02 Jun 2008
Posted July 22nd, 2006
As part of a disturbing trend, senior B.K. Karuna, the BKWSU Chief of MultiMedia and Global PublicRelations, went public with an accusation of domain name theft against BrahmaKumaris.Info. Posted on the high profile Wikipedia administration email list, and re-published widely on the internet, B.K. Karuna alleges that;
“one person stole one of our domine [sister in charge] brahmakumaris.info trying to tarnish the image of our 70 years of solid service to humanity“.
Saddening as it is to witness a senior B.K. stoop to making wholly inaccurate and prejudicial accusations to third parties in public, as a matter of record, we would like to make clear the following ;
• the domain name BrahmaKumaris.Info was openly purchased and registered in entirely the normal manner
• there is no record of it ever being pre-owned at all
• there appears to have no attempt by the BKWSU, its satellite organizations or fronts to purchase it
• it is not for sale
• the use of the domain BrahmaKumaris.Info as a not-for-profit information service on the activities of the Brahma Kumaris falls entirely within clearly defined grounds of “fair use”
• the use of MediaWiki software for its encyclopedia of BK terms by BrahmaKumaris.Info falls entirely within the software’s license
From our point of view, a certain degree of compassion, respect and leeway has to be offered to B.K. Karuna. As a senior citizen of nearly 70 years old, one cannot expect Karuna to be fully conversant with internet technology and protocols.
However, being the individual whom introduced Information Services to the BKWSU headquarters and as “Chief of MultiMedia and Global PublicRelations”, these allegation have to be accepted as the “official policy” or “party line” of the BKWSU. To that we must respond.
As self-proclaimed instruments of God, indeed by their credo the only true and authentic intruments with direct connection to God on Earth, a higher degree of morality or standard of integrity must apply. Of any exclusive organization that habitually enjoys the privileged company of Presidents, Princes and Popstars, perhaps it is for humanity to judge whether they are being served, and whether the “800,000″ are all servers, as he claims below. Not the institution itself.
On a personal level, the intent behind these accusations are a poor reflection on lifetime of B.K. Raja Yoga practice. At which point exactly, during its 70 years, did it stop serving itself, or enjoying Lekhraj Kirpalani’s wealth, and start serving others, again on the basis of other individuals’ wealth? The point we make here is not to state fact but to question an individual, and institution, that dangerously believes in its own unsubstantiated P.R..
We here at BrahmaKumaris.Info remain committed to providing mutual support for B.K.s, ex-B.K.s, P.B.K.s and the Friends and Family of B.K.s by way of an open discussion forum that is not controlled or dominated by the institution.
We will continue to respect every individual B.K.’s right to determine their own life and do not fear to publicly document and discuss the controversies that haunt the organization - with the intent to resolve each one. We acknowledge and question the deep rooted effects of the practices, the hierarchy and organizational structure, have upon vulnerable individuals.
BK Watch
From: B. K. Karuna
Subject: Help
Newsgroups: gmane.org.wikimedia.mediawiki
Date: 2006-07-16 00:26:00 GMT (3 days, 23 hours and 8 minutes ago)
Dear respected sir,
Brahmakumaris is an international org in 112 countries.
We have more than 120 web sites in the name of brahmakumaris in all these countries.
One person stole one of our domine brahmakumaris.info trying to tarnish the image of our 70 years of solid service to humanity. brahmaumaris.org is ngo in UN with 800,000 servers awarded seaven times for peace work. He is using the wikimedia. Kindly look in to our request.
B.K.Karuna
Chief of MultiMedia and Global PublicRelations.
On Godly Service,
http://www.brahmakumaris.com for Humanity.
http://www.bkinfo.in for God News.
