massive persecution campaigns against the first followers of ISKCON. For their belief, around hundred of the first Russian devotees were thrown into prisons, labor camps and psychiatric hospitals. They underwent tremendous sufferings and tortures, but kept their strong, unflinching faith in Lord Krishna and His words in Bhagavad-Gita.
One of them, Sarkis Ohanjanyan was only 21 when he was put in prison. His only "guilt" was that he believed in God, chanted the Hare Krishna mahamantra and refused to eat meat. One and a half years later he died in the winter of 1986 in a labor camp out of malnutrition and tuberculosis. Before departure he was chanting on the beads made from the prison bread, and had applied tilaka on his body with the toothpaste.

Start of Movement

The beginning of the 90's was the start of the new Russia after the fall of autocratic Soviet Union. The Moscow government gave devotees a ruined building unsuitable for inhabitation and commercial usage on rent. In a short time devotees turned that building into the first Hindu temple in Russia. The Moscow Temple became the centre of the spiritual life for the Krishna community of Indian and Russian devotees. Festivals, services, and educational programs were held daily at that temple. Thus the seed of Krishna bhakti planted by Srila Prabhupada sprouted in Russian soil. For fourteen years this building served as a temple, the place where thousands of Russian people received and nurtured faith in God.
However, in 2004 the Moscow government took the building back and destroyed it according to the plan of reconstruction of the city district. Surrounded by growling bulldozers of the "Donstroi" construction giant, it may soon become the very first Hindu temple in the West ever destroyed by authorities. Now again the thousands of the followers of Hinduism in Russia were deprived of a place of worship. Hundreds of churches, cathedrals, mosques, synagogues are there, but not a single temple in the city of ten million people. Seeking the help and support devotees requested different prominent Indian politicians for help. Mr. Atal Bihar Vajpayee, former prime minister of India met with devotees on numerous occasions both in India and Moscow and assured devotees that he will try to convince his Russian colleagues to help ISKCON in Russia.

After many years of struggle, the Mayor of Moscow on 21st January 2004 finally signed the order to give the land for the construction of a new temple in a very prominent location in Moscow. The land is located on the boulevard which goes straight from Kremlin to the International Airport in about 10 minute drive from the heart of Moscow. Measuring 1,05 hectare, it would cost at least 10 to 15 million US dollars and the government gave this land free. The devotees moved into a temporary temple building on the land. As till date, they still have no water, no sewage etc.
Plans to construct a Hare Krishna temple here however, sparked off a controversy in Russia where the Orthodox Church dominates and many regard Krishna followers as dangerous sectarians.

Mayor Luzhkov and Orthodox Clerics

In January 2004, Orthodox, Muslim and Jewish religious authorities in Moscow spoke out against construction, saying it is against Russian tradition. The protestors had rallied in Pushkin Square in the centre of the capital, brandishing icons, flags and banners reading Friends, Defend Your Faith, We Oppose the Expansion of Sects and Beware! Krishna followers go in for brainwashing.
There are at least 100,000 followers of Lord Krishna spread across the country. Russia's Indian community led by Sanjit Kumar Jha, President of the Association of Indians in Russia supports the project since numerous Hindu believers were forced since so many years to pray in a little room with a 200-person capacity, housed in a building that was eventually demolished by the Russian government.

On 7 October 2005, the Mayor of Moscow Yuriy Luzhkov suddenly cancelled the order issued by the Moscow Government one and a half years ago according to which ISKCON Moscow was given a plot of land for construction of a new temple in replacement for the old temple building that was demolished. The office of the City Executive Attorney found some legal discrepancies in the wording of the original order by Moscow Government and suggested to revise it and issue a new, correct one. Instead, now on that basis the Mayor cancelled the order altogether. This was done without any explanation or consultation with ISKCON. His recent document has two parts in it. The first one cancelled the previous order. And according to the second one they have no right to stay on this territory any more. This means, that bhakts in ISKCON are now thrown out on the streets.
On Wednesday 19th October 2005, the Iskcon centre in Moscow was visited by the journalists from the main Russian TV-news program "Vremyachko". They took interviews from HH Bhaktivijnana Goswami Maharaja, President of ISKCON, Russia and some other Indians. They broadcasted it the same evening. The interviews were not distorted and left a good impression on people in general. On their own part the TV commented that from their sources of information the land is already sold to some big investor. There are also some rumors that the mayor's wife is involved or probably the Mayor is under pressure from the Russian Orthodox Church.

As a result ISKCON is now preparing to file a legal case. We are also preparing to launch an international campaign of protest. The VHP have agreed that they will become part of a "Defend Russian Hindus" campaign. In the UK, members of VHP will be on the committee of the campaign and in India, Ashok Singhal has agreed to lead a mass campaign. Yesteryear leading actress Hema Malini has also voiced her concern and willingness to approach the Indian Prime Minister for his help. The Hindujas have also come forward to voice their concern.

Below are the pics of planned Krishna Temple.