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ISKCON Guru Authorizes Disciple To Have Abortion

Slovenia (VNN) - The probe into the ISKCON-Slovenia controversy widens as more details come to light from investigative reports as well as more letters published by the different parties involved. Based on reports from ISKCON officials and sources close to ISKCON Rohini Suta das, an initiating guru of ISKCON, has given one of his disciples permission to have an abortion. Apparently the girl is the wife of one of the persons alleging the sexual assault to have taken place at the Ljubljana ISKCON temple. She contacted her guru Rohini Suta das for advise and help regarding her being pregnant from an alleged rape.

Based on ISKCON reports, Rohini Suta is said to have given permission for the abortion, after "explaining to her that it was against the rules of ISKCON" he "finally relented to allow her the abortion of the fetus" and told her "he was prepared to take that karma for her sake".

It was later revealed that the story of the rape was concocted by the girl to "test" her guru.

The following excepts from ISKCON's official and unofficial investigative reports confirm that Rohini Suta das did give permission for the girl to have an abortion:

From "Preliminary Investigation Report" (posted on the Internet from sources close to ISKCON)

(Quote)
"In the month of May of 1997 Rohinisuta was phoned by Hiranyangi during his visit at the Ljubljana temple. Hiranyangi was living in a town in the north of Slovenia at that time and had disconnected herself from Iskcon.
She said that she needed desperately Rohinisuta's advise and help as her spiritual master. Hiranyangi claimed that she had been brutally raped by an unknown person two months before and that she was now undergoing a severe crisis. Rohinisuta consequently drove all the way to her home to try and help her. She repeated the story of her pregnancy. Hiranyangi claimed that she did not want to carry out the child of a criminal. She screamed and cried for hours and threatened that if she would be forbidden to abort the child she would probably commit suicide. Rohinisuta finally relented to allow her the abortion of the foetus, if she wanted it, and hopefully the child would get a better chance in his next life. He admits it was against the rules of Iskcon to allow abortion of an unborn child. He feels sorry for it. He did it simply out of pity with the girl and to prevent her from commiting suicide. It was a difficult decision for him. He took the risk personally on himself, to try and save the girl. He had no personal interest in ordering an abortion, knowing well about the reactions promised in the Vedic literature. He was prepared to take that karma for her sake."
(End Quote)

Excerpt from "Final Report of an Investigation" Into Charges Against ISKCON Slovenia by Sadbhuja das (Zlatko Loncar) September 25th, 1997. Conducted by ISKCON Communications Europe

(Quote)
Results of the investigation into point 3:

In May 1997 Hiranyangi phoned Rohinisuta during a scheduled visit he was making to Ljubljana. Hiranyangi claimed that she had been brutally raped by an unknown person (non-devotee) two months previously and that she was now pregnant and undergoing a severe personal crisis.

Rohinisuta consequently visited her at her home. During that visit Hiranyangi claimed that she did not want to give birth to the child of a criminal. She threatened if she was be forbidden to abort the child she would commit suicide. Rohinisuta finally consented to agree to her request to be allowed to abort her child if she so desired.
(End Quote)

Sources have told VNN of several instances in which devotees in India have done abortions after finding out that the mother was expecting a "girl" baby. These reports have not been confirmed.

Other witnesses in the case have come forward with more allegations. More details on this story can be found at VADA.