ISKCON removes Vice-President Radharaman Das from all posts over social media row
Synopsis
ISKCON has ousted its Kolkata Vice-President Radharaman Das from all positions — and the list of reasons he disclosed publicly is striking: Bangladesh Hindu persecution advocacy, support for a jailed monk, a legal notice to Maneka Gandhi, and a Republic TV interview. The immediate trigger, however, appears to be a social media post on vegetarian protein that landed in the middle of a live school meal controversy.
Key Takeaways
ISKCON removed Radharaman Das from all positions, including Vice-President of ISKCON Kolkata , on 28 June 2026 .
Das disclosed the decision himself in a post on social media platform X , stating he has been directed not to represent ISKCON before media, government authorities, or any public forum.
Cited reasons include public statements on Hindu persecution in Bangladesh , support for jailed monk Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu , a legal notice to Maneka Gandhi , and a Republic TV interview on 29 May 2026 .
The immediate trigger was reportedly a social media post on 28 June 2026 defending vegetarian protein sources amid the Kolkata mid-day meal controversy.
The BJP government in West Bengal had engaged ISKCON to supply cooked mid-day meals to schools under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation , sparking a separate row over egg exclusion.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Sunday, 28 June 2026, removed Radharaman Das from all positions within the organisation, including his role as Vice-President of ISKCON Kolkata. Das himself disclosed the decision in a post on social media platform X, confirming he has also been directed not to represent or speak on behalf of ISKCON before the media, government authorities, or any public forum.
What Radharaman Das Said
In his post on X, Das stated: '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.' Despite the action, Das said he respects the decision and will abide by the directions issued to him, adding that he will not be interacting with the media or making further public statements on these matters on behalf of ISKCON.
Reasons Cited for the Removal
According to Das, the communication conveyed to him listed several grounds for the action. These reportedly include: speaking publicly and giving media interviews on the persecution of Hindus and devotees in Bangladesh; supporting and speaking in relation to Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu, an ISKCON monk currently held in a Dhaka jail; sending a legal notice to Maneka Gandhi in response to her public allegations that ISKCON sells cows to butchers; filing a cyber complaint over remarks made by comedian Surleen Kaur; making public statements defending Sanatana Dharma; sharing a post concerning Donald Trump's historical association with the 1976 New York Rathayatra; and, described by Das as the 'Last Nail', appearing in a Republic TV interview on 29 May 2026.
The Mid-Day Meal Controversy
The removal comes in the backdrop of a separate controversy involving ISKCON Kolkata and the West Bengal government's mid-day meal programme. The current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal had recently engaged ISKCON to provide cooked mid-day meals in state-run and state-aided schools within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation limits. Following this, social media was flooded with posts claiming eggs would no longer be part of the school meal menu.
As then Vice-President and Spokesman, Das had issued a social media statement urging the public not to be misled, attaching examples of what he called 'imaginary and totally misleading' menu charts that were circulating online. 'It has come to my notice that some people are sharing the following proposed menu for the mid-day meal in Kolkata. However, I would like to clarify that no such menu has been finalised, and this list has not been issued by us,' Das had said at the time.
The Post That Triggered the Final Action
On the day before his removal, Das posted on social media in defence of vegetarian protein sources, arguing that vegetarians have higher protein intake than non-vegetarians. He cited figures such as soya chunks at 52–54g of protein per 100g, compared to egg at 13g and fish at 22g, stating: 'If we're talking about science, India's protein map speaks for itself.' This post, which touched on the ongoing mid-day meal debate, appears to have been the immediate trigger for the organisation's action the following day.
What Happens Next
Das has confirmed he will comply with ISKCON's directive and cease all media interactions on the organisation's behalf. The development raises questions about the boundaries of public advocacy permissible for religious organisation officials, particularly on politically sensitive issues such as minority rights in neighbouring countries and domestic school nutrition policy. ISKCON has not issued a separate public statement detailing its position beyond what was communicated to Das.
Point of View
Rather than after years of Bangladesh advocacy, suggests the organisation is managing political exposure as much as internal discipline. The timing — days after the mid-day meal controversy put ISKCON at the centre of a BJP government policy row in West Bengal — is unlikely to be coincidental. Religious institutions that take on quasi-governmental roles, as ISKCON has in Kolkata's school meal programme, inevitably inherit the political sensitivities that come with them.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Radharaman Das removed from ISKCON?
Radharaman Das was removed from all ISKCON positions on 28 June 2026 for a range of actions cited in the communication sent to him. These included giving media interviews on Hindu persecution in Bangladesh, supporting jailed monk Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu, sending a legal notice to Maneka Gandhi, and appearing in a Republic TV interview on 29 May 2026. A social media post on vegetarian protein, made the day before his removal, is also believed to have been a contributing trigger.
What did Radharaman Das post on X that led to his removal?
Das posted on social media platform X defending vegetarian protein sources, citing data such as soya chunks containing 52–54g of protein per 100g versus egg at 13g, and arguing that vegetarians have higher protein intake than non-vegetarians. The post was made in the context of the ongoing controversy over ISKCON's mid-day meal menu in Kolkata schools. It appeared the day before ISKCON announced his removal.
What is the ISKCON mid-day meal controversy in Kolkata?
The BJP government in West Bengal engaged ISKCON to provide cooked mid-day meals in state-run and state-aided schools under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Following the announcement, social media posts claimed eggs would be removed from the school meal menu. Das, as then Vice-President, had publicly countered these posts, calling the circulating menu charts 'imaginary and totally misleading'.
Who is Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu, mentioned in the ISKCON row?
Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu is an ISKCON monk who is reportedly currently held in jail in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Das's public support for him and his statements on the persecution of Hindus and ISKCON devotees in Bangladesh were listed among the reasons cited for his removal from ISKCON.
What has Radharaman Das said about his removal?
Das said he respects the decision taken by ISKCON authorities and will abide by the directions issued to him. He confirmed he will not interact with the media or make further public statements on behalf of ISKCON, and requested journalists and media organisations to refrain from seeking comments or interviews from him.
