Representatives of the Center for Krishna Consciousness Societies in Russia and the Moscow public are outraged by the “anti-Krishna” media campaign

On December 21, 2003, the Russian View program came out against the construction of a Hare Krishna center at Khodynskoye Pole.

Maksim Shevchenko, who prepared a report on the construction, is especially outraged by the fact that, firstly, the center is being built "in the area of ​​mass visits" - the airport terminal and the CSKA sports complex, and secondly, people waiting for flights there "certainly, if there is a free canteen, will come in, they will be brainwashed there in order to involve them in a specific religious life . "

M. Shevchenko believes that "of course, as citizens of Russia, we must stand for the observance of the principle of freedom of conscience ... but as Muscovites we are obliged and we have the right to express our opinion about the fact that in the area of ​​children's institutions and in the area of ​​mass " visits to the construction of such buildings is simply unacceptable . He believes that in order to resolve the issue, it is necessary to hold a city referendum in order to find out the opinion of i> "those residents who are interested in their children growing up within the framework of traditional religions" (M.Shevchenko, apparently, is not interested in the opinion of other townspeople - ed . ).

This opinion is shared by the host of the program Ivan Demidov, who, speaking from the TV screen to Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, expresses the hope that he "will remain in the history of Moscow as the builder of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and not dubious mandala structures . "

On January 30, the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness issued an explanation for the media "On the parameters of the temple on Leningradsky Prospekt" . This document, published "in connection with numerous questions from journalists about the parameters of a new religious building, the construction of which will begin in the near future on Leningradsky Prospekt (possession 39)", says:

“Currently, there is no approved project for the temple. Work on the development of initial permits (including design documentation) is just beginning.

The main parameters (width, base area and height) will be determined based on:

1 requirements of the Moscow Architecture Committee and coordinating organizations;

1. topographic and geodetic features of the area;

2. the total number of church parishioners (both members of the Indian community and Russian citizens).

As for the design of the building, it will be designed in the traditional style of Hindu temples, taking into account the characteristics of this metropolis and the design of the surrounding buildings. The construction will use both traditional materials and technologies (stone, marble, etc.), specially delivered from India, and modern ones. The design of the religious building was entrusted to an international team of authors."

On February 8, the Russian View TV program showed signature sheets of 5,000 Muscovites opposing the construction of a Hare Krishna temple. The presenter Ivan Demidov promised that all the editorial staff of the program would put their signatures and called on the audience to follow their example.

On February 17, against the slanderous campaign unleashed by some media in connection with the decision to build a Hindu temple in Moscow the public association Revival of Spiritual Culture, which includes orientalists, religious scholars, politicians, cultural and art figures, came out . The statement of the association, in particular, says: "For the first time in the history of our countries, we are faced with the fact of inciting hostility towards India, towards its culture and spirituality.

Law-abiding citizens professing Vaishnavism, the most ancient monotheistic tradition on Earth, are subjected to baseless attacks. <...>

Representatives of this religious tradition, registered in Russia as the "Society for Krishna Consciousness" (OSK), have been making a significant contribution to spiritual culture, education and charity for more than 30 years. <...>

Therefore, the unabashedly false and insulting campaign in the media, which is being drawn into which believers of various faiths are being drawn, and which is fraught with the most serious consequences, cannot but arouse protest. <...>

... The media, in connection with this whole situation, are exaggerating real myths. For example, the myth about the supposedly gigantic size of the future temple. But the design of the temple has not even been chosen yet - why publish unverified data? Another myth is related to the location of the future temple. Despite repeated explanations by representatives of the Moscow government that the allocated site is located not on Khodynka field, but on Leningradsky Prospekt, it is Khodynka that appears in the media. Finally, the myth of funding from abroad. In fact, the Vaishnava community, like all other denominations, plans to build a temple with their own legally obtained funds.

Our association strongly protests against the media campaign, which flagrantly violates the Law on Freedom of Religion and incites inter-religious hatred in Russian society. We call for the united efforts of all believers - Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists - to achieve peace and harmony in the cause of the spiritual revival of Russia.

