Response from Rama Putra Das

Rama Putra Das: Dear editors, Hare Krishna. The excerpt which was insered in your publication “Akincana Gocara”, regarding the gay marriage as being an official act of ISKCON is fake news. My name is Rama Putra Das, I’m an active member of ISKCON since 1984 and in my own particular capability, with my own freedom of thought and expression, I executed the blessing ceremony for the devotees Verônica and Tatiana. The ceremony happened in a private space, which does not belong to ISKCON, and its owners utilize it for the service of ISKCON. Please attach my answer to your publication, so that the name of ISKCON Brazil won’t be tarnished and your publication may become truthful. Thank you. Hare Krishna!

Rama Putra Das: I’m not the leader of Nova Gokula at this moment.

Response from other ISKCON authorities

Lokasaksi Dasa ( ACBSP ): Bhakti House is not a ISKCON temple or even a ISKCON project. It is a place owned by a couple of devotees, a lawer and an accounter, who has weekely programs of hatha yoga class and talks in Krishna Consciousness held there. The programs are organized by a devotte called Narada Muni Dasa. My self and others older devotees was several times invited to preach there.
This does not means that we agree with others speakers an activities that was done there.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada
your servant
Lokasaksi Dasa

Our answer

We are just neutrally reporting the facts. The ceremony received the blessings of Chandramukha Swami, who is an ISKCON guru and sannyasi. And Rama Putra Das is an active and respected member of ISKCON, who regularly participates in the management of the institution and is seen by the general public as a representative of ISKCON and his spiritual master, Hridayananda Dasa Goswami.

If the Governing Body of ISKCON Brazil does not desire to be linked with this event, it should clearly express its opinion about it through its official channels. Although the ceremony happened in a property that does not formally belong to ISKCON, it is regularly visited by ISKCON authorities, advertised by ISKCON through its official channels, and managed by an initiated ISKCON member. And at least two people who regularly participate in the meetings of the Governing Body of ISKCON Brazil, Rama Putra Das and Chandramukha Swami, were directly involved in the ceremony. Therefore, we thought it would be reasonable to report it as performed by the institution, regardless of whether or not it happened inside a temple.

Rama Putra Das was recently mentioned as the manager of the Nova Gokula farm project in a post on the official page of Nova Gokula published on April of the past year, and he’s been one of the leaders since at least the year of 2016. Therefore, we presumed he was still the leader of the community.