Phone:-+91-9414153999
The Wikipedia article on the BKWSU is to be found here ; BKWSU Wiki topic
The original Wikipedia article is to be found here; BKWSU Wiki topic - original
The record of edits made by BK Karuna to remove all reference to ex-BKs, PBKs and critical weblinks is to be found here;BKWSU Wiki re-writes
As part of a disturbing trend, senior B.K. Karuna, the BKWSU Chief of MultiMedia and Global PublicRelations, went public with an accusation of domain name theft against BrahmaKumaris.Info. Posted on the high profile Wikipedia administration email list, and re-published widely on the internet, B.K. Karuna alleges that;
“one person stole one of our domine [sister in charge] brahmakumaris.info trying to tarnish the image of our 70 years of solid service to humanity“.
Saddening as it is to witness a senior B.K. stoop to making wholly inaccurate and prejudicial accusations to third parties in public, as a matter of record, we would like to make clear the following ;
• the domain name BrahmaKumaris.Info was openly purchased and registered in entirely the normal manner
• there is no record of it ever being pre-owned at all
• there appears to have no attempt by the BKWSU, its satellite organizations or fronts to purchase it
• it is not for sale
• the use of the domain BrahmaKumaris.Info as a not-for-profit information service on the activities of the Brahma Kumaris falls entirely within clearly defined grounds of “fair use”
• the use of MediaWiki software for its encyclopedia of BK terms by BrahmaKumaris.Info falls entirely within the software’s license
From our point of view, a certain degree of compassion, respect and leeway has to be offered to B.K. Karuna. As a senior citizen of nearly 70 years old, one cannot expect Karuna to be fully conversant with internet technology and protocols.
However, being the individual whom introduced Information Services to the BKWSU headquarters and as “Chief of MultiMedia and Global PublicRelations”, these allegation have to be accepted as the “official policy” or “party line” of the BKWSU. To that we must respond.
As self-proclaimed instruments of God, indeed by their credo the only true and authentic intruments with direct connection to God on Earth, a higher degree of morality or standard of integrity must apply. Of any exclusive organization that habitually enjoys the privileged company of Presidents, Princes and Popstars, perhaps it is for humanity to judge whether they are being served, and whether the “800,000″ are all servers, as he claims below. Not the institution itself.
On a personal level, the intent behind these accusations are a poor reflection on lifetime of B.K. Raja Yoga practice. At which point exactly, during its 70 years, did it stop serving itself, or enjoying Lekhraj Kirpalani’s wealth, and start serving others, again on the basis of other individuals’ wealth? The point we make here is not to state fact but to question an individual, and institution, that dangerously believes in its own unsubstantiated P.R..
We here at BrahmaKumaris.Info remain committed to providing mutual support for B.K.s, ex-B.K.s, P.B.K.s and the Friends and Family of B.K.s by way of an open discussion forum that is not controlled or dominated by the institution.
We will continue to respect every individual B.K.’s right to determine their own life and do not fear to publicly document and discuss the controversies that haunt the organization - with the intent to resolve each one. We acknowledge and question the deep rooted effects of the practices, the hierarchy and organizational structure, have upon vulnerable individuals.
BK Watch
From: B. K. Karuna
Subject: Help
Newsgroups: gmane.org.wikimedia.mediawiki
Date: 2006-07-16 00:26:00 GMT (3 days, 23 hours and 8 minutes ago)
Dear respected sir,
Brahmakumaris is an international org in 112 countries.
We have more than 120 web sites in the name of brahmakumaris in all these countries.
One person stole one of our domine brahmakumaris.info trying to tarnish the image of our 70 years of solid service to humanity. brahmaumaris.org is ngo in UN with 800,000 servers awarded seaven times for peace work. He is using the wikimedia. Kindly look in to our request.
B.K.Karuna
Chief of MultiMedia and Global PublicRelations.
On Godly Service,
http://www.brahmakumaris.com for Humanity.
http://www.bkinfo.in for God News.
Phone:-+91-9414153999
The Wikipedia article on the BKWSU is to be found here ; BKWSU Wiki topic
The original Wikipedia article is to be found here; BKWSU Wiki topic - original
The record of edits made by BK Karuna to remove all reference to ex-BKs, PBKs and critical weblinks is to be found here;BKWSU Wiki re-writes