On February 20, there were reports that the public committee "Parents for Krishna" sent a letter of protest to the general director of "Channel 3" Vladimir Zhelonkin in connection with a number of stories about the construction of the temple in the program "Russian View". The authors of the letter regard the position of the creators of the program as inflammatory and give examples of attacks on Krishna temples in other regions of Russia after the release of such television programs or publications in the press. The activists of the committee were particularly indignant at the use in the plot about the farewell of Vaishnavism Krishnaites with the recently deceased parishioner, 24-year-old Nikolai Loza, such definitions as "totalitarian sect", "destructive cult", "sectarian temple", "possessed", "deceitful Krishnaites" and so on. "How could it happen," the members of the "Parents for Krishna" committee conclude, "that the channel was given to an organization engaged in clearly unconstitutional activities?"

On February 25, it became known that in the name of Yu.M. Luzhkov sent a written appeal in support of the construction of the temple, which was signed by 45,000 Muscovites. As noted on the website of the Moscow Center for Vedic Culture (which posted a message about this action), “among the signatories to the appeal are many residents of the area where it is planned to build a Krishna temple. , left their reviews, emphasizing the high moral values ​​preached by Hare Krishnas and their charitable activities.

Among the signatories there are many well-known figures of science, culture and art, such as, for example, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences Oleg Troitsky, People's Artist of Russia Elena Obraztsova, pop artist Mikhail Evdokimov, singer Boris Grebenshchikov, Honored Artist of Russia Lev Shimelov, satirist poet V. Vishnevsky , Honored Artist of Russia, President of the Academy of Illusionary Arts R. Tsitalashvili, famous theatrical figure Roman Viktyuk, film actor Dmitry Kharatyan, Doctor of Arts N. Kornienko, full member of the Academy of Arts of Ukraine Ada Rogovtseva, humorist Svyatoslav Yeshchenko and others."

The site also cites a comment by the president of the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness, Sergey Andreev: "The collection of signatures was a necessary measure in connection with a campaign to denigrate believers in some media. In this campaign, 5,000 signatures of Muscovites appear, allegedly protesting against the temple. But, as reported by an independent news agency "Blagovest-info", these signatures were collected in the summer-autumn of last year, moreover, from residents of houses located kilometers from the proposed site of the Hindu temple. birch grove on Kuusinen street, development of the territory of Chapaevsky park and Khodynka field, etc. At the end of the list, the Krishna temple was also mentioned. against the Krishna temple.

The chairman of the executive committee of the Center for Societies for Krishna Consciousness, Sergei Zuev, in his interview with the Blagovest-info agency, tried to refute a number of myths "launched" in connection with the construction plans. In particular, he called "deliberate fooling" the opposition of Sikhism as "traditional Hinduism" to the "sect" of Hare Krishnas, reiterated that there was no temple project yet and that the site for construction was not located on the Khodynka field itself, but four kilometers from the site of the tragedy.

On February 25, Moscow representatives of the Russian Center for Societies for Krishna Consciousness announced their intention to sue the leadership of the Moskovia TV channel for inciting religious hatred.

Russian view // Channel 3. 2003. December 21.

There. February 8th.

The Russian public is against the smear campaign unleashed by some media in connection with the decision to build a Hindu temple in Moscow. 2004. February 17.

Sources

• DOCUMENT: Explanation of the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness to the media "On the parameters of the temple on Leningradsky Prospekt" // Portal-Credo.ru. 2004. January 30.
• DOCUMENT: Public Committee "Parents for Krishna" sent a letter of protest against the TV program "Russian View" // There. 2004. February 24.
• Moscow Vaishnavas (Krishnaites) sent 45 thousand signatures to Yuri Luzhkov in support of the construction of their temple // Moscow Center of Vedic Culture. 2004. February 25.
• A system of myths has been launched around the construction of a Vedic center in Moscow, according to Hare Krishnas // NEWSru.com. 2004. February 